Not even the most ardent of Celtic fans would deny that Graeme Souness could back it up as a player.
But, since Souness has retired from the game, he went into management, as well as plying his trade in the punditry world, where he is as outspoken as anyone and doesn’t mince his words.
Unfortunately for him, no matter how much he talks or how much he is in denial, Celtic’s dominance over Rangers continues, and that gap between the two is pretty big, even if he states otherwise.
But that’s in the world of punditry, the former Scotland international was also outspoken, to nobody’s surprise, when he was in the dugout, and it didn’t do him any favours.
In total, Souness managed eight teams, including Blackburn Rovers between 2000-04, just after their Premier League title success under Kenny Dalglish, with Celtic hero Chris Sutton up top, and when they were still in England’s top-flight.
But then came the time when Souness met Celtic, and he didn’t help himself!
John Hartson recalls Graeme Souness’ infamous quotes about Celtic as Blackburn Rovers manager
In 2002, Celtic hosted Blackburn Rovers in the UEFA Cup – it was the duo’s first-ever competitive meeting – and Souness was in the dugout.
Despite the Hoops winning that first leg encounter at Celtic Park 1-0, thanks to a goal from the King of Kings, Souness proceeded to state after the match that it was ‘men against boys’, as he jibbed at his former rival.
John Hartson started that game and he shared that it wasn’t a wise thing to say from the former midfielder, and how ‘we smashed them 2-0’ in the return leg, as he told Go Radio.
“I remember a Mr Graeme Souness once said about Celtic,” said Hartson. “He came to Celtic with Blackburn. Walked off with a 1-0 win, and then said, ‘it was men against boys’.
“You can’t call the likes of Sutton, Hartson, and all these guys, ‘boys’. We went down to Ewood Park and we smashed his team 2-0. You don’t say that, ‘men against boys’.
“The great Graeme Souness came a cropper that night.”
High-quality players on show for those Celtic and Blackburn showdowns
Don’t get it twisted, some high-quality players were on show, from both sides, during that meeting over 20 years ago now.
From legendary goalkeeper Brad Friedel, who played 450 Premier League matches, to the iconic strike partnership of Dwight Yorke and Andy Cole – but they were at the end of their careers.
And Celtic were also littered with greats, players who were writing their names into the legendary books in Glasgow.
From Paul Lambert to the no-nonsense Neil Lennon. The hard-hitting Bobo Balde, including the firepower of Henrik Larsson, Sutton and Hartson.