Graeme Souness left red-faced as old comments contradict Ronaldo view

Graeme Souness could be in danger of being branded a hypocrite after insisting that Cristiano Ronaldo was right to publicly air his grievances with Manchester United in a wide-ranging interview with Piers Morgan. The five-time Ballon d’Or winner accused the Red Devils of disrespecting him during the tell-all conversation, which was partially aired on Sunday, with his second spell at United now seemingly all but over as the dust continues to settle.Ronaldo has been widely condemned by fans and pundits alike over the last 24 hours, with the likes of Jamie Carragher and Jermaine Jenas having been left thoroughly unimpressed by the 37-year-old’s comments as he looks to force a move away from United in the January transfer window. Souness was quick to defend Ronaldo when quizzed on his view of the situation, though, with the Scot insisting that there was nothing wrong with what was said in the controversial interview.”I certainly do,” Souness told talkSPORT when asked if he still stands by the forward. “I come back to it, there’s a meeting, two people speak, two people leave the room with an understanding and someone has not kept their word.”He has never spoken. He feels it is time for him to come out and tell his side of the story. This is a player who in many people’s eyes is the greatest player to have ever kicked a ball. Does that matter now?”JUST IN: Mykhaylo Mudryk makes exciting admission as Arsenal weigh up transfer Graeme Souness has jumped to the defence of Cristiano Ronaldo (Image: GETTY)However, it has been pointed out by some Twitter users that Souness took a contrasting stance on the comments made by Romelu Lukaku when the Belgian forward outlined his desire to leave Chelsea and rejoin Inter Milan last season.”We’re trying to understand how a player could get his head where it has been to come out with such a ridiculous and damaging statement,” fumed Souness at the time during an appearance on Sky Sports.DON’T MISSRonaldo has chance to seal Chelsea transfer after Tuchel departureMan City cheekily approached over loan for Erling HaalandChelsea make transfer ‘promise’ to wonderkid to fend off Liverpool Ronaldo made a series of explosive claims in a tell-all interview with Piers Morgan (Image: EXPRESS)”I think he has come back, he’s not gone straight into the team, [there is] enormous disappointment attached to that and he has come out with the nonsense he has come out with, which is totally disrespectful. He’s 29 years old, he’s not 19. He should have known better that this statement damages the football club enormously.”It is like walking into the dressing room and saying to the other guys: ‘I don’t want to be with you anymore’. I know what I’d be like. If you don’t fancy it here, there’s the door, and on you go.”He has got to hold his hand up and say: ‘It wasn’t the right place, I made a mistake, I apologise unreservedly’. He has lit a fire, a fire that only he can put out.”Want the latest Premier League news as we publish it on Express Sport? Join our Facebook group by clicking here.