Former Liverpool star Graeme Souness agreed with Erik ten Hag about modern footballers' inability to deal with criticism. Ten Hag, who managed Manchester United from mid-2022 until his sacking in October 2024, has reflected on his experience with the club in a recent interview. He argued players had thicker skin during his own playing career, which ended in 2002. By that poiint, Souness was already in the management game. The 71-year-old hung up his boots in 1991 after a spell as Rangers player=manager, and had spells in charge of several Premier League clubs until his Newcastle exit in 2006. Now a pundit, former Scotland international midfielder Souness hasn't been afraid to tear into the current generation of players. Some of his targets have been specific individuals, but he has given a broader outlook this time. "It was no surprise to hear Erik ten Hag, the former Manchester United manager, bemoan that the modern player can no longer take criticism," Souness wrote for The Mail. "He's right. A combination of factors is to blame. "The wokeism that exists in everyday life and permeates through society. Money. Media exposure. And the power of their asset value to a football club. All of those elements make it extremely difficult to manage the modern footballer." Souness didn't specify what he meant by "wokeism," but he did later mention three United players by name - including two currently out on loan. "Look at these young Manchester United pups like Alejandro Garnacho, Jadon Sancho or Marcus Rashford. Who have they been listening to?" he continued. "Are we really surprised that in the week Ten Hag makes his comments, Garnacho still sulks off down the tunnel when he is substituted and we hear Ruben Amorim saying he will speak to him? No, challenging the manager is what we've come to expect. The tail is wagging the dog." Do you agree that footballers struggle to deal with criticism? Have your say in the comments section Souness was referring to comments made by Ten Hag in an interview with SEG Stories. “A player’s well-being. How they handle media, fan reactions, social media—it affects their game," the Dutchman said. “For some it’s positive, for others negative. This generation struggles with criticism — it hits them hard.” “My generation had thicker skin; you could be much more direct with us," he added. "If I used that approach now, I’d demotivate them. They’d be at HR the next day.” “You can [be more direct], but it’s the challenge—same message, different delivery. They’d feel humiliated otherwise. We saw it as a gift—unwrap it, get better. The old way was more effective; you knew where you stood and what to fix. Now, you’ve got to be more tactful for the same result.” Join our new MAN UTD WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Manchester United content from Mirror Football. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read ourPrivacy Notice.