Graeme Souness has admitted that Alan Hansen is facing the “fight of his life” as he shared a worrying update on his former Liverpool and Scotland teammate.
Liverpool confirmed on June 9 that Hansen is currently ‘seriously ill’ in hospital and requested privacy on behalf of his family. Hansen turned 69 on Thursday while in the hospital and Souness used the opportunity while live on ITV Sport to send his close friend a prayer ahead of the opening game of Euro 2024 between Germany and Scotland.
“Listen, I had the pleasure of playing with him, he was an absolute dream for a midfield player,” Souness said. “He passed the ball at the right weight at the right time from the right angle.
“Just a super football player, I believe the best footballing center-half ever. I know that’s some statement but I really believe that. I saw him close up and he was a real quality performer.
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“And as a human being. You know when people are in trouble with an illness people say ‘They’re a great guy’ or ‘They were a great guy’. I’m telling you, he was a great guy.
“He’s a strange breed because I think you’d have to search a long, long way to find anyone to say a bad word about him. That takes some doing and his chat and his banter were top-class, he was just a pleasure to be around. He’s in the fight of his life right now and we should all say a little prayer for him.”
Scotland is competing in its second major tournament since 1998, after qualifying for Euro 2020. They only managed one point in that tournament and hopes are high for this summer, but Souness is understandably distracted due to Hansen.
Souness also spoke about Hansen on Talksport earlier this week when previewing Euro 2024, and was just as emotional when reflecting on their relationship. “He’s not a colleague, he’s a good friend. When people become ill, people always talk about how much of a great guy that person was.
“I’m telling you now, he’s a real human being. It’s hard to find a bad word about him. He’s a rascal when it comes to humour, he was very smart with that. I, like every person who comes across him or listened to him on the television, say a little prayer for him.
“He is one of life’s good guys. Please god, we’re all saying a prayer for him that he gets through this. I spoke to his wife, Janet, a couple of days ago and you can imagine what state she’s in. I’m telling you, he is one of the best guys you’ve ever met. A proper, proper human being.”