Steven Gerrard catches a Graeme Souness stray as Rangers icon mercilessly ridicules Saudi football

Unimpressed Graeme Souness insists he understands why the Saudi Pro League is struggling for an audience and claims he could still cut it in the Middle East.

The 70-year-old tuned into one of the richest leagues in the world during a recent holiday and was left miffed as he namechecked Steven Gerrard's Al-Ettifaq drawing sparse crowds amid his loaded Saudi takedown. And the Rangers icon reckons the standard is miles off the best leagues on the planet despite world superstars Cristiano Ronaldo, Sadio Mane and Neymar being swayed by eye-popping wages.

Writing in his Daily Mail column, the football legend said: "I spent a week in Portugal last week and was in the gym every day, sometimes watching Portuguese television carrying games from the Saudi league. It was an experience which helped me understand why only 696 fans turned up to watch Jordan Henderson's Al-Ettifaq team lose at home. I have to say that the games were a difficult watch and they actually got me thinking: 'I could do half an hour as an ageing central midfielder in that league.' I'm making myself available."

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