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02/07/07 |
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'Professional' Football Today's date is 9th October 2003 and is definitely the morning after the night before. I made reference to the events of 8th October in my news/diary page but will give a précis of events for those of you who live life on planet 'non football' A highly paid (some may say over paid) Manchester United defender was told he had to report for a drugs test after a training session on 23rd September. He did not turn up for his appointment and was subsequently banned by the FA (in accordance with their rules) and was not included in the England squad due to fly out to Turkey to play the 'must not lose' Euro 2004 qualifier. This is without doubt one of England's most important games in recent years because failure to win a point at least will mean that we have to go into the play offs to secure a place in Euro 2004. The player in question is Rio Ferdinand, who is the world's costliest defender, and reportedly earns £100,000 per week. I don't care if he earns 30 bob and expenses per week, he is in breach of the rules and the punishment is as laid down in FA rules, therefore what is the problem? The problem is, his fellow England team mates were a bit miffed and thought his treatment unfair, so they issued an ultimatum that if he was not re-instated then they would all refuse to travel to Turkey. The organisers of Euro 2004, EUFA, issued a statement of their own declaring that if the game did not go ahead as scheduled then England would be kicked out. After much huffing and puffing it was only on the eve of their departure that Team England issued another statement to say that they would after all fulfil the fixture without Ferdinand. "How nice of them." The statement was not apologetic or conciliatory in any way, on the contrary it was full of anger at the way they and the manager had been treated by the FA. By implication the manager must agree or else the players could not have included his name in the statement, which was not read out by a player but by an FA spokesman. How dare they! Playing for or representing one's country is not a right, it is, or at least it ought to be, an honour. Since my heart transplant I have had the privilege of being selected to represent Great Britain & NI at two World Transplant Games. I have also represented my country at two European Heart and Lung Transplant Games. I realise I am not a professional sportsman but my Union Jack on the breast pocket is the same Union Jack that is on David Beckham's breast pocket. Not only that but I have to pay for my GB badge and track suit and running gear and golf top and flights and hotels and food and drink. Do these highly paid prima donnas not understand the anger that they have generated not only by their threatened strike action, but in this week of all weeks when professional footballers have led every news bulletin for moronic and possibly illegal behaviour. Football is being dragged through the gutter and is in danger of imploding. In a perverse sort of way I would have liked them to carry out their threat. What then should have happened is that they were all sent packing and another 22 man squad selected in their place. However, as the manager (who by implication) appears to agree with them could not presumably dismiss them he would have had to go too. Ignore the last paragraph I am just thinking out loud. Back to the point. It seems from a layman's point of view that the root cause of all of the problems is money. Young men, some of whom can barely string sentences together, are earning vast sums of money and have too much time on their hands and appear to have little or no respect for the rest of society. They are not showing too much respect to their clubs or club managers either, and in some cases the fans. They are surrounded by hangers on and yes men and every whim is pampered to, they inhabit a nocturnal world where they throw £50 notes around and insult staff and public alike, in short it seems that some of them are out of control. I do not profess to know the answer, but it has got to be up to the clubs to do something to correct the situation. They pay the wages and issue the contracts to the players. I wonder how many, if any, clubs would consider sacking a player or cancelling his contract. Presumably it is impossible for one club to do this because the player would simply move to another club who would indulge him and probably pay him more wages. The FA could try and introduce some sanity by imposing a wage cap per club as happens in American sport, but I fear this will never happen. It remains therefore in the hands of us - Joe Public - the fans - season ticket holders - Sky Sports subscribers to do something. How many are prepared to give up their season ticket or get rid of their dish? No not many! I guess we will just have to suffer these fools a little longer then! I am still convinced that it will all end in tears. One day, and I am talking this generation we will say enough is enough. I leave you with this question - How long, regardless of the result, will Sven Goran Eriksson remain as England manager? Also, send me your alternative 22 man squad comprising players eligible to play for England, in the event of this current lot going on strike. Shearer / Sheringham / ???????????????????? I will publish the best selection soon! Just for fun you understand.
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