Many are aware of the highly publicized football news items this summer, about want-away professionals turning down contracts, not training hard enough, and even threatening to strike in a bid to move to their desired clubs.
This situation has been labelled player power.
But in actual fact it's a vicious cycle, one that has finally come round to kick clubs in the backside—the same clubs that thought it was okay to pay wages worth thousands of pounds a week in the first place.
In effect it was the clubs who gave power to the players and their agents, so why are we blaming the players, and why do clubs all of the sudden want the power back?
Such behaviour has become a reality of the transfer market, yet people are just not ready to accept that the foremost interest of a player and their agent is the well being of their careers and nothing else.
Forget about so called loyalty to the badge on their shirt, the faithful supporters in the terraces, or the club they have been at since they were 14 years old. Players are the most important asset to any club, and for that reason alone they rightfully should have the kind of control that has seen the likes of Gareth Barry, Dimitar Berbatov, Cristiano Ronaldo and Robinho engineer transfer sagas that have run for weeks on end.
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The opposition in this player power row is obviously provided by the clubs. Somehow, individuals within the higher echelons of such institutions feel it is okay to interfere with a player's will, only to uphold the image of club remaining in control of the player.
A perfect example of this would be the unprofessional comment that came out of White Hart Lane recently, suggesting Tottenham would rather sell Berbatov at a lower price to another club—simply to stop him going to Manchester United.
Or, for another example, Spartak Moscow's willingness to hang onto their prolific striker Roman Pavlyuchenko, even when the Russian club are clearly in no position to keep the player, or deny the sort of funds being offered.
If a player doesn't want to play for you anymore, or clearly doesn't show commitment, sell him.
It's that simple.
Take a leaf out of West Ham's book, who recently sold Anton Ferdinand to Sunderland when his bid to hold out for a £50,000 a week contract backfired. A bold reminder that clubs are just as powerful as the players in some cases.
James Milner also recently handed in a transfer request at Newcastle. Yet to my dismay, some criticize him because they believe he's trying to engineer a move to Aston Villa. Surely this is the most respectable way of going about such affairs, rather than talking to the press or getting "tapped up".
Is there really a problem with that, and will Newcastle hold him against his will?
Fans are just as guilty as the clubs of demanding loyalty from their players while they offer no such acknowledgement in return. Who can forget the hypocritical actions of Liverpool fans, burning Steven Gerrard's No. 8 shirt outside Anfield when they thought he was on his way to Chelsea?
This after all he had given to the club up to that point.
The hard truth is that there is an increasing decline in loyalty in football, and player power is nothing new. As long as players get excessive amounts of money and their contracts are engineered by agents, clubs, and fans will continuously be reminded who the bosses really are.
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3 months ago
I think that it is a matter of respect that goes in circles.
A) - If the player is happy playing for a club and think the money is sufficient, unless its too much of a step up to turn down the player will stick with the club.
B) - The fans will be happy with a player that works hard, loves the club and has talent.
C) - The club will happily pay a player what they can afford to depending what the player means to the club. Unless the player is not good enough, demanding too much money, disrespecting the club, not working hard or the fee offered for the player is to good to refuse he wont go anywhere.
I still don't think the average player has all the power but they certainly want it. You see more and more players trying their luck with clubs. If they sign a contract, they must adhere to it like true professionals. Its the same with any job!
3 months ago
"Players are the most important asset to any club, and for that reason alone they rightfully should have the kind of control that has seen the likes of Gareth Barry, Dimitar Berbatov, Cristiano Ronaldo and Robinho engineer transfer sagas that have run for weeks on end." I couldn't agree more. Good piece, Ricky. A piece that could be transplanted into any professional sport, really.
3 months ago
great article :) and very true...
3 months ago
Good article.
3 months ago
I believe the fans are what make a football club. Not the players. A club can survive when it loses a player but they struggle badly financially when fans stop turning up.
Who buys the shirts with that players name on it after all?
from 3 months ago
Fans don't train, they don't play the matches and they aren't directly responsible for the results on the pitch.
Burton Albion could have a billion fans but if they had no players then I think I would agree with the author and say that players make the club not the fans.
from 3 months ago
And if Burton Albion had a million fans they would be a big club wouldn't they?
If Manchester United had no fans then they wouldn't.
I wasn't saying the writer was wrong just adding a point.
from 3 months ago
Okay good points there Andrew, it is a two way street because one can't exist as well without the other. I guess fans are just as important to the club as players, maybe even more so now you've made me think about it.
3 months ago
i agree with you Brandon "Fans don't train, they don't play the matches and they aren't directly responsible for the results on the pitch."
Ps; but don't forget the team spirit. did you thought about why clubs are afraid to be visitor, homeground is most deadly weapon in Football. i forgot homeground without fans is nothing. you say players make clubs not fans. but you forgot players are workers, they get wages from directors. what do you think from where "the hell" the directors get that kind of money, from tickets of course. who buy tickets FANS. do you know who's the owner of FC Barcelona, FC Benfica, FC Bayern Munchen. they're owners are their numerous fans. so don't talk about fans like that again o.k Brandon.
from 3 months ago
Don't get me wrong, I know how important the fans are at any club but all I'm saying is at the end of the day fans are nothing if they have no players on the picth, which makes players the first and most important thing in a team.
from 3 months ago
And players are nothing and won't get paid without the fans...making it a two way street mate.
from 3 months ago
Andrew has a good point, it's a two way street and even though I didn't touch on it as much the fans make the club just as much as the players.
3 months ago
POTD for me. :)
3 months ago
nice read
3 months ago
Great read once again Ricky, very intersting article. It shall be another talking point for me and the lads at college!
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