Loyalty: a four-letter word in world soccer
Our favorite podcast, Goalmouth Scramble, is back at it and this time Curtis dives in with two feet to tackle the issue of loyalty in the sport. Is there even any? The Francesco Totti’s and Ryan Giggs’ of the world are the exceptions, not the rules. No longer do players stay with one club their entire careers. So rarely do superstars come up with a powerhouse club, and even if they do it’s no guarantee they’ll stick around for a career. The richest and biggest clubs can buy any player they want, which creates a high-priced mercenary system to do one thing: win matches and trophies. Clubs may boast about their histories, but those were built on homegrown talent, not on what could be bought. They say money talks and in the world of soccer it certainly does where we know where the real loyalty lies; the almighty dollar (or pound or euro or whatever currency you use).
Also in store, more EPL previews. This time a look at Arsenal and Middlesbrough.
Also, more news regarding Goalmouth Scramble and Soccer Manager for all of the fantasy fanatics out there.
Enjoy!
On July 12th, 2008 at 1:20 pm
Garath Barry is a great example, Captin of a Uefa Cup Club but as soon as Liverpool come sniffing with their money he couldn’t have gone any quicker
On July 13th, 2008 at 1:06 pm
Clubs do to their player all the time. They trade their players many times without even telling them.
I say this is a great chance for players, most of them coming from poor neighborhoods to make money. And if teams such as Arsenal failed to recognize that keeping their players is most important than making bigger stadiums, then it is their own faults.
We know why Arsenal went into bigger stadium; They wanted to make more money. But they didn’t see it coming that they would have to pay more competitively to their player or else they would leave.
I think Loyalty is a word that doesn’t really fit in pro sport now days.