Comments on: Is The Premier League Becoming A Home For Mercenaries?

By: Kyle

Kyle — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 05:43:56 +0000

But of course, the role increased funs have at raising the level of play and drawing the top athletes to the sport gets completely overlooked in these discussions.

As a Spurs fan, I’ve got all the available DVDs of the club’s cup wins. The miserable Spurs side that took to the pitch in the second half of the 07-08 season would have completely and utterly obliterated the Spurs side that won the double in 61. It wouldn’t even be close.

Baseball fans whine in this fashion, too, and harken back to the good old days when the reserve clause bound players to their team until the team decided to release them.

And it is always assumed that the sport was better in the past. That money has ruined things. But sport is competition. The primary product fanchises sell is not a connection with the fans and the club. It is not a connection between the fans and the players. It is competition.

And all this horrible money and the mercinaries it brings with it have raised the level of competition higher than it ever has been before. The Yankees’ dynasty of the 20s wouldn’t stand a chance agains the 08 Pirates. Think of pitting an gold medal Olympic sprinter from the 60s against the last bronze medalist.

There are hundreds of clubs in England. Go follow an amateur side if you wish. All the lads will be local and the corrupting influence of money won’t be there. But the football will look like shite in comparison to the level of talent and play that horrible money has provided.

You people want it both ways. You want money drawing the best athletes to sport and away from other sports and specifically to football. But then, once they’re there, that financial influence that is responsible for what truly makes the EPL so popular (it is among the most skilled and talented play on the planet) needs to disappear.

You can’t have your cake and eat it, too.

By: Kat Kid

Kat Kid — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 20:22:39 +0000

Oh for the old days when players still worked in factories and were paid pence on the pound!

good lord, enough already.

By: Phil McThomas

Phil McThomas — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 15:24:05 +0000

Football clubs have got to understand their ‘hook’ – what keeps fans attached to a club.

The more churn you have with players, the less there is to keep fans attached to the club.

By: Soccer Writer

Soccer Writer — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 14:51:40 +0000

What irks me the most is that ‘good’ players who have the calibre to play in the first 11 at most clubs, prefer to warm the benches at big clubs at pocket their humongous salaries. Its a big shame.

Take the case of SWP. He lost his England place because he didnt play for Chelseas that often. Yet he has not moved on. Surprising. And it , comes with a statement saying, ” I’ll bide my time.” “I’ll fight for my place”.

Bollocks.

By: Mark Meadows

Mark Meadows — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 14:24:52 +0000

The problem is obviously worse in the Premier League but I think it is true across all football. I am a Reuters reporter and I recently interviewed a footballer in Italy who said the wrong team name for the club he was playing at. Money is the only important thing to many players and some dont care where they get it.