Olympians versus footballers

[Grays_1890]

Spot on! The Thai girl that won a bronze in the weight lifting comes from a family who lives in a hut and has a daily income of about a fiver! Until recently worked full time to help support the family. And a lovely person as well. It is down to the person themselves how they behave, with or without money. If you are an thicko obnoxious taco without money then you will be a rich thick obnoxious taco with money!

I think a large portion is down to what you are rewarded for in your sport.

Olympic sports (bar a few) have rewards when you reach the top, when you actually achieve a goal in the sport. In football a players first contract can be anything and based on not achieving anything in the sport.

 

[Jordinho]

Sports are very important for US colleges in terms of donations from wealthy individuals.

 

[jts1882]

There would be absolute uproar in the UK if universities started taking this approach.

I don't know if its still true, but for a long time the Cambridge University rugby team had a substantial number of students studying Land Economy* and mostly at one College.

* Curiously this is the degree that our esteemed chairman took.

 

[BAE]

Benny is the exception to all rules

 

[jimmyb]

I don't know if its still true, but for a long time the Cambridge University rugby team had a substantial number of students studying Land Economy* and mostly at one College.

* Curiously this is the degree that our esteemed chairman took.

Yep.

Danny Boy was an excellent rugby player in his youth. Back row forward.

 

[jimmyb]

Am I the only one who thinks it's much more to do with class / upbringing than it is money? :-"

Most English footballers just seem like the average chav / rudeboy / thug / simpleton that abound in this country regardless of salary.

I don't think it's necessarily got anything to do with class or money. But it's definitely got a lot to do with upbringing.

Firstly, it's all about the parents - the example and the boundaries that they set; the encouragement they give.

Then, it's all about the coaches - the guidance they give; the habits they foster; the standards they insist upon (within sport and in life generally).

And that's where football is falling short, IMO. As many have pointed out, young footballers are treated like children - even as they move into adulthood. Most of them can barely tie their own shoe laces. I remember, 10-15 years ago, there was a discussion within the game about how best to develop young footballers. And I was utterly appalled to see David Pleat (then Director of Football at Spurs) arguing that young footballers should be excused from academic studies since they had no interest in them and weren't any good at them.

Obviously, football is a far, far bigger sport in this country than cycling will ever be, but I can't help feeling that if we had someone like Dave Brailsford (the mastermind behind the meteoric rise of British cycling over the past decade) in overall charge of English football, the standards of our footballers would be far higher - and, by standards, I mean both in terms of quality of play and quality of character.

 

[jimmyb]

Portraying footballers as the scum of the earth is simply unfair.

That's not the point of this thread. I hope no one's doing that.

The point is that our young footballers are being failed by those in positions of responsibility. They are not being given a rounded, grounded education in life.

And there must be something that could be done to rectify that.

 

[braineclipse]

That's not the point of this thread. I hope no one's doing that.

The point is that our young footballers are being failed by those in positions of responsibility. They are not being given a rounded, grounded education in life.

And there must be something that could be done to rectify that.

I agree fully, although it's a difficult situation for the clubs and football associations too.

Comparing them to Olympians is comparing two completely different situations.

Getting the kind of money, fame and accolade that many footballers get at a very young age isn't easy to deal with. If you want a comparison I think other high paying team sports such as basketball (NHL), American football and ice hockey is more apt. And a comparison with young world famous actors and pop stars a more apt comparison than with some Olympian making a normal wage in a sport very few people care about apart from every 4 years and even then people only care if they're close to winning.

There was a story reported in the press, not sure if it's entirely accurate, but Barca had signed some young star from abroad (maybe Portugal.) He showed up at the training ground in some super car, Lamborghini or something. Xavi reportedly went over to him and told him he had to get a new car, not exactly what the kid expected to hear he asked "Why?". "We just don't do that here." Having a cool car was fine, but something that flash was just unnecessary and thus frowned upon.

Some seemingly very well rounded people at Barca, also the last generation of home grown Real players like Raul, Guti and Casillas seemed like a decent bunch. I think some clubs could do a lot better, even though it's a difficult situation.

 

[inkpenspur]

Player's behaviour could be changed with a bit of determination, prudent use of technology, and someone in charge with the courage to do it. If they set a code of conduct and enforced it using video technology it would change the game literally overnight. In time this would filter down.

I agree completely with this. I would immediately 'mike up' premier league referees, and enforce the correct penalties for swearing.. eg a red card, and within weeks swearing would disappear from premier league football. Rooney and Terry would be off every game within ten minutes... but they'd soon moderate their language. The respect campaign isn't just about the colour of someone's skin, it should be about respect of the ref, other players and the fans. Putting a mic on the ref in rugby union has improved my understanding of the game as a fan, and colourful language is exceptionally rare.

 

[Jurgen the German]

Benny is the exception to all rules

Not really. He admitted his main motivation for playing football is money rather than a love for the sport. I'll give him points for admitting it though.

 

[Jurgen the German]

I definitely think it's a class issue. If you play football on a Saturday/Sunday for your local team, you always get at least 1 team in your league that is filled with pikey scumbags. You don't really get that from my experience in playing cricket or tennis for example. Football is one of the cheapest, most accessible sports to play so people that come from poor backgrounds are always likely to gravitate towards football.

Most footballers come from working class backgrounds, so I also think it's a case of they can't handle/don't know how to deal with the money that comes pouring in once they make it.

 

[Ginola99]

There was a story reported in the press, not sure if it's entirely accurate, but Barca had signed some young star from abroad (maybe Portugal.) He showed up at the training ground in some super car, Lamborghini or something. Xavi reportedly went over to him and told him he had to get a new car, not exactly what the kid expected to hear he asked "Why?". "We just don't do that here." Having a cool car was fine, but something that flash was just unnecessary and thus frowned upon.

Some seemingly very well rounded people at Barca, also the last generation of home grown Real players like Raul, Guti and Casillas seemed like a decent bunch. I think some clubs could do a lot better, even though it's a difficult situation.

It was Xavi to Hleb when he signed..

"Koeman’s anecdote recalls another that Alexander Hleb, the former Arsenal and Barcelona player, tells about the current team. Presented with new cars by club sponsor Audi following their 2009 Champions League win, Hleb instinctively selected the biggest, most powerful one on offer before club captain Xavi reprimanded him.
‘You can’t have that,’ said Xavi. ‘Our fans will think we’re too flash.’

 

[braineclipse]

It was Xavi to Hleb when he signed..

"Koeman’s anecdote recalls another that Alexander Hleb, the former Arsenal and Barcelona player, tells about the current team. Presented with new cars by club sponsor Audi following their 2009 Champions League win, Hleb instinctively selected the biggest, most powerful one on offer before club captain Xavi reprimanded him.
‘You can’t have that,’ said Xavi. ‘Our fans will think we’re too flash.’

Cheers

To say that my memory was patchy on that story would be an understatement...

 

[Ginola99]

Cheers

To say that my memory was patchy on that story would be an understatement...

Xavi went on to win a couple more medals and Hleb went on to Stuttgart, Birmingham City, Wolfsburg, Krylia Sovetov Samara and finally back to his first club BATE Borisov

 

[jts1882]

One travelled the world and lived the dream, the other stayed at home and drove a cheap Audi.

 

[jimmyb]

I definitely think it's a class issue. If you play football on a Saturday/Sunday for your local team, you always get at least 1 team in your league that is filled with pikey scumbags. You don't really get that from my experience in playing cricket or tennis for example. Football is one of the cheapest, most accessible sports to play so people that come from poor backgrounds are always likely to gravitate towards football.

Most footballers come from working class backgrounds, so I also think it's a case of they can't handle/don't know how to deal with the money that comes pouring in once they make it.

Which is one of the ways in which football authorities, clubs and coaches are failing our young footballers.

The problem is that young footballers' role models tend to be poorly behaving senior footballers and their most influential advisers are their unscrupulous agents.

And, once again, I don't believe that it is a class issue per se. Plenty of working class kids are brought up in an environment of discipline, values and sense of responsibility. Of course, it's also true to say that many aren't......but that's where the coaches should step in and fill the vacuum.

 

[stupid632]

One thing I have also noticed at the Olympics (this and previous ones) is that the athletes look like they truly want to be there and giving it their all! There is one that comes to mind during this Olympics of the GB woman's hockey captain, she got whacked in the face with a hockey stick, broken jaw! she had the Operation, missed one game (due to still being in hospital) and then got back on the field a mere days after! That shows dedication and desire in my opinion, she just didn't want to give up easily as it means the world to these people. Yet, we see the footballers giving half-hearted performances, and you know the worst thing, personally, footballers still benefit more due to the income they can generate. Where as to the people it truly means too, they'll never see anything like that! I think football needs to get its priorities straight, this is a time where UFEA and FIFA gave to step in an sort a compromise that will be up-held (this fifa fair play rule looks like it'll make the rich richer and the poor poorer imo)

 

[jimmyb]

One thing I have also noticed at the Olympics (this and previous ones) is that the athletes look like they truly want to be there and giving it their all! There is one that comes to mind during this Olympics of the GB woman's hockey captain, she got whacked in the face with a hockey stick, broken jaw! she had the Operation, missed one game (due to still being in hospital) and then got back on the field a mere days after! That shows dedication and desire in my opinion, she just didn't want to give up easily as it means the world to these people. Yet, we see the footballers giving half-hearted performances, and you know the worst thing, personally, footballers still benefit more due to the income they can generate. Where as to the people it truly means too, they'll never see anything like that! I think football needs to get its priorities straight, this is a time where UFEA and FIFA gave to step in an sort a compromise that will be up-held (this fifa fair play rule looks like it'll make the rich richer and the poor poorer imo)

Yep. There was also that Turkish runner the other day who was injured but still insisted on finishing her race, running / limping the last lap or so in tears.

 

[stupid632]

Yep. There was also that Turkish runner the other day who was injured but still insisted on finishing her race, running / limping the last lap or so in tears.

Ahhh, yes Aydn (I believe that was her name), the things these people will do to up-hold their pride for the nation is amazing! I think that's been the most enjoyable thing for me this Olympics is the athletes truly love their nations!

 

[braineclipse]

Come on!

You can't compare Olympic performances for athletes getting their once or twice in a lifetime opportunity to a footballer playing 38 league games per season.

Been plenty of valiant efforts, playing through pain/injury as well as tears both in big club games and even more so in for example the World Cup that only comes around every 4 years like the Olympics.