On the Ball (new Football Focus)

[matthew123]

The Top 5 mercenaries who've passed through the Premiership was bursting at the seams so now it's a Top 10..

1) Drogba

2) C. Ronaldo

3) Michael Owen

4) Anelka

5) Adebayor

6) Ashley Cole

7) Berbatov

8) Flamini

9) Gallas

10) Lucas Neill

[????]

oooh get Frank Lampard

[Keef]

Is that meant to be in any order? How is Michael Owen even in the list, let alone number 3???

The guy is what, 28? And has had 3 clubs in some 11 years. He left Liverpool for a chance to play in Madrid, that went badly, and they flogged him to Newcastle. I wouldn't call him a mercenary at all!

Some players get sold, because that is football these days. A mercenary is someone who starts making noises about leaving when things are going bad, or when they think they can get more money.

Owen is in a relegation scrap, and has said nothing about wanting to jump ship. If they go down, he'll be sold whether he asks for it or not, but who could blame him if he did, any player who can stay in the prem will do! (well most, some might be mega loyal to a boyhood club or something)

[????]

er...Ronaldo's only played with one club in the premiership....and no Bellamy? Sorry Mat, crap list.

[Annasfield]

Don't think it's about how many clubs you've played for. More to do with leaving on a Bosman and stitching your club up, or saying "I love playing in white" when a club who is clearing trying to poach you plays in that colour.

???? - I'm disappointed. What happened to Man United 8 - 0 Spurs?

[????]

I'm waiting, I'm also avoiding Lush a bit after last week...HOWEVER

Man U 8 Spuds 0

[red devil]

???? Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> er...Ronaldo's only played with one club in the

> premiership....and no Bellamy? Sorry Mat, crap

> list.

I'm surprised there isn't 10 Utd players in the list, as for Berbatov, if he was such a mercenary in the true sense of the word why didn't he high tail it to the Council House when Citeh started offering telephone numbers, he left Spurs for footballing matters, Levy totally fooked up by selling all his other strikers and stalling until the last minute and ended up with egg on his face when he had to take Campbell on loan as a makeweight in the Berbatov deal...it amazes me that some supporters think of footballers as some kind of moral beacon, if Joe Bloggs was offered the chance to work for xyz, who were a leading firm in their profession, wouldn't it be acceptable for that person to take that opportunity without being vilified for doing so, double standards methinks...

[Keef]

More to do with leaving on a Bosman and stitching your club up

I'm not even sure about this, some players do it (Macca for Liverpool), but I'm still not sure how wrong it is. If you sign a 5 year deal, and work for those 5 years without complaining or looking elsewhere, then you've kept your word.

I do think you should be honest to your club and say I'm off at the end of my deal, rather than "stalling" on signing a new deal, and letting the clock run down.

As red devil says though, anywhere else in the working world, people go where they can get the best deal. Footballers earn silly money whever they are, but they're in a different reality to us, so I guess they feel that ?20k a week isn't enough, if someone else is offering ?40k.

[matthew123]

You cannot compare Joe Bloggs with a professional footballer earning millions of pounds who laps up the adulation and endorsements - footballers have an obligation to the supporters more than poor Joe Bloggs does to his customers.

Michael Owen strung Liverpool along for a good 12 months over a new contract, in all likelyhood he'd have walked on a free at end of season. Okay it was to Real Madrid but what really grates is that 12 months later he signs for Newcastle to earn more money than he'd ever seen (or so he told then England boss Sven G.E.). When he went to Madrid he had Raul, Ronaldo and Morientes to compete so it shouldn't have been a surprise not to be a first team regular. However, 12 months later he quits to join Newcastle. Liverpool had told him to sit tight and reject Newcastle so Madrid would have to accept the Reds lower bid. Every summer since joining Newcastle, there have been strong rumours (fuelled by Owen's agents?) that Owen has get out clauses to join a big 4 club - Owen has not dampened that speculation. I think it is only because of injury he is still at Newcastle.

[red devil]

Utter crap, money has nothing to do with it, people in other professions can earn millions and are free to change jobs if they so wish, as for an obligation to the supporters, it helps if you don't put footballers on a pedestal and get yourself a life...

[Keef]

Harsh at the end there, but I'm generally with red devil on this subject.

[matthew123]

Berbatov wants to play for a bigger club so sod Spurs and their supporters. Then of course there is the hyprocrisy of the argument when crying foul of Ronaldo wanting to join Madrid.

We are not talking of players being on a pedestal. We are talking of players who angle for a move for their own personal greed. Players who refuse to play, say they'll score an own goal, players who will not perform, players who feign injury, players who pretend they're going to sign new contracts. I think that is morally wrong, and I also think it's wrong to try and justify your weak argument by attempting to draw parallels with other professions that are like chalk and cheese.

[????]

Yup and I'm Sure Gerrard wouldn't have gone to Chelsea a few years back if Liverpool hadn't have improved his contract....er, not.

[matthew123]

Well maybe Gerrard should be in the Top 10 but it does not alter the principles of the argument..

[????]

you have a touching otherworldiness about the 'principles' of professional footballers Matthew :)

[red devil]

I've never said Ronaldo shouldn't join Real Madrid if he wants to, get your facts straight and don't infer I'm a hypocrite...

[ratty]

Just heard that Jermaine Defoe's brother had been murdered! :( RIP

[Keef]

I also think it's wrong to try and justify your weak argument by attempting to draw parallels with other professions that are like chalk and cheese.

I am loathed to raise the H word again after the other week, but frankly Matthew, the above line made me instantly think of;

Go and mow someone down in your car and then say Sorry, then go for a quick pint as all the problems of the world are resolved and people can get on with their lives...

Yeah, because they're the same.

Basically, in this day and age, football is big business, and players are professionals, being paid to do a job (even if that job is playing a game). They owe nothing to the fans really, it's like people in a pub saying "I pay your wages" to bar staff, it's basically not true.

Yes it's nice when a player spends his entire career at his first club, like Giggs at Man U, but that is not an easy thing to do, and in this day and age, it is very rare.

[Keef]

Spurs came out for the second half looking scared, and handed that game to United. Have to say that that was never a penalty though. Keeper got the ball from what I could see, and it changed the game.

[Mick Mac]

.

[Eliza.D]

My son and partner went to the game today. Long way to travel. I'm gutted for them.

[Mick Mac]

My son and partner went to the game today. Long way to travel. I'm gutted for them.

And did you Doolittle or nothing while they were away?

[Annasfield]

Was never a penalty. Oh well, should come to expect it now.

[????]

If I could just add my views....

2-0 AND YOU F*CKED IT UP.....

[Sandperson]

Just as there was never 6 minutes of extra time on Wednesday....just as it was a stone wall penalty last weekend. :))

Now, I'm off to do a marathon....I shouldn't be on here!

Actually, while I'm here, that top ten list is a load of guff Matt and you know it.