The transfer window slams shut tomorrow evening but not until we have about 12 hours solid of Sky Sports News getting overly excited every time a player gets into his car and we’ll also have the ridiculously false, yet highly amusing, ‘My gran’s best friend’s sister’s cousin’s twice removed aunt just saw Adebayor by a red t-shirt from JJB sports and now he’s off to Liverpool’ type texts.
However, what this window has yet again proved is that players hold all the cards on transfer deals. Unless you have a strong board or manager that is.
The main transfer this year that has conveyed this would be the Javier Mascherano transfer to Barcelona which was finally completed today (Monday) after a summer-long saga in which the Argentine midfielder threw his toys out of his pram and demanded a move out of Anfield.
We thought he wanted to follow Rafa Benitez to Inter Milan, the man who signed him from West Ham and gave him a starring role in Liverpool’s midfield, which, while still not right considering he’s contracted to Liverpool, it may have made more sense.
He excelled at Anfield and became one of the world’s best midfielders. Not saying it was just Liverpool that done it for him, playing with Lionel Messi and co in the Argentina squad would also have helped too, but the Reds paid a lot of money, £17million in fact to prise him from West Ham and that agent player owning agent, Kia Joorabchian and gave him a chance to play at the top level.
What reward did Liverpool get? A situation where they were forced to settle for just £500,000 more than what they paid for the Argentine back in 2008 and that was from Barcelona, as Inter wouldn't even give that.
Now £17.5million is not a figure to be sniffed at but surely if he was worth so much two years ago, he’s worth a few million more this time.
However, Liverpool were left with the dilemma of having a player who doesn’t want to be at the club or getting some money for him now and keep harmony in the squad.
That saying, Roy Hodgson and the Liverpool board could have handled it differently.
Sir Alex Ferguson knew Cristiano Ronaldo wanted to join Real Madrid in 2008 but the Scot managed to talk the Portuguese star into staying another year at Old Trafford – a year where Man United won another league title and reached a Champions League final. He also got £80million for him.
This summer Arsenal refused to be bullied by Barcelona into selling Cesc Fabregas even though the midfielder wanted to join the Nou Camp outfit, they held their stance and Arsene Wenger no doubt talked the Spaniard into staying, for another year at least.
But the problem is with the players. Mascherano should not be allowed to put the board and management under pressure to sell. He signed a four-year deal and is handsomely rewarded for his efforts on the pitch, he should be made to play it out if the club wants him.
Jamie Redknapp spoke about players constantly being ‘tapped-up’ by managers and clubs on Sky Sports a couple of weeks ago and said it’s part of the game. Well it shouldn’t be.
No player should be approached by another club unless they are asking him to sign when his current deal ends or they have permission from his club. That has also led to this all happening time and time again. FIFA need to implement new rules or tighten the ones they have currently in place.
Clubs take financial risks in giving these players huge contracts and, while I’ve always backed players in getting their fair slice of the cake, they’re not doing themselves any favours when they demand to leave with the threat they’ll walk around in a sulk for the season.
Emanuel Adebayor was whinging about the travesty of him having to sit on the bench at Manchester City now that they’ve brought in some more big names, I bet he didn’t even stop to think that would happen when he signed that big contract last summer. Put up with it.
City were always going to buy more players with the war chest that they have, he would have known that but still fancied a nice pay rise to move to Manchester.
Imagine the tragedy that Adebayor will have to endure at City every time he leaves his big house and drives to Eastlands in his flash sports car to earn over £100,000 a week by maybe playing 90, 60, or god forbid, just five minutes of football.
Also, ‘the inhumane’ conditions Mascherano may have had to endured according to international team-mate Messi if Liverpool had not succumbed to his demands. I’d say those people in Pakistan watching their homes being washed away shed a tear for the Argentine.
If players don’t want to be tied down to a club for too long then they should negotiate shorter contracts instead of worrying about getting a big signing on fee so that they can buy a new lamborghini to sit in the drive alongside the Range Rover, Ferrari and Porsche.
Or maybe they should stop complaining, be grateful for the talent they have and be happy that a club is paying them ridiculous amounts of money to play a sport that most enjoy as a hobby. Showing some loyalty would be nice too.
No comments:
Post a Comment