Two seasons, 7 goals, 1 new Lamborghini Aventador.

[Herr Tubthumper]

And ?

We can all pretend otherwise, but these players are still a WORLD away from what most of us could ever even dream of being with a football at our feet.

Really? I reckon I could run around a lot, fall over a lot and occasionally slice balls into the stands. It's the ones who don't do this which are a world away.

 

[Hamilton]

It's the game that's depressing, more than the players. And the suits at SkySports who throw such sums of money at football. I can't blame a player as ordinary as Steven Fletcher for taking the money offered, or for spending it (legally) how he chooses. He's hardly likely to buy a Vauxhall Astra if he earns £40k per week, and nor, I'm sure, would most of us if we were in the same boat.

Sky were so desperate to keep hold of the Premier League cash cow that they bid a ludicrous amount of money (again) for the rights, to ensure nobody else got a sniff, and so upward it continues to spiral. Plenty of our players, both the top ones and those on the fringes, have fairly expensive cars too, and they're at a bottom half Championship club.

Yep, if you look at the expression on Fletcher's face, even he can't believe it. He has the look of someone who is continuously stunned that he keeps getting given all these goodies when in reality, he knows he does sod all. What's the worst thing he has to put up with? Working a few days over Christmas.

He is just one of the many. It's the business of football that's lost all perspective. Somewhere out there the game is still alive - in kids football, in the games you play with you mates, in women's football, in your allegiance to your own club, in the fellowship of fans you travel with. But in reality, the top leagues (and the Championship has to be included here) have lost the plot.

 

[Lady Whistledown]

Yep, if you look at the expression on Fletcher's face, even he can't believe it. He has the look of someone who is continuously stunned that he keeps getting given all these goodies when in reality, he knows he does sod all. What's the worst thing he has to put up with? Working a few days over Christmas.

He is just one of the many. It's the business of football that's lost all perspective. Somewhere out there the game is still alive - in kids football, in the games you play with you mates, in women's football, in your allegiance to your own club, in the fellowship of fans you travel with. But in reality, the top leagues (and the Championship has to be included here) have lost the plot.

But...but...that's TERRIBLE! Remember when poor, enslaved Rio Ferdinand reminded his Twitter followers to spare a thought for him and his ilk, having to work on Boxing Day whilst the rest of us were getting pissed and eating fat food? I shared his pain, I really did. Oh, wait, no I didn't. I went to work (not for £150,000 per week, I should add).

 

[Easy 10]

Oh come on. A career with Burnley, Wolves and Sunderland and playing for the mighty Scotland is hardly "at the very top level" is it? If supporters think this then it's no wonder mediocre players can get away with such ludicrous salaries.

You're missing the point. I'm not saying he's one of the best players in the world amongst his peers. But he IS one of the elite 0.01% of human beings on this planet who plays football well enough to be able to earn an INCREDIBLY lucrative living from it, as well as represent his country. Of the millions of blokes playing football up and down the country, its such a miniscule % who go on to achieve that. And that's why they are so richly rewarded.

You may or may not rate Fletcher as a player, obviously you don't, and neither do I particularly. But put him on Hackney Marshes for a game, and you'd soon see why he's a millionaire, and the others around him are not. A mate of mine marked a 57 year-old Steve Foster in a charity match last year, and he was STILL a better baller than anyone else on the pitch.

Pro footballers who make their living in the Prem, even the ones considered average, have just got something talentwise which almost nobody else has got. Theres a difference, and that's why they're millionaires.

 

[Lady Whistledown]

You're missing the point. I'm not saying he's one of the best players in the world amongst his peers. But he IS one of the elite 0.01% of human beings on this planet who plays football well enough to be able to earn an INCREDIBLY lucrative living from it, as well as represent his country. Of the millions of blokes playing football up and down the country, its such a miniscule % who go on to achieve that. And that's why they are so richly rewarded.

You may or may not rate Fletcher as a player, obviously you don't, and neither do I particularly. But put him on Hackney Marshes for a game, and you'd soon see why he's a millionaire, and the others around him are not. A mate of mine marked a 57 year-old Steve Foster in a charity match last year, and he was STILL a better baller than anyone else on the pitch.

Pro footballers who make their living in the Prem, even the ones considered average, have just got something talentwise which almost nobody else has got. Theres a difference, and that's why they're millionaires.

This is true. Even the crappest professional footballers are still way, way ahead of the rest of us. I remember one of the Albion players turning up at a training session for my local team once, can't remember why or who, but he was one of those who wasn't even up there with a Dale Jasper or a Joe Gatting, say. A proper fringe player, who never really made it at the Albion in the end. I wish I could remember who it was. But anyway, on the park that evening, he was taking shots at the keeper, and he could effortlessly hit a ball harder than anyone else out there could even dream of. He also seemed to have far more time in possession when he got the ball. If only he'd looked as good amongst Albion players & other professionals...

We all like to think of these fringe players and rejects as pub players, but they're still a class apart from the 99.99999% of us as footballers.

 

[Easy 10]

This is true. Even the crappest professional footballers are still way, way ahead of the rest of us. I remember one of the Albion players turning up at a training session for my local team once, can't remember why or who, but he was one of those who wasn't even up there with a Dale Jasper or a Joe Gatting, say. A proper fringe player, who never really made it at the Albion in the end. I wish I could remember who it was. But anyway, on the park that evening, he was taking shots at the keeper, and he could effortlessly hit a ball harder than anyone else out there could even dream of. He also seemed to have far more time in possession when he got the ball. If only he'd looked as good amongst Albion players & other professionals...

We all like to think of these fringe players and rejects as pub players, but they're still a class apart from the 99.99999% of us as footballers.

Yup, exactly my point. We constantly judge players based on how they perform against other fellow professionals, and viewed through that prism, some will look bang average, out of their depth, and often complete shite. But compared with the likes of us, they're still on another planet. We're watching the tiny percentage of blokes who can actually cut it as a pro. And those that make it to the PL and international football (yes, even for Scotland), are the cream of the crop. There's not many who can achieve that, just a tiny tiny proporation who play the game. And with the amount of cash in the game, that's why they are so richly rewarded.

 

[Lady Whistledown]

Yup, exactly my point. We constantly judge players based on how they perform against other fellow professionals, and viewed through that prism, some will look bang average, out of their depth, and often complete shite. But compared with the likes of us, they're still on another planet

Even Jonathan Obika and Billy Paynter, folks. They are better footballers than you could ever dream of being

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Yup, exactly my point. We constantly judge players based on how they perform against other fellow professionals, and viewed through that prism, some will look bang average, out of their depth, and often complete shite. But compared with the likes of us, they're still on another planet. We're watching the tiny percentage of blokes who can actually cut it as a pro. And those that make it to the PL and international football (yes, even for Scotland), are the cream of the crop. There's not many who can achieve that, just a tiny tiny proporation who play the game. And with the amount of cash in the game, that's why they are so richly rewarded.

But I tend to judge professionals against their peers. I think it's daft to suggest someone is a great footballer because they're better than say me.

 

[JBizzle]

As long as Sky and the like continue to peddle the Premier League as the "best league in the world" and pump money in accordingly, the bang-average and below players that populate the fringes of squads and lower end teams will continue to rake in the cash. Who can blame them for gratefully accepting and then spending it?

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

As long as Sky and the like continue to peddle the Premier League as the "best league in the world" and pump money in accordingly, the bang-average and below players that populate the fringes of squads and lower end teams will continue to rake in the cash. Who can blame them for gratefully accepting and then spending it?

Quite. The Premier League clearly isn't the best league at the moment. And Fletcher has always plied his trade at the bottom of this league. This makes him average at best. Sure he's better than the chaps on Hackney Marshes but I'd expect a pro footballer to be better.

 

[Stat Brother]

I don't even see it as how they stack up ability wise.

Nobody is forcing Chairmen to pay players £30k - £250k a week.
Their game of one-upmanship coupled with greed, and being pooh scared of falling out of the Premier League gang, is driving this.
The players are just the lucky beneficiaries of having the clubs over a barrel, by virtue of being better than most at their chosen sport.

I doubt this saying has ever been more apt:-

'Don't hate the player, hate the game'.


Alan Davies is talking about Arsenal being over a barrel with Walcott, again, already.
2 years left on the deal.
Agents want to talk.
Walcott hasn't done anything to justify the massive pay rise they engineered a year ago.
Yet he's already got his hand out for more.
So instead of "just another £5m a year, Theo, sign here".
They have to go through the whole process again and Arsenal will be squeezed for another £20k a week rise.

If Arsenal don't pay, someone else will.

Why should Walcott accept 'less' money just because he's not as good as Sanchez.
When team x will pay more money and some, for his signature.

Oh and just to square the circle.
If Walcott is worth, say £120k a week.
Why shouldn't someone who's half a good, doing the same job only be paid half the wage.

Struggling as they are on a mere £60,000 a week.



Plus, it's a shite looking car anyway.

 

[Easy 10]

Even Jonathan Obika and Billy Paynter, folks. They are better footballers than you could ever dream of being

DEPRESSING isn't it

But I tend to judge professionals against their peers. I think it's daft to suggest someone is a great footballer because they're better than say me.

But that's why they're still on circa £70k a week, and ( I assume) you're not. You may think they don't measure up particularly well against their peers, and often you'd be right. But they're still amongst the top 0.01% of people who are good enough to play at the highest professional level, ie the PL and on an international stage.

 

[portslade seagull]

The people at fault here are the club owners who sanction these wages in the 1st place. There isn't a player in the world who would say no to a ludicrous offer to play in the Prem ... This will not change until Sky and BT pull the plug and if that ever happened there would be 20 clubs in administration in the PL alone

 

[Pickles]

That's two prime ministers worth of car he's standing with there.

I think the fancy dan is worth every single penny. Let's think of the pressure he is under. If he didn't earn exorbitant amounts of money, then in his early thirties he'd be forced to get another job. We really can't have these poor creatures worrying about things like that.

Whilst I don't approve of the flow of wealth towards an elite, a Tony Bloom type figure who has been born with a talent and taken massive risks that have resulted in that wealth, then I think, ok fair play. Or a CEO of a business, responsible for thousands of jobs, I think, ok you're worth that (and many of them are on nothing close to what a Raheem Sterling is being offered).

BUT, for somebody who has been born with a talent, but let's face it, taken very few risks and is basically being paid just to play a game - well for goodness sake, they just shouldn't be showered with these riches. Most of them can't even play the game without resorting to cheating and poor gamesmanship.

What makes you think TB is talented?

Oh I see, he's made loads of money so he's talented.

I'd suggest that decent footballers actually have more 'talent'.

 

[Diego Napier]

As long as Sky and the like continue to peddle the Premier League as the "best league in the world" and pump money in accordingly, the bang-average and below players that populate the fringes of squads and lower end teams will continue to rake in the cash. Who can blame them for gratefully accepting and then spending it?

And as long as the saps on the sofa keep pumping money into Sky to watch the "best league in the world" the bang-average and below players will etc.etc.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

And as long as the saps on the sofa keep pumping money into Sky to watch the "best league in the world" the bang-average and below players will etc.etc.

Agree

 

[Hamilton]

What makes you think TB is talented?

Oh I see, he's made loads of money so he's talented.

I'd suggest that decent footballers actually have more 'talent'.

What makes me think TB is talented? Have you tried working out a betting algorithm? I think that takes a certain talent. Just as James Dyson is clearly talented. Branson is talented. Hell Michael O'Leary is clearly talented, and so on.

Back to footballers. I think this quote is apt:

"Never has so much been owed by so few to so many."

 

[Gwylan]

What makes you think TB is talented?

Oh I see, he's made loads of money so he's talented.

I'd suggest that decent footballers actually have more 'talent'.

I think this one of the most depressing remarks I've ever seen on NSC. No wonder there's a shortage of kids going to study maths or science at university if being good at it is dismissed as not having a real talent. I remember doing some voluntary work at a school a few years ago and the kids were asked what they wanted to be when there adults: every single boy said either footballer or pop-star or drug dealer. I thought it was such a sad indictment of their lives but with attitudes like yours, I can see why they said it

 

[Brovion]

It's the game that's depressing, more than the players. And the suits at SkySports who throw such sums of money at football. I can't blame a player as ordinary as Steven Fletcher for taking the money offered, or for spending it (legally) how he chooses. He's hardly likely to buy a Vauxhall Astra if he earns £40k per week, and nor, I'm sure, would most of us if we were in the same boat.

Sky were so desperate to keep hold of the Premier League cash cow that they bid a ludicrous amount of money (again) for the rights, to ensure nobody else got a sniff, and so upward it continues to spiral. Plenty of our players, both the top ones and those on the fringes, have fairly expensive cars too, and they're at a bottom half Championship club.

Broadcasters and sponsors do indeed pay a vast amount of money to the clubs in the top division - but it's up to those clubs how they spend it. It would be great obviously if the clubs gave vast amounts to lower/non-league sides or to charity (or even cut their admission prices), but as they're competing with each other they obviously try and out-do their competitors - which involves paying vast salaries to the people who think can give them a competitive edge.

It's the structure of the game and they way the money is spent that is the problem, not the amount of money coming into the game.

 

[Brovion]

And as long as the saps on the sofa keep pumping money into Sky to watch the "best league in the world" the bang-average and below players will etc.etc.

We've had this argument before. I'm a Sky Sports subscriber so part of my monthly pittance (and it is dirt cheap) goes into Fletcher's pocket - even though I don't watch Premier League football. There is FAR more to Sky than just football, indeed I'm just going to catch the end of the New Zealand innings now.