Mo Gosfield
Well-known member
- Aug 11, 2010
- 6,364
Up until 20-25 years ago, the professional footballer relied on bonuses to improves his wages. In the 1980's BHA players were roughly on £400 per week but a win bonus could double their money. That was worth fighting for. An incentive to bust a gut for a result. Players were hungrier and more motivated. Like a lot of other professions, football is a results driven business and players should be rewarded accordingly. A salesman hitting targets or a construction worker finishing inside a deadline. Both relying on their bonus to boost their money. Both driven to succeed.
But somehow, football has lost sight of this. It has loosened its grip on reality and has started to slide into a trough of largesse. And you know what happens when you reward people handsomely for doing nothing. Exactly.
Footballers are talented but so are doctors, scientists, bakers, butchers, bricklayers, restorers, chefs and hosts of others. The difference is that most people earn their rewards through success. Most footballers don't. A very few end up as winners, the rest go through their careers with brief moments of success surrounded by a lot of non-achievement.
Surely it would make sense to reward the successful ones. A win bonus should mean everything to a footballer but it doesn't. When you are earning millions in basic pay, it doesn't matter if you are injured or below par. You still get your vast rewards. Players have become so powerful that they hold clubs to ransom. If they don't fancy their manager, they down tools and stop playing. Result...the manager gets sacked and the players still draw their vast salaries.
Do we get value for money from these highly paid individuals. Largely, no. And that is because the system is now making them lazier and lazier. They don't have to display skill anymore when the system allows them to cheat and use gamesmanship wherever possible. Its not their fault, its all down to incompetent officialdom.
Some footballers admit they are not even fussed about playing. What a life when you can train 6-8 hours a week and then warm a bench for £2m a year.
Fletcher is no different from many others. Overpaid and overrated. Just lucky to be in the right place at the right time. Journeyman pro's earning a kings ransom. Nice work if you can get it.
But somehow, football has lost sight of this. It has loosened its grip on reality and has started to slide into a trough of largesse. And you know what happens when you reward people handsomely for doing nothing. Exactly.
Footballers are talented but so are doctors, scientists, bakers, butchers, bricklayers, restorers, chefs and hosts of others. The difference is that most people earn their rewards through success. Most footballers don't. A very few end up as winners, the rest go through their careers with brief moments of success surrounded by a lot of non-achievement.
Surely it would make sense to reward the successful ones. A win bonus should mean everything to a footballer but it doesn't. When you are earning millions in basic pay, it doesn't matter if you are injured or below par. You still get your vast rewards. Players have become so powerful that they hold clubs to ransom. If they don't fancy their manager, they down tools and stop playing. Result...the manager gets sacked and the players still draw their vast salaries.
Do we get value for money from these highly paid individuals. Largely, no. And that is because the system is now making them lazier and lazier. They don't have to display skill anymore when the system allows them to cheat and use gamesmanship wherever possible. Its not their fault, its all down to incompetent officialdom.
Some footballers admit they are not even fussed about playing. What a life when you can train 6-8 hours a week and then warm a bench for £2m a year.
Fletcher is no different from many others. Overpaid and overrated. Just lucky to be in the right place at the right time. Journeyman pro's earning a kings ransom. Nice work if you can get it.
