Loyalty Means Nothing.
Ian Holloway, the media-friendly, fun loving Blackpool manager. Never one to shy away from the media, as we all know.
Earlier today (Friday), the Premier League manager expressed his anger and frustration of a few topics: player power and the Bosman ruling. Holloway's Rant.
Everyone is entitled to their opinion, there is no doubt about that, but was 'Ollie' right to come out and slate Wayne Rooney and the FIFA/UEFA ruling over the Bosman transfer? Bosman Ruling.
Yes. I believe so. OK, so he has nothing to do with the situation but I feel he hit the nail on the head. The two main subjects in this were Sir Alex, and Rooney. Sir Alex has been the most successful manager English football has ever seen. He's won everything over his 24-year managerial career for Manchester United, and the recent headline to dominate the back pages was Rooney's desire to leave. Oh, and how he was taken for a mug. Publicly humiliated over the striker's fitness, Fergie found himself in an unwanted situation. He bought Rooney from Everton for a £30 million fee, and Rooney wanted out.
There is no doubt about it, Fergie has nurtured this young boy, to become one of the world's most deadliest players, and in return, Rooney wanted out. Fair enough, his contract was coming to an end, and maybe he wanted a change, but the lad is 24. There is nothing in the rule book to say, 'a player must stay to reward the faith the manager has shown in him'. Rooney does have a right to move if he wanted to, but what I'm about to write about is 'loyalty'.
Paul Scholes, Gary Neville, Ryan Giggs of Manchester United, Steven Gerrard, Jamie Carragher, both of Liverpool. They've defined loyalty. They've been at their clubs all of their football careers. They've all had opportunities to move, but they haven't. Maybe Rooney should follow suit. But loyalty means absolutely nothing in the modern game. To see a player last three years at a club could be considered a miracle. Money rules. Simple as.
Football is a business. Money is a major factor nowadays. If a club comes in for you, you consider money, naturally. Yes, you want the right deal, the right club, but wages and bonuses are probably the first thing a player would ask. "How much?" It was an honour to play for your football club. For Wayne, to play for Manchester United, it should be an honour, but before signing a new contract (five year deal until 2015), it wasn't ambitions that he chased, it was the money. Real Madrid was willing to offer something ridiculous, as was Manchester City (£300,000 p/w). Unreal, this really is out of this world.
But loyalty means nothing in the beautiful game today. You sign a long term contract such as a five year deal, you are expected to honour it and see it out. This doesn't happen anymore. Players' are clever, they know what they are doing. Within a couple of years, they can leave, and expect a three year pay off. I don't believe Rooney will stay for five years. Manchester City, Barcelona and Madrid will soon come in and tempt Rooney of a move away, and he WILL leave.
So what would of happened if Rooney went and didn't sign a new contract? A major football club would approach Rooney and Manchester United would get absolutely nothing for it. For Rooney's value, United for get nothing in return and how insulting would this of been for Rooney.
Thank God for United he did sign a deal, for the footballing purposes. He's a major asset in the club. A massive influence on everybody who plays for them. Roo Signs Contract.
So, on to the Bosman, yes I agree with Holloway. The Bosman ruling needs to be shut out, because you can snatch a player from a club without paying absolutely anything for him, and this isn't right in today's game. Trading should be made fair. Everyone has a value and clubs' must pay up for what the trading club feels he is worth. But the state of the game today is, the Bosman ruling is allowed.
Holloways' dig may get him in trouble with the football's Governing Bodies, but they can not brush Ollie's comments aside. Something needs sorting, and fast.
Football club's will soon find themselves making losses, and serious losses at that. By this, they will soon find themselves in the red, and it will be too late by the time FIFA make a change.
