Football Player Power a Reminder We’re All Human
G'day tribe, I've got a new project going on. Thanks to @ablaze who sparked the idea for me to create a niche blog. I've created Juat Another Football Blog FC as a spin-off of Wolfgang Sport. The beautiful game isn’t what I remember it to be as a kid and I've decided to create a new writing series as an outlet.
It's a different tone to what I'm used to writing. A little more relaxed and will be using a bit of satire at times. So here goes guys.
Players are humans, let's not forget that. They're real people, with real families and they've all got real emotions too. In 2019 Rio Ferdinand and Joe Cole were discussing the issue of player power following a chaotic transfer window. It's an important issue and one that has a profound impact on football.
It's no secret that social media platforms like Twitter has changed how the sports world goes round. Modern day athletes have far greater leverage than ever before with the ability to go public at the post of a tweet. But it can also land players in a lot of trouble when sending around pictures of their own junk.
Do Football Players Have Too Much Power?
If a player wants to move clubs we all know the formula by now. Mope around, put in a transfer request and make some media noise. But do football players have too much power or does it protect players in a professional football world that has gone mad?
It's a question that reminds me of the argument which came first: the chicken or the egg?
Players are happy to sign big contract extensions with clubs, only to request a transfer and force a move away well short of the full contract length that they signed up for. Rio Ferdinand made the argument that if you're not getting paid the amount you know you deserve or you aren't fulfilling your own personal ambitions then you have every right to request a move.
Why Player Power Is Important
It's no secret that clubs have messed around with football players in the past. All players run the risk of being frozen out by their football club when it suits them and it's very easy to do. All a club needs to do is demote a player to their reserves team and let them wilt away. Ultimately football is just a job for the players. They're called professional footballers for a reason.
The issue is that a stint playing with the youngsters is going to diminish their player value so players have every right to protect that and their income.
Let's not forget the emotional impact a demotion can take on a footballer. Being frozen out by a club will make a player feel unwanted and devalued and we've got to remember that there's a human element with players in all of this.
Ferdinand explained that football clubs will ruthlessly replace a player with someone else and he's not wrong. Clubs are all involved in a hectic results based business and if things aren't going right on the field, clubs will not be afraid to make changes.
Football Fans Are the Biggest Losers
Players and clubs need to realise that it's the fans that are the biggest part of any football club, but they end up being the biggest losers in the power struggle between fans and football clubs.
A contract issue between a player and their club can cause disharmony and division amongst the playing group and that's not good for anybody. Morale can have an impact on performances and who wants to see their club losing week in and week out?
Conclusion
Power in football needs to work both ways. In modern football, players are just a commodity but let's not forget they're only human. If players can maintain any sort of power then it's something they should retain in an unforgiving football world that is all about business.
When Ferdinand wanted to further his career with a dream move to Manchester United, he sat in an office for 6 hours to force a move. He wasn't shy to admit that if Leeds didn't agree he would've gone public to push the deal through.
Cole later added that it's all about communication, and he's right. If both club and player are transparent about their goals and ambitions then the entire process will be a lot easier.
Cristiano Ronaldo was the perfect example when he wanted to leave Manchester United for an opportunity at Real Madrid. After laying out his plans to United management, both parties agreed that he'd give the club another year before making the £80 million move to Spain.
Player power and the reach of social media both go hand in hand. Things can get messy once it hits the media so it should serve as a warning to clubs that players are only human and they're going to react emotionally like one. If clubs treat players as a commodity, they're going to react like one and use social media to get what they need.
YES, ANOTHER FOOTBALL BLOG...
Just Another Football Blog FC is a spin-off of Wolfgang Sport, an American and British sports blog I created in 2017. The beautiful game isn't what I remember it to be as a kid and using satire is my way of coping with it. FBFC was created to write about football with a bit of fun reflecting the current state of football.
Excellent stuff man and thanks for the shout out. It's great to see you creating a little spin off site and marketing Hive and SportTalkSocial there as well. This will most certainly drive more traffic and users over here, so big thanks for that man, keep up the great work.
Regarding player power, it is not clear cut. On the one hand, the players get paid grossly over inflated amounts of money and can act like spoilt children at times, which would make me not feel at all sorry for them. On the other hand the clubs are cut throat and will cut them lose if they are no longer an RGU (Revenue Generating Unit) for their club. The players are just numbers or lumps of meat these days to make money for the share holders - it is a sad thing to say, but money rules the world of football these days at the highest level.
Great Post!
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It is absolutely important for both football clubs and players, to find some sort of a balance in terms of the "power" they have. Yes, football is a business after all, but the ones who end up losing in this merely economic disputes are the fans. Great analysis on the matter, @wolfgangsport. You've got a new follower, mate.
Greetings from Spain.
I think it is all about the contract. In my opinion a player is signing a contract. If he does not perform he can get replaced, if he wants to leave and there is not exit clause, well then this is on the player's manager. It is obviously bad for both parties if a player wants to leave but the club does not let him as the club has to pay a player that is still in the club but I think in recent times the club side lost a lot of power.
One example I remember was the move from Dembele from Dortmund to Barca. The player stopped showing up to practice and in my opinion this is a not toleratable behavior. If hs current employer does want him to fullfil the contract then he has to fullfil the contract.
At least that is how I see it right now :)
Great article once again!