Striking players are throwing off the yoke of wealth and damning their supporters. The Tolpuddle Martyrs were honourable pioneers of Working Class freedoms. Suffering the consequences of deportation to Australia for their apparently rebellious stand, they remain heroes to a lot of people, if forgotten by many others. The same can certainly not be said for the increasing number of footballers apparently ‘going on strike’ to compel their clubs to sell them. Make no mistake, these are no members of the ‘downtrodden masses, yearning to be free.’ With six figure weekly salaries, a two week’s wages fine is hardly going to cause financial ruin, and with the assured certainty of making up any deficit fairly quickly with new employers, any loss will probably be ephemeral. Asking for a transfer is one thing, and that’s perfectly within the terms of most contracts of this nature. Such a ‘stand up’ declaration however is just not the done thing of late however, as it inevitably means a loss in the percentage of any transfer fee. No self-respecting agent will ever let their client make a decision like that. Two recent examples have brought this sorry practise into sharp focus. Newcastle United have seen their start to the Premier League season sabotaged by an Arsenal offer for Yohan Cabaye. The Toon thought that the bid ridiculously undervalued the player and was dismissed out of hand. Unfortunately, the damage was done, and with the player’s ‘head not being in the right place’ manager Alan Pardew has been unable to select the Frenchman since. Now I cannot say that Cabaye has been on strike, and I would not suggest that it was the case. Whatever the process, it seems likely that the midfielder will be plying his trade elsewhere in a few days, either in north London, or back in his homeland with PSG. Across north London, the long-running saga of Gareth Bale’s projected move to Real Madrid may be drawing to a close. It’s been widely reported that the Welshman has not put in an appearance for training at White hart Lane, and may have been fined for his actions. Of course it’s difficult to condemn people for ambition and wanting to improve their lot, but there should be some measure of respect for the agreements that each player has freely entered into. To the best of my knowledge, neither has asked for a transfer, but both have made their aspirations abundantly clear. It’s been claimed that most football fans are working class. Isn’t the game often called the “Working class Ballet” after all? Fans however desire success and glory for their clubs, and this devotion means that they will turn a blind eye to many misdemeanours, so long as their heroes turn it on when on the pitch. It’s sad that such loyalty is often betrayed by a wilful caprice.
Posted on: Thu, 29 Aug 2013 21:23:39 +0000
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