I accept it would serve footballers to be mindful that their actions have an impact on others. Yet that is well short of accepting the premise that footballers should be role models. While children may find it beneficial to learn different traits from different people, be it friends, teachers...
An interesting one. You've made me think of those TV religious evangelists in the USA who were embroiled in sex scandals. Such as....
http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20098413,00.html
Ultimately, even if someone sets themselves up on a pedestal, it's down to others to choose...
I don't see why footballers should be role models for anything other than play football well. It's not their job, any more than it's the job of a singer, poet, artist or dancer to be a role model.
If Person A puts Person B on a pedestal, copying his/her actions and is let down by B's...