Player loyalty...is it dead?

[Brighton Breezy]

I remember reading countless articles earlier in the season telling how much Wayne Rooney loved Everton and how he would never want to leave. Now it would appear that he could well be off to Man Utd or Chelsea.
Alan Smith was hailed as a hero and 'one of their own' by Leeds fans...a week later he signed for their rivals Man Utd.
Going back further, there was the Campbel to Arsenal thing as well.
I appreciate all the arguments about players wanting to play for the best team they can and the money argument, but surely if these players loved the clubs so much, they would:
a) settle for a smaller wage, lets face it, if Rooney gets £30k a week at Everton it is more then he would earn in a year if he was doing anything else and he is hardly going to be short for a few bob if he gets that and all the sponsors/ advertising etc.
b)In the case of Smith and Campbel, perhaps sign for a club that is not their teams most hated rivals. It is not like there were not other offers from equally good teams.

Ian Wright used to go in to the Arsenal contract dicussions and just ask where he had to sign. No negotiations. he loved the club, did not want to leave and knew he was getting a decent deal.

If Bobby Zamora ends up at Palace, or Steven Gerrard goes to Man Utd, all my faith in football loyalty will be destroyed.
What ever happened to the likes of Le Tissier?

 

[Albionite83]

Steven Gerrard is staying at Liverpool because he loves the club

 

[Brighton Breezy]

Or is it because there is a new manager coming in and he can see how things go before moving? I would say the latter. If he loved the club he wouldnt even be thinking about leaving. It is not like he is playing for Torquay is it? Liverpool should be challenging for honours and are more then capable of supplying european football, he gets paid a good wage and is Captain. if he loved the club it would not even enter his head to leave.

 

[Dancin Ninja BHA]

If Bobby Zamora ends up at Palace all my faith in football loyalty will be destroyed.

Another great quote Richie............

Bobby played for Brighton for something like 3 years, does this mean he shouldn't play (EVER) for the team the fans' of Brighton dislike?

Sometimes Richie, sometimes.................

 

[Albionite83]

"I am 100 percent committed to this football club. A lot of things have been going through my head, and I will admit the possibility of leaving was one of these, but I've gone with the decision that was in my heart. I love the club and the supporters and that's what it boiled down to at the end of the day."

 

[Albionite83]

Re: Re: Player loyalty...is it dead?

Bobby played for Brighton for something like 3 years, does this mean he shouldn't play (EVER) for the team the fans' of Brighton dislike?

Yes.

 

[Brighton Breezy]

Ninja, do you just lurk on NSc waiting for me to post so you can then asbuse me?

I would not be alone in feeling kicked in the teeth if Bobby went to Palace. It is not just that he spent three years here. Nothing in football is that black and white. He spent three years here being idolised by many supporters, he has become one of our greatest and most popular players ever and he developed a strong relationship with our supporters, who did nothing but get behind him when he played for us.

A fan of Liverpool would feel the same if Robbie Fowler signed for Everton, or a Southampton player signed for Pompey.

 

[graz126]

there cannot be the same loyalty as there used to be in le tissiers day, reason being the differance in potential wages. only those that can honestly say they have no need for money or personal ambition will stay at a smaller club.

it is sad but true. too much money in the game.

 

[Icy Gull]

[i.
What ever happened to the likes of Le Tissier? [/B]

One of the biggest underachievers ever to pull on an England shirt. Not a good advert for playing at the highest level whilst remaining loyal

 

[Brighton Breezy]

I understand the money aspect and ambition if it was, say from Orient to a Premier league side. But how much money do footballers actually need?
If I played for Brighton that would be everything I had ever wanted. If they were playing a reasonable level I would be happy. Getting a few extra grand a week should not come in to it...footballers earn far more then they would doing any other job and they are all comfortable. Lets be honest, say a Brighton player is on £3k a week, that is about £150k a year. Ten years of that and you have earned over a million pounds not including bonus' and transfer fee cuts etc.

 

[Meade's Ball]

Le Tissier was officially too fat to be transferred.

 

[Brighton Breezy]

Re: Re: Player loyalty...is it dead?

One of the biggest underachievers ever to pull on an England shirt. Not a good advert for playing at the highest level whilst remaining loyal

Bollocks. Le Tissier was one of the most gifted players of his generation. Got played in the home game against Italy ina system that did not suit him at all, he still did ok but together with Ian Walker was made a scapegoat. He then got a hatrick for England A against Russia in the 'trial' game but was ignored. I*f we allowed out players to express themselves when playing for England and did not make them ignore what had got them selected in favour of fitting them in to a rigid and restrictive structure, we would be far better.

 

[fatbadger]

Perhaps the best example of all is Steve Bull. Although, note, he did sign for Wolves from West Brom...

 

[harry_h]

Schimical played for Man U and Man C as did Denis law

 

[Brighton Breezy]

I am not disputing that some players have left sides to play for their rivals, but I just do not think they should. Especially ones who make a big deal about saying how much they love the club and the supporters.

 

[Dancin Ninja BHA]

Ninja, do you just lurk on NSc waiting for me to post so you can then asbuse me?

Don't kid yourself, you're not that special

I haven't been on NSC for a week or so, and just thought I'd take a little look at what the great and the good of NSC were thinking and I found another "Richie Morris Special"

If Bobby did go to Palace I would be a bit narked admittedly, but to say stuff like Bobby going to Palace means player loyalty is a thing of the past is just stupid in my opinion and typical of your melo-dramaticness (spelling?)

If Palace can offer him everything we can't at the moment (stable ground to play in, good wages, better quality of players around him, Premiership football) then I say good luck to him

 

[Icy Gull]

Re: Re: Re: Player loyalty...is it dead?

Bollocks. Le Tissier was one of the most gifted players of his generation. Got played in the home game against Italy ina system that did not suit him at all, he still did ok but together with Ian Walker was made a scapegoat. He then got a hatrick for England A against Russia in the 'trial' game but was ignored. I*f we allowed out players to express themselves when playing for England and did not make them ignore what had got them selected in favour of fitting them in to a rigid and restrictive structure, we would be far better.

Bollocks to you Ritchie, an A game hatrick being the highlight in an International career, for such a talented player is underachieving by anyone's standards

 

[Brighton Breezy]

Sorry, I did not mean to seem rude then.

Le Tissier underachieved internationally because he was not given the oportunity to succeed. He did not get a run of games and his only real chance was being thrown in against Italy and being made the fall guy.

I do not dispute that he should have done better internationally, but he was not given a chance to by managers like Taylor and Venables.

 

[Dancin Ninja BHA]

I do not dispute that he should have done better internationally, but he was not given a chance to by managers like Taylor and Venables.

For once we agree on something young Richie!!

 

[Icy Gull]

He also played for an unfashionable club, if he had gone to United he would have had a much better England career I'm sure. His loyalty to Southampton undoubtably cost him imo