[Archived] Money

[RIML]

Stupid question you may think but I don't think our players play for money, they play for the best league in the world as they are good enough to play in this league, whatever we pay them is what they're worth in footballing terms imo.

But some guy I work with seems to think our players play for money.

I just wondered if you thought the same as this idiot or thought like me. I'm sure we'll see who's playing for money when their wages get cut. We all know Lucash left for money. I wouldn't mind but our players give their wages to the Nurses unlike some of the big names.

Are they really in it just for the money?

Reasons why would be greatly appreciated.

[bellamy11]

Of course they’re playing for money. Otherwise they’d play for free wouldn’t they? Football is a job (something which fans sometimes fail to understand because of the emotive nature of our involvement). It doesn’t offend me, however. We seem to be of a mindset where “playing for money” is viewed as immoral and greedy. Everybody plays for money, including the likes of Dunny, Brad Friedel, Mark Atkins, Ryan Nelsen etc.

[HemelRover]

Of course they’re playing for money. Otherwise they’d play for free wouldn’t they? Football is a job (something which fans sometimes fail to understand because of the emotive nature of our involvement). It doesn’t offend me, however. We seem to be of a mindset where “playing for money” is viewed as immoral and greedy. Everybody plays for money, including the likes of Dunny, Brad Friedel, Mark Atkins, Ryan Nelsen etc.

What he said. 100% agree.

[unluckymorton]

Stupid question you may think but I don't think our players play for money, they play for the best league in the world as they are good enough to play in this league, whatever we pay them is what they're worth in footballing terms imo.

But some guy I work with seems to think our players play for money.

I just wondered if you thought the same as this idiot or thought like me. I'm sure we'll see who's playing for money when their wages get cut. We all know Lucash left for money. I wouldn't mind but our players give their wages to the Nurses unlike some of the big names.

Are they really in it just for the money?

Reasons why would be greatly appreciated.

They all play for money, the difference is that some are motivated by money and some are motivated by football. It is the career path they were lucky enough to be able to choose to go down.

There are players who do not care about the shirt they pull on provided the club credit their ever growing bank account with tens of thousands of pounds per month. Look at Ronaldo, is he moving to Real for success? Possibly lifestyle, but mainly money. Bentley didn't leave us for money, we offered him more than Spuds are paying him, but he wanted to be in the limelight at a 'big' club (stop laughing) and the arse fell out of that one... RSC want to be at a bigger club now that Hughesy has gone to City, and can you blame him? More money and a better chance to play in Europe. Obviously he will not play every week as there will be a lot more signings, that proves he's not going to purely play football.

Then there are the players who do care, we have a hand full and successful teams have more because it's easy to want to play for a successful team.

It's like any walk of life, I come to work for money, and I have moved jobs for more money each time. If somebody offers me a job next month with an extra £10k on my salary I'l have a real good think about it, wouldn't you? I don't care much about the companies name on the front of the building, I care about my salary being paid into my bank every month.

David Dunn wants to play for Rovers and would take a pay cut I would have thought, I think Nelson is proud of pulling on a Rovers shirt as was Tugay. I can't name too many more though.

[RIML]

They all play for money, the difference is that some are motivated by money and some are motivated by football. It is the career path they were lucky enough to be able to choose to go down.

There are players who do not care about the shirt they pull on provided the club credit their ever growing bank account with tens of thousands of pounds per month. Look at Ronaldo, is he moving to Real for success? Possibly lifestyle, but mainly money. Bentley didn't leave us for money, we offered him more than Spuds are paying him, but he wanted to be in the limelight at a 'big' club (stop laughing) and the arse fell out of that one... RSC want to be at a bigger club now that Hughesy has gone to City, and can you blame him? More money and a better chance to play in Europe. Obviously he will not play every week as there will be a lot more signings, that proves he's not going to purely play football.

Then there are the players who do care, we have a hand full and successful teams have more because it's easy to want to play for a successful team.

It's like any walk of life, I come to work for money, and I have moved jobs for more money each time. If somebody offers me a job next month with an extra £10k on my salary I'l have a real good think about it, wouldn't you? I don't care much about the companies name on the front of the building, I care about my salary being paid into my bank every month.

David Dunn wants to play for Rovers and would take a pay cut I would have thought, I think Nelson is proud of pulling on a Rovers shirt as was Tugay. I can't name too many more though.

That's exactly what i thought. I was having this debate today with someone at work and i said Nelsen like you said was not just playing for money and this guy came out with the biggest load of crap i've ever heard asking why would he play in the best league in the league if it wasn't for the money. I was like no he's capable of playing in this league that's why. He kept saying it's all about the money and i don't think it is solely about the money, like you said you could name a couple of people Nelsen one of them can't really think of many more but this guy said he's not bothered about Blackburn and he'd probably never heard of us being from New Zealand and playing in the American league. It's sad to think they only play for money isn't it, maybe that's why i think it hard to believe. Money does play a big part in it, there's not doubt about it, hopefully one day there'll be some sort of salary cap because the money professional footballers earn is ridiculous. I suppose we can't offer them trophies every season and money is all we can offer, whether they just play for money i guess we'll never know until their wages get deducted and we'll then see who wants to play for us.

[super_arran]

That's exactly what i thought. I was having this debate today with someone at work and i said Nelsen like you said was not just playing for money and this guy came out with the biggest load of crap i've ever heard asking why would he play in the best league in the league if it wasn't for the money. I was like no he's capable of playing in this league that's why. He kept saying it's all about the money and i don't think it is solely about the money, like you said you could name a couple of people Nelsen one of them can't really think of many more but this guy said he's not bothered about Blackburn and he'd probably never heard of us being from New Zealand and playing in the American league. It's sad to think they only play for money isn't it, maybe that's why i think it hard to believe. Money does play a big part in it, there's not doubt about it, hopefully one day there'll be some sort of salary cap because the money professional footballers earn is ridiculous. I suppose we can't offer them trophies every season and money is all we can offer, whether they just play for money i guess we'll never know until their wages get deducted and we'll then see who wants to play for us.

I'd add Emerton and possibly Pedersen to that list too

[b12_simon]

Sorry but if you want success you go to other clubs (if you're good enough). One League Cup in the last 10 years mean players come to us for money.

There are exceptions like Dunn who are local and others who have developed a closeness to the club like Tugay but most are chasing their next pay packet. Rather like I am.

[waynerovers]

i agree, emerton has been with us for six years now always gives his all and has never kicked up a fuss.

[ihateburnley]

Anyone who thinks any of our players play for anything other than money is a fool!

If you were playing for the sheer joy of it, you wouldn't be playing for Rovers unless you were a Rovers supporter. It's sad, but let's remember it isn't the early 20th century here - football is massive BUSINESS, and footballers are merely a commodity and imo they have a certain right to treat the club back like that when they 'outgrow' a certain level of club.

I think maybe an idea for the way forward for football would be to not offer ANY fixed-term playing contracts - just rolling contracts that only expire when either party (or both) deem it to be to their advantage to cancel the agreement. This would mean that footballers would be forced to live upto expectations pretty quickly and they wouldn't be sat on their arses collecting their hefty wages - alternatively it would mean clubs couldn't constantly overlook good squad players and many fringe players at big clubs would probably look for alternative employment at a smaller club.

[OhmiBRFC]

Most players throughout the league play for money. Granted, we've had some players who eventually - although it could be a facade - come to love the club. There original motives will have been for money, or, a chance of playing a better league. There's no chance they're all hear for the love of our club.

[jannerman]

Are they really in it just for the money?

Reasons why would be greatly appreciated.

I reckon so....

Cult of celebrity isn;t it? The top actors and "musicians" and sports stars, they're all earning buckets in image rights due to the prominance in a team....

At the height of his tenure would it have been fair to say that so many people in the world knew who David Beckham was but perhaps didn't really know who Manchester United were?

And, not wishing to be disrespectful not all of the pro players can be rocket scientists, so maybe some of them did it for the love of the game/team (I don't know, the Shearers, Le Tissiers of this world etc?) but there's got to be hundreds more that do it for the cash.

I know I would - but at least I'd be respectful about it....

This is what worries me with the potential of the likes of Smith, Nolan, Barton, et al, they don't have the temperament to realise how lucky they are, sure skilled as well (in most cases) but how many people who would be lucky to earn what they do a week in a year would be more model pros?

And perhaps why some ex-pros simply cannot adjust to life after the game...

Bah, don't get me started on the "world gone mad" @#/?...

[Mattyblue]

Thought I saw someone come down in the last shower

[dazmaz]

sadly most players are in it for the money, and the others take the money as a added bonus.

a good question would be, if youi got the chance to play pro football would you chase the money or play because you love the club?

personally i would take national min wage (i will be working after all)

very few players realise how lucky they are, how many of us pay to kick a football around every week? i do. pros are getting paid to do something a lot of people pay to do themself..

Roberts is another that isnt in it for the money, how much of his wage goes to his charity? can someone name another player that does this?

[ABBEY]

daftest thread of the decade so far.

[RIML]

daftest thread of the decade so far.

I'm glad you think so

[Mr. E]

It seems a lot of people don't understand what the accusation "playing for money" means.

It does not mean that some people expect players to play for free. Obviously that is stupid. The question is whether some players play ONLY for the bigger paycheck, or can some be content with their already astronomical wages, but also their teammates, fans and people in the club.

As it happens more and more in modern football, the latter is becoming extinct. Very, very few players would not jump at the chance to earn another few thousand or million more. To add more stacks to their towers of money. They already have more than the vast majority of mankind could ever have, yet they are never content, they always want more. They have huge mansions, cars all you want, millions stacked away in banks, the luxury to buy without blinking an eye pretty much anything they'd desire. But it is not enough. They want more. A perfect example of this are Craig Bellamy, Nicholas Anelka and Lucash Neill.

If that is not the very definition of greed, I do not know what the heck is.

[Kelbo]

Every single footballer who starts his career would play for peanuts, however, if one becomes a top player, why should he work for less than than a comparable player at either the same or another club??

The problem lies with the heiarchy of the game who must simply, and quickly too, bring in legislation to cap players wages at each level of football!!

Dont blame the players, wouldnt you change jobs if you could double or treble wages? I know I would, Chairmen and the Premiership bosses must get together and address these point quickly for I can se a big club getting itself into serious financial difficulties and in the near future too!!

Thats why I feel, as a club, Rovers are cutting their cloth accordingly, much as we dont like it.

[RIML]

It seems a lot of people don't understand what the accusation "playing for money" means.

It does not mean that some people expect players to play for free. Obviously that is stupid. The question is whether some players play ONLY for the bigger paycheck, or can some be content with their already astronomical wages, but also their teammates, fans and people in the club.

It's like for example, the sport I enjoy the most is mountain biking, I do it to keep fit, I go mountain biking because it's something I'm good at and a sport I want to get better at, I cycle because it's fun, I like the attention I get when everyone looks at my expensive bike I cycle for nothing at the moment because it's just a hobby but if I thought I was good enough to be a professional, i'd expect to get paid especially if i'd worked extremely hard to get to that level.

Similarly professional footballers do the same, well I'd like to think so, it's something they enjoy doing, it keeps them fit, it's a sport they're good at and want to get better at, it's fun, they like all the attention of being a top class footballer, they started off their playing career earning next to nothing but with hard work getting to professional level they expect to get paid, there's a big difference in the wages of a pro mountain biker and a professional footballer but I really don't think our players play only for the bigger paycheck like you said.

I guess we'll never know the mind of a footballer and whether they play for money or not but I thought it was worth discussing especially in the situation we have with all these big money signings we've already had this summer.