Just wanted to gather your guys thoughts - how do we deem 'loyalty in football'? Having a pretty intense debate today, a friend accused a player of being disloyal, but I argued (and believe) that if a player doesn't perform then the club gets rid of him. So whilst there is a element of player power, Isn't it a two way street and a club can 'betray' a player as much as it is vice versa?
The only loyalty I can see in football these days is if a player plays for his boyhood team and they are a good team e.g Gerrard at Liverpool then that player will stay at that club but even then you'd have to pay him an insane amount of money to keep him. Players are unloyal to the clubs and will sell their services to the highest bidder but at the end of the day it is their job and if you were offered more money in your field who can say they would turn it down? I know I wouldn't! add to that a footballers career isn't very long you can see why they do it. Rob Elliot is an example of this he will always love Charlton as he supports them but the money on offer at Newcastle is too good to turn down! The thing is these days most players are quite happy to sit on the bench or rot in the reserves collecting a decent wage than go down a level and just play football. just look at Wayne Bridge there's no way he will leave City whilst there paying him so much money! Can you think of one player in the Charlton squad who wouldn't turn down more money at a club in the prem or even the champ? Maybe Solly but if a prem team came in I could see him easily leaving us
Wasn't Gerrard a boyhood Everton fan? The only loyalty in football is fans to their clubs (for the most part). For everyone else, it's a job, as Belv says. And fans quickly lose loyalty to the players and especially the manager if things are bad. At least Wayne Bridge has dropped down a level on loan. Chris Powell is the answer to your question, Belvedere, but you never know what might happen when the club goes bust, or if a very good offer was made. The problem is that fans want 'loyalty' from players/managers, then when those people move on to other jobs, they turn on the players/managers for apparently showing loyalty in the first place
Jonjo was loyal to Charlton because he signed an extended contract, which put us in a good position to get a good price, which we didn't. Not his fault, but that's as far as loyalty goes nahadays.
Agree with pretty much every word said on this thread so far. The only true loyalty to a club is from the likes of John Terry (boo) and Steven Gerrard etc who play for the club they love, and get paid a pretty penny for doing so. For a few seasons I was foolish enough to think Rob Elliott would stick with us for his whole career, the club he loves etc. Sadly he values money more than that particular sentiment. I lost a lot of respect for him over that move, but I don't hold it against him, and there's always the chance I'd do the same in his situation. As Super said, loyalty is a two-way street. One would have expected Charlton to remain loyal to Bradley Wright-Phillips after he fired us to promotion last season. But after about 5 games he was deemed not up to it and dropped to the bench. Conversely, Johnnie Jackson has been woeful all season (and personally I didn't rate him much last season either), yet presumably as he's the captain he's only ever missed out through injury. Strange world football....
Depends on who the player is playing for - if it's Utd, Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal etc then many (not all) of their players tend to stay with them - maybe Arsenal was a bad example - but at Utd they still have Giggs, Scholes, Ferdinand and a few others who have been with them 6+ years, Chelsea have quite a few Terry, Lampard, Cole (I think). But I don't think it really matters who you are the grass is always greener if you get the chance i.e Ronaldo. many managers are the same just look at Friedman at Palace, thought the place was in his blood, everybody has ambition and certainly if you dont play for a top six side or manage a 'big' club then you can always be tempted by higher wages, more success etc. I think that the only loyalty anybody should have at the end of the day is to their family, to give them the best life they can.
It would be something you would normally try to forget, but sadly it was pivotal in our downfall. I think whilst there is obviously a culture of player power, clubs and fans equally alike get away with the blame culture that represents loyalty and lack of.
