He still was highly paid then and is still now for the job he loves. None of the older forum members have basically retired at 40.
I think it's very simple. There isn't even an argument, as that takes two people. What we have is someone shouting in public about how badly he's being treated, while the other keep a dignifed silence.
Matt Le Tissier is and always be a Saints legend - he is not just an ex player, he is a Saints supporter through & through. I have loads of memories of him coming on and lighting up a drab game where we were struggling, and more often or not winning the game for us. He kept us up almost single-handedly for several seasons. He has to be the most entertaining footballer the Premier League has ever had, and we were lucky that he played for us and only us. I am very glad that Marcus came in and bought SFC and Nicola Cortese was instrumental in making this happen, so well done to him for that. I dont know the man, or the goings-on at SFC any more than the next supporter, but i feel that Cortese does do some things which i wish he wouldnt - like changing the team strip to one which just does not resemble Saints in any shape or form. However if this is the price for having a financially sound club in this day & age then so be it i suppose. But i dont like everything that i see/hear coming out of SFC boardroom these days. Matt Le Tiss will always be a Saints legend - even when the Liebherrs & Nicola Cortese have long gone, probably after selling the club to somebody else. Goodness knows what the facts are behind this rubbish but surely SFC can look after ex Saints legends like Matt Le Tiss, Laurie Mac, Franny Benali etc. However Matt & his son are daft in broadcasting their every whinge to the world on bloody Twitter, but then thats a modern day thing too - and i try to tell my kids to refrain from this idiotic notion that everything has to be broadcast on Twitter or Facebook. I detest it with a vengeance - its certainly well named ! But i cannot find it in myself to overly criticise Matt - too many stunning memories of him beating upteen top defenders and burying it in the top corner !
Putting the achievements and efforts of the two individuals to one side. I think it's more telling about what Le Tissier does not say as to what he does. He tweets about if people knew how badly he and the ex pros were treated, well if it's that bad tell us and we can all decide. Personally I doubt it's that bad and probably just a case of no more free tickets which wouldn't gain much public sympathy for Le God. Matt just needs to drop it as his last tweet suggests and support the team in his professional capacity.
It was contract fibre-optics. It didn't last long. Nice holiday afterwards though. The point I was making [badly as it turned out] was that Matty's wages were just in touch with the average person's still. The star PL footballer of today is a net millionanire after 20 weeks from a standing start.
Le Tiss was on 2k a goal bonus, plus getting 50 k a year for wearing puma boots. On top of his wages which some say was 10k a week.
His auto-biography states that he got a maximum of 8K. He never quibbled come contract time. He says he would walk into the office. Have a peep at the new contract and sign it. And then walk out again. Of course, he got loads of bonuses too, some of which you mention. I merely state the difference between a superstar who wasn't driven by money, like some people are, and some footballers of his day and today. If you think that my making a point of clearly stating his basic income means that I'm siding with him in this Cortese v Le Tiss thread, then you need to read back. I'm on the side of the truth. Matty has been a bit silly with his outbursts on Twitter and his son needs to butt out entirely. But his best basic was 8K. That's all.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/personalfinance/fameandfortune/9220484/Matthew-Le-Tissier-I-was-getting-2000-paid-a-goal.html
Interesting quote from him: "But I've never been one for lavish cars and travelling first class on aeroplanes. I'm quite rounded in that respect." I was on a BA flight with him about two years ago. He was in the queue in front of me to board, and he sure enough did file off into the First Class door. I saw plenty of him on the flght, as he was walking his child up and down the aisle all flight. Was a bizarre experience for a long-time Saints fan who witnessed his entire career.
I would imagine they do so fair play for getting into the media. I reckon in the 90's there weren't many footballers earning a lot more than what Le Tiss got so it's only in the last few years that wages have gone through the roof.
