The change in the mentality of footballers has been nothing short of dramatic. Whilst it used to be about passion for the game, nowadays football seems to be all about fancy cars, big houses, designer clothes etc. So where did football change? Only 10 years ago people played football because they loved it! Whereas now it seems to be about the wages. Some footballer’s get paid over £100,000 a week, 5 x as much as the ANNUAL minimum wage. Personally I think this is a disgrace and cannot be justified. The only realistic way of managing this is by introducing a wage cap, something I just don’t see happening in the near future.

When talking about modern day football, there are plenty of players that live in a world of fame and fortune, take Cristiano Ronaldo for e.g, a fantastic talent, but in my opinion not passionate enough about the game. Yes the passions there, but he fails to show it as he is too busy getting caught up with his wages or his new sponsorship deal etc. This is an example of a typical modern day footballer.

Now let’s talk about passionate players, Bobby Charlton . This is a guy who was blessed with a natural talent for the game. He grew up in a football mad family and bled football. His passion for football was and is so great, that on any given day he would have happily played football for free!

Now this is the difference between modern and olden day football. I think some of the modern day footballers need to take a leaf out of Bobby Charlton’s book and start to re discover the passion they have for the game!

Ashley Young is a perfect example for high wages. In the last few days he has signed for Manchester United and is set to earn an astonishing £130,000 a week. Now £130,000 for a player of Young’s calibre is just ridiculous and only serves to perpetuate an already bad situation.. Just imagine what you could spend £130,000 on: a new car? A flash watch? Designer clothes? And that’s only a week’s wage!

Also, as football wages have increased, it has become harder for clubs and players to mutually agree on wages. This leads to a lot of players leaving clubs and going to richer clubs like Manchester City and Chelsea who can afford to pay the wages they want!

When Manchester City was bought by new owners, they spent over £100 million on players. As if things couldn’t get anymore bizarre, they let the players they signed pick their own wages as well as giving them a expensive watch worth thousands of pounds. Imagine that, being in control of your own wages and getting a free watch worth more than some people’s cars. This is a perfect example of how insane football has become due to the fact people are willing to put their hands in their pocket and spend huge amount of cash on transfer fees and wages!

The perturbing thing is that there seems to be no end in sight. Is there anything that can be done?

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

Article courtesy of Daniel Angstmann from This is Futbol

[divider]

Create your free online surveys with SurveyMonkey, the world’s leading questionnaire tool.

Centre-back Henrique has returned to Palmeiras on loan, but he is unlikely to start in their Serie A clash against Fluminense on Sunday.The Barcelona defender, who spent time at the club in 2008, moves back to the Brazilian top-flight having being on loan at Bundesliga outfit Bayer Leverkusen and La Liga side Racing Santander in the past two seasons.

With five clean sheets in their first nine games, Palmeiras have one of the best defences in the league. It means Henrique – short of fitness after being on his European off-season break – is unlikely to be rushed into a start against Fluminense.

“I’m on vacation since June. I spent the first two weeks resting and then I started training, but not with the intensity to play perfectly,” he said.

“(I) will not lack. I will work with the coach and hope to be available soon to the manager.”

Palmeiras forward Maikon Leite will pose a threat up front, having scored twice in his first three games since joining from Santos.

Reigning champions Fluminense have made a slow start to this campaign, scoring just eight goals in their first 10 matches.

Playing catch up will be even harder without the Serie A’s 2010 Most Valuable Player Dario Conca, who has joined Chinese Super League club Guangzhou Evergrande in a big-money deal.

Before facing Fluminense, Palmeiras will host third-placed Flamengo on Wednesday, while Botafogo welcome Corinthians and Figueirense meet Gremio.

Avai will be out to move closer to safety when they meet Internacional – fresh from firing coach Paulo Roberto Falcao and football director Roberto Siegmann – on Thursday before the weekend’s round of fixtures.

First-placed Corinthians host Cruzeiro on Sunday, Atletico Mineiro and Vasco da Gama do battle, as do Bahia and Coritiba.

On Saturday, Sao Paulo play hosts to Atletico Goianiense, while Atletico Paranaense’s search for their first win moves to their home game against Botafogo.

Struggling America Mineiro will go in as underdogs against Figueirense and Flamengo face Ceara, who had Felipe Azevedo hit a stunning goal in their 4-0 win over America Mineiro on Sunday.

Washington Luiz hit his own memorable strike in the same game, while Sao Paulo’s Fernandinho and Cruzeiro’s Wallyson also struck superb efforts in week 10.

But the week’s best goal came from 20-year-old Danilo Luiz, as he opened the scoring for Santos in their 2-1 win over Atletico Mineiro with an unstoppable right-foot strike from well outside the area.

It was in December of 1995 that a Belgium man, of limited footballing ability became one of the most (in)famous players on the planet. Jean-Marc Bosman helped to change the way the game is run by contesting the right of his club (RFC Liege ) to retain him after the expiration of his contract. In doing so he took footballing power away from the clubs and handed it directly to the players.

All this came at a time when football was leaving behind its hooligan past and being embraced once more by the mainstream. Coupled with the explosion of the transfer fee: the record in 1990 (when Bosman’s contract with Liege expired) was £8million; twelve months after the case was settled Alan Shearer moved to Newcastle for £15million, players had never been more in-demand.

Clubs simply couldn’t miss out on fees of this magnitude, a fact that gave the player (and his agent) all the chips at the negotiating table. Players could demand higher wages, better merchandising deals and other such perks simply by threatening that they would ‘leave on a free’.

Liverpool found this out to their cost in the late 90s with Steve McManaman. The player had entered the final year of his contract and was stalling on a new deal. Afraid of missing out on a transfer fee Liverpool made efforts to sell him and accepted a bid by Barcelona. McManaman, however, turned down the move and later agreed to join Real Madrid once his contract at Anfield expired. Madrid was prepared to pay higher wages for McManaman as they hadn’t had to pay a transfer fee (the earlier bid by Barcelona was believed to be around £12million). This set a precedent as it allowed any highly-rated player to demand increased wages or they would leave for nothing, costing their current club the income generated by the transfer fee.

The pressure to keep star players saw clubs prepared to pay higher and higher wages. In 2001 Sol Campbell became the first British player to secure a £100,000 a week when he joined Arsenal (after moving on a Bosman). By 2011 both Rooney and Tevez are earning over £200,000 a week.

[ad_pod id=’unruly-2′ align=’right’]

These increases started in the top flight, but have filtered down to the lower leagues. Deloitte claims in the 2009-2010 season, wages accounted for a massive 68% of all Premier League clubs turnover. That represented an increase of £64million in the collective wage bill in just 12 months, figures which are sure to be replicated when the figures for last season are released. Even more staggering are figures from the Championship where player wages account for 88% of all turnover!

Of course, the increase in the Sky TV money has allowed clubs to pay more. And men like Rooney, Gerrard and Torres generate millions in merchandising for the coffers of their clubs. But when a single player like Wayne Rooney can hold a club of the stature of Manchester United to ransom for an improved contract then something must surely be out of control with the current system.

Perhaps the only solution might be the introduction of a salary cap. This was brought into rugby league in the 1990s because clubs were paying too much of their income on wages.

Critics have argued that a salary cap would mean Manchester United could only pay the same wages as Wolves and thus be punished for their success. However, in rugby league the cap still rewards the more successful clubs. The amount any club can pay on wages is based against their revenue meaning Manchester United could still pay more than Wolves. It just means that they can’t pay more than they can afford (Manchester City , before the deal for their stadium naming rights was struck, were paying 110% of their revenue on wages).

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

Despite all the money gravitating around the football world, the monster that is debt is stronger and more gargantuan than ever. The authorities are attempting to implement ‘fair-play’ rules to subdue the beast. Whatever the success of these schemes and the results that arise from them, I believe we can trace a large part of the problem back to one limited Belgium footballer.

Written by Alan Bradburne from This is Futbol

[ad_pod id=’footballfancast_article_mpu’ align=’none’]

Acting Asian Football Confederation (AFC) president Zhang Jilong has pledged to help restore the game’s reputation in the region.Zhang stepped into the interim role as president after incumbent Mohamed Bin Hammam was given a life ban by FIFA following allegations of bribery and corruption.

Football administrators all over the world are under pressure to clean up the sport, and at a meeting of the AFC Executive committee on Friday, Zhang said it was their duty to restore the public’s faith.

“Today I will speak to you from the heart. Today I will address you not only as the Acting President of AFC and the Chairman of this Executive Committee but also as a very concerned fan and supporter of Asian football,” Jilong said.

“Football is the number one sport in Asia. It is followed by millions of people and today everybody is looking to us for leadership and assurance.”

“Our fans and sponsors want to be reassured that Asian football will not be affected by this great misfortune, and that the ‘Future is indeed Asia’.”

“This is the time to show the world that Asian football is united and will weather this storm. The AFC Statutes will be my guide.”

Following his opening address, Zhang was unanimously nominated to sit at Asia’s vacant seat on the FIFA Executive Committee, and will remain interim AFC president for up to 12 months before an Extraordinary Congress can elect a permanent successor.

Bin Hammam received a life ban from any football-related activity by FIFA’s ethics committee last week after being initially suspended on May 29.

It was alleged he tried to bribe Caribbean Football Union officials for their votes in the FIFA presidential election, which he was contesting against incumbent Sepp Blatter.

Football chairmen are rarely liked. Whilst it may be a position that millions dream of having, it can often be a thankless task. As a chairman you are not judged on the things that you hold most dear: revenues, profit margins, net gains and all those other juicy financial buzzword goals. You are judged by the fans and on their terms, judged on the scale of your ambition and your generosity in pursuit of that ambition. This disparity between what the Chairman and the fans consider success is the fundamental reason why their relationship is so often so strained.

To a chairman, success is financial stability, maybe even making a profit, or for the less ambitious, steering a club away from administration. To fans a successful football club is one that wins games. Consider Arsenal’s current situation. As a club, their revenues are phenomenal and their business model is the envy of every club in the Premier League but their fans are despondent, desperate for Wenger to spend some of the ‘warchest’ the media refer to every year. The fans don’t care that their club is generating record profits, they’re paying hundreds of pounds for a season ticket as the quality of football declines.

Football fans will only be happy when the chairman’s ambition matches theirs, of course this is only possible at the upper echelons of the game. Your Manchester City or Crawley Town type clubs. Any attempts at consolidation and financial security are simply seen as the end of the club’s ambitions. Ken Bates has managed to find himself on Leeds fans’ hitlist this summer for investing in corporate facilities rather than players. He attempted to explain this as improving the club’s infrastructure and long-term earning capacity but he was preaching to the wrong crowd. (It didn’t help that he then called them morons). The fan wants short-term success and instant results, they have no financial stake in the club, just a permanent, incredibly hard to satisfy emotional stake.

Mike Ashley is considered a villainous chairman by many Newcastle fans following various terrible decisions at boardroom level. He is displaying all the traits that football fans despise. He sold Andy Carroll and did not reinvest the money back into the squad. He sold the Captain Kevin Nolan and is in the process of releasing Joey Barton. He couldn’t display less ambition if he wanted too.

Chairmen are of course within their rights to run their clubs however they wish, but when their decisions show a lack of ambition or generosity like Ashley’s or are judged to affect results on the pitch like Bates, they will be blamed. It’s lonely at the top and the only way to win over the fans is to start winning games.

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

[ad_pod id=’unruly-2′ align=’right’]

Liverpool boss Kenny Dalglish is set to further strengthen his defence in January with a bid for Ajax’s Jan Vertonghen in the pipeline, the Metro reports.

The Liverpool boss isn’t entirely satisfied with his defence, despite already strengthening it this summer with the signings of Jose Enrique from Newcastle and Uruguayan starlet Sergio Coates.

Vertonghen was linked with a move to Merseyside and Premier League rivals Arsenal during the transfer window although both failed in persuading Ajax to sell.

That could all change in January with Dalglish set to renew his interest in the 24-year-old Belgian international who has become a key figure at the Amsterdam Arena.

Fresh interest in Vertonghen comes off the back of criticism aimed at current Reds defender Jamie Carragher after the stalwart’s mistakes against Bolton and Stoke.

Dalglish spoke out in defence of the 33-year-old and insisted that his place in the side was down to his consistent displays and not based on reputation.

He said: “I don’t know what I can say to you about him because there is nothing that I would like to change about him.

“Jamie Carragher will do me just fine the way he is.”

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

With Liverpool reviving their interest in Vertonghen, and with a January bid expected, it could nonetheless spell the end of Carragher’s regular first team opportunities at Anfield.

[ad_pod id=’qs-2′ align=’left’]

QPR are still searching for their first home win of the season after being held by Blackburn who slipped to the foot of the Premier League table despite gaining a well earned point.

Rangers boss Neil Warnock will be delighted with his sides response after their hiding at London neighbours Fulham a fortnight ago but will be tearing his hair out after they squandered yet another chance to win on home turf. His opposite number Steve Kean will be delighted by Rovers’ resilience as they ended a sequence of back-to-back defeats. They were lucky though not to make it three on the bounce as the R’s dominated the game and should have had a late penalty only for referee Mark Clattenburg to wave away the host’s appeals. Both goals came within the first half hour with Heidar Helguson scoring his 100th goal in English football and his first in the top flight this season. But they couldn’t hold that lead for very long as Christopher Samba rose highest in the penalty area to head home past Paddy Kenny.

It was a welcome change for Kean as his side battled admirably to keep the R’s at bay whilst protests over his tenure at Ewood Park subsided for a week although more are planned for next week. As for the Hoops it’s yet winless game at home although the point did take them into the top half. Both sides endeavoured to attack with some shoddy defending aiding their causes. The visitors were almost gifted the lead when Anton Ferdinand clipping his own crossbar after a calamitous attempt at clearing the ball. Rovers were also guilty of making mistakes and they should have done better in clearing Helguson’s header from a corner as the home side took the lead after 16 minutes. The Icelandic international reacted quickest though punishing the away side as he floated the ball into the far corner out of Paul Robinson’s grasp.

Warnocks men increased their pressure and should have doubled their lead with Joey Barton and Shaun Wright-Phillips both denied before Samba equalised with 24 minutes on the clock. The Congolese defender outstripped Fitz Hall in the air to power the ball past Kenny give Rovers a huge confidence boost. It also seemed to spark them into life with Junior Hoilett going close to giving them the lead only too his curling effort cleared off the line by Ferdinand.

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

The second half saw a dip in tempo with Adel Taarabt, dropped to bench after he stormed out of Craven Cottage two weeks ago, outpaced Michel Salgado only to miscue his shot with Samba breathing down his neck. The Moroccan then tangled with Salgado in the penalty area only for Clattengburg to wave away any appeals. Rovers had the final chance of the game only for Kenny to save smartly from Martin Olsson’s rasping 30-yard drive as both sides settled for a point.

Two teams looking to bounce back from midweek Carling Cup defeats meet at the Britannia Stadium on Monday night with unbeaten Newcastle making the long trip down to the Potteries to face Stoke.

Tony Pulis’ saw his side beaten by Liverpool on Wednesday night despite taking the lead and matching the efforts of their Merseyside visitors. The Potters have yet to fully feel the strain a Europa League campaign can have on a squad although Pulis has managed to strengthen in every area to counteract the stresses European football brings. Their record at home this season is superb having managed to avoid defeat whilst they’ve lost only once in the league at the Britannia during 2011. Peter Crouch’s influence up front have been a big plus point since his summer move with the performances of Jon Walters, Matthew Etherington and Kenwyne Jones also encouraging. With Stoke’s height it’s no surprise that 71% of their goals have come from set pieces and they’ll need to utilise that to the maximum against a visiting defence that has been watertight so far this campaign. Despite that they’ve had only 22 shots on goal so they’ll need to find a way of breaking through the Newcastle rearguard if they are to maintain their impressive record at home. Despite the misconception that they are a side built on a long ball philosophy Stoke play more football than they are given credit for. Their hard working approach is also something that is usually overshadowed and they’ll be sure to run their socks off to ensure victory on Monday. Jonathan Woodgate could provide a presence in both penalty areas with the former Toon defender keen to face his former club after making his comeback in midweek.

He’ll certainly be impressed by his former clubs start to the season after they made it 12 Premier League games unbeaten with a 1-0 win over Wigan last week – that record stretching back to last season. Yohan Cabaye was the hero for the Toon scoring his first goal for the club to secure all three points and keep them performing above expectations. The Magpies have been impressive all season long with boss Alan Pardew continuing to confound the critics by getting every last drop out of his side. He did just that on Wednesday as the Geordies came back from two down against Blackburn in the Carling Cup only lose 4-3 in extra time. That was their first defeat of the season and they’ll need to shake it off before they travel to Stoke. A performance in the same mould as the one where they gifted the Potters both results last season, including a 4-0 hammering, won’t be accepted with Stoke doing the double over them for the first time since 1971. The biggest success of the current campaign has been the defensive displays with captain Fabricio Coloccini leading the charge and coming through each and every challenge laid in front of them. The Potters will pose a different proposition to most teams and Newcastle will need to be on song if they are to beat their hosts for the first time in four league meetings. They could be without two key players with Steven Taylor doubtful after breaking his nose last week whilst Cheick Tiote could be missing with a knee injury.

Key Players

Jon Walters – The striker has carried on where he left off last season with his bulldozing performances up front giving Stoke an extra edge in the final third. His willingness to chase every ball and put defences under pressure will test Newcastle’s undefeated rearguard to the test on Monday.

Yohan Cabaye – Already hailed as the bargain of the season at £4.5 million the Frenchman has brought a touch of class to the Tynesiders midfield. Nicknamed ‘Dreamboat’ by the clubs twitter followers his guile and tenacious nature has seen him strike up a terrific partnership with Tiote that aided in his adaption to the English game. Will need to be at his creative best to help his side to victory in Stoke.

Prediction: 1-1

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

Walters is Stoke’s top rated outfield player in the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index, having scored twice from 12 attempts at goal. Walters has averaged 10.681km per game so far this season, with only Ryan Shawcross covering more ground in the team’s cause. Peter Crouch scored in his second goal for Stoke in the Barclays Premier League against Arsenal, having previously had 14 efforts on goal with 50% on target. Newcastle covered 110.820km in that game, with Yohan Cabaye and central midfield partner Cheik Tiote one again covering most ground with 11.333km and 11.051km respectively Cabaye’s first goal for the Magpies came after 14 attempts at goal with 64% on target. He has also won 55% of tackles attempted.

[ad_pod id=’unruly-2′ align=’left’]

Manchester United striker Michael Owen will be on the sidelines for six weeks, as he tries to recuperate after picking up a thigh injury.

The former England international picked up the ailment in The Red Devils’ Champions League victory over Otelul Galati in early November, and the extent of the knock has been revealed by the Premier League champions.

“Michael has a thigh muscle injury and will be out for six weeks or so,” a spokesman for the Old Trafford club confirmed.

The knock is the latest injury for a player plagued by lengthy periods on the sidelines throughout his career, and the attacker is not expected to return to at least Boxing Day.

Meanwhile, United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has been praised by Swansea’s Brendan Rodgers, as the Welsh side prepare to take on the Premier League champions this weekend.

“I want to be in this game a long time and Sir Alex epitomises that,” Rodgers told Mirror Football.

“Hunger, desire and motivation – he has all the things that you need to be successful over such a long period. He’s a one-off. Look at the way people think of him – he has earned all that respect.

“For me personally, Sir Alex is a genius – an absolute genius in football management. How he has managed so much change to create and build all the time.

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

“He’s a great advert for young managers and has been incredible and an inspiration for us all. He’s a role model for every single manager, not just in the Premier League but worldwide,” he concluded.

By Gareth McKnight

[ad_pod id=’writer-1′ align=’right’]

Andre Villas-Boas makes no bones about the fact that Chelsea’s recent plight has been self-inflicted. The Portuguese boss knows that victory tonight at Stamford Bridge will save him the indignity of being the first Blues manager not to make the knock-out stages of the Champions League.

Elsewhere in the news David Silva talks up the Champions League; Sepp Blatter says goal line technology may be used at the 2014 World Cup, while AC Milan are in talks over Carlos Tevez.

News

Villas Boas – Chelsea’s plight self-inflicted

David Silva talks up the Champions League

FA hopeful over Rooney decision

Milan in Tevez talks

World Cup to use goal-line technology

Arsenal to field fringe players

El Clasico trio battle for Ballon d’Or

[divider]

Transfer Talk

[divider]

Tottenham poised to launch £8m bid for Cahill as Redknapp eyes sales – Daily Mail

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

City lay out the welcome Mat – Sun

Liverpool lead pursuit of Bologna striker – TalkSport

Gotze will stay at Dortmund! Arsenal blow in £30m chase for German starlet – Daily Mail

Donovan won’t Land at Everton – Sun

[ad_pod id=’writer-1′ align=’left’]