Last weekend the footballing world stood as one, up and down the country and applauded and paid their respects to Graham Taylor. Whilst the former Lincoln, Aston Villa, Wolves, Watford and England manager was being rightly remembered for his contribution to the beautiful game, two greedy, money grabbing, selfish, so called professional footballers were left out of their clubs match day squads.
Diego Costa and Dimitri Payet, despite having long term contracts with their respective clubs, both feel they are bigger than their employers and feel they deserve to leave and find pastures new, although in Payet’s case it’s more a case of pastures old, as he looks to return to Marseille.
Rumour has it that Chelsea’s neanderthal lookalike Costa had recently rejected a £200,00 per week deal because he wants to leave the Blues and have a full paid holiday in China. Chelsea manager Antonio Conte has reportedly had a bust up with his prolific striker and has, allegedly told the Spaniard that he can catch the first plane to the Orient. The latest news is that Costa was left out of Saturday’s game with a back injury. Perhaps he pulled a muscle carrying the obscene amount of money he is paid for kicking a football about. Although Costa wants away, it seems highly unlikely that the League’s leading goalscorer, thus far will leave in this transfer window, however the chances of Conte keeping hold of the former Atletico Madrid marksman, past this season, is looking highly unlikely, as come next season no doubt Costa will be in the land of the rising sun, strolling about on a football pitch with a cigar on and earning enough money to have a gold monument built of himself, situated outside his floating magic palace in the sky.
The case of Dimitri Payet is slightly different. The French playmaker has allegedly said that he will not play another game for the Hammers and the likelihood is, that despite what has been said by the owners to the contrary, the former Upton Park favourite will be leaving before the transfer window closes. His destination is his former club Marseille, and as I write this a third offer is being made by the French club for the attacking midfielder’s services. Some people think that because football is such a short career and it can end at anytime, that these players should secure their future with as much money as they can get their hands on. To a certain extent this is fair enough, but when you have signed two improved contracts with a club and you have only been there 18 months, then you turn round and refuse to play for that club you have committed your future to, then that is just purely and simply not right. If, it is the case that the player cannot settle or his family can’t settle, then stop wanting more money and improved contracts and be honest and say you want to leave when the opportunity arises.
Once Marseille offer near to £30 million for the player he will be gone, and unfortunately for him he will no doubt be earning a lot less in France then he is now. When Payet came to West Ham in the Summer of 2015 he was pretty much under the radar of any of the big teams around Europe. Since joining West Ham he has become one of the most talked about footballers in the Premier League, he also became, at the age of 29 a regular in the French National side, and had an outstanding European Championships. During his time at the Hammers he has scored goals and helped the team have a memorable last season at Upton Park In the end though someone who could have ended up having Legendary status at this club, will now be remembered for being greedy and for his refusal to play for this club that the fans love.
As a former footballer who has played at most levels of the game including as a part time, non-league player, who had to hold down a full time job, train two evenings a week and play every Saturday without receiving a penny for it. I find that the behaviour of these top flight players and their constant pursuit of money, leaves a awful taste in my mouth.
I understand there is no loyalty in football anymore, and I get that everyone in the world, in whatever walk of life is looking for the best deal for them. You can’t tell me though that playing football is not a privilege. I think it is a shame that a vast majority of today’s players are fuelled by the money and don’t have the passion for the game that I did when I was younger. If they only showed half the devotion and dedication that the hard working fans show every weekend around the country, at every level of football, then just maybe my hope of seeing an improvement in this cesspool of greed and lies will one day soon, come true. I wont hold my breath though.
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