Has money spoilt modern day football?

“PSG sign 20-year-old Lucas Moura for €40m”

“Chelsea and Manchester City in a two-way battle for €5om rated Falcao.”

“Real Madrid set to offer €35m for Bale in the summer.”

“17-year-old Sterling wants € 75,000/ week.”

You know something is wrong when you read this.

Transfer Fees and Wages

As figures have it, clubs are shelling out huge sums to lure young and talented players to their ranks for experiencing the sheer joy of victory.

If sources are to be believed, it was way back in 1863 when the beautiful game was born at Cambridge University. A group of Englishmen formed the Football Association and hence, invented the beautiful game.

Football then had a meaning of fitness, joy, pleasure and well being attached to it, which slowly but surely translated into business and money with the inception of the clubs and as we stand today, money rules the roost.

As game developed, the competition intensified, club structure came into the being, countries and their respective clubs started building youth academies to breed future stars in their own backyard, but as we stand, one academy produces the players, only to see another money vented academy to snap the talent. It’s like you sow a seed, nurture the plant, only to see someone take it once it is all set to reap fruits.

Modern day football as we call it is still played with 22 talented players on a football field of the size 75*105 meter trying to prove a point and see their respective teams to victory. The only thing that has changed is the cloud of money surrounding it.

Football is one sport which sees more of club competition than International football, which is only on showcase in big quadrennial International events, the likes of World Cups, Olympics and Euro Cups, amongst a few others. Hence, clubs not only have the responsibility do well for its development, but contribute to the success of the nation and also keep the players fit and going.

Where the leagues structure stands, a lot of players are playing in different countries and certain cash-rich clubs; the likes of Chelsea, Real Madrid, Manchester City, and PSG splash the cash to lure young talents and eventually bench them. That is the power of money and is spoiling magnificent young talents as well. Certain top young talents find themselves on the bench more often than not, only to find themselves less fit and losing on an opportunity to play for the National side and if at all they do, fail miserably.

In the Premier League, clubs like Manchester City, Chelsea are so cash-potent that teams like Arsenal and even Liverpool are finding it difficult to come to terms with their bench strength, lend aside teams ranked below. Liverpool only recently went in the market to splash crazy cash to catch these clubs in their bid to secure the title, but went on to spend crazy without being able to get too much talent on board. Such was the desperation that Liverpool went out to pay 20mn Euros for players like Henderson and Downing and an eyebrow raising 35mn for Andy Carroll. This is a classic case of desperation of a club to match the top clubs, like for like and failing miserably.

North London club, Arsenal are not known for going on a spending spree and are struggling to match the clubs above for money and hence, falling behind in the title race.

Money has had such influence in the game off late that one cannot expect a second division club to sustain in the Premier League long enough. None of the small clubs can spend even a percent of what the big clubs spend, which doesn’t augur too well for football going ahead. These clubs who get to the top with the help of some talented players up their ranks are soon lured away by some top club.

With athletic prowess being one scarce resource in sports being fulfilled by such talents on the field, the other major scarcity of competition stays and stands firm with such big money being involved.

UEFA’s Financial fair play has come into play with UEFA restricting losses for clubs to be eligible for the coveted Champions League, but with loopholes present, the clubs surely would have a trick up their sleeve to get through it. Especially the likes of Manchester City, whose owner has influence in a lot of sectors, which saw them earn from the naming rights of the stadium. Such acts might well continue and help the clubs overcome the Financial Fair Play. Hence, the body must look into it and make it more stringent.

Match Fixing

 “Europol exposes football match-fixing network”- A newspaper headline read.

The head of Europol, Rob Wainwright, told reporters in The Hague on Monday that a wide-ranging investigation had uncovered evidence that pointed to match-fixing in more than 380 matches, including Champions League and World Cup qualifiers, played between 2008 and 2011.

“This is a sad day for European football,” Wainwright said, describing it as “match-fixing activity on a scale we have not seen before.”

Also affected were games played in German, Turkish, and Swiss leagues.

Though people believe match-fixing is the trait of the morally bad, but the fixing scandal has a strong hinting at the money aspect of it. Players from lower leagues and even those earning less than the creamer crop indulge in such activities. Seeing a fellow player earn leap and bounds over you doesn’t go well even with the most modest of people.

The matches were being fixed ever since 2008, four years prior, which clearly signals at a system failure and could probably well reveal corruption in the system. Again, money spins a web.

Apart from administrative and system failure, the fixing claims might well leave football to end up with fewer fans. Fans who are so passionate for their club and ready to do whatever in their capabilities wouldn’t take the phenomenon of fixing too well.

This is another serious issue that is to be looked into for authorities to ensure the beautiful game lives long.

Youth Development

Another important feature that has taken a backseat is the youth development with the right intent. Where clubs should invest highly on youth development and harness their own players, they rather end up spending crazy to bring another academy graduate into their setup.

Teams, especially England are struggling with this as EPL clubs have been on a spending spree with youth development structure having taken a backseat. Another problem is that owners of these clubs are from overseas and hence, pay little attention to such development. Other countries could soon fall in the bracket and hence, a seven step guide to be followed by clubs around, which must be assured by the respective Football Associations, which will eventually help the countries do well.

Amongst the countries marred, India is too a striking name, with some big clubs spending huge on recruiting a talent, with youth development occupying a back seat. Also, the talented youngster ends up on the bench which sees him go into an international game with almost no playing time and struggle as a result.

“Some youth academies worry about winning, we worry about education. You see a kid who lifts his head up, who plays the pass first time, pum and you think, ‘Yep, he’ll do. Bring him in, coach him” – Xavi

1. Build a plan for the future and a strategy to follow and execute it.
2. Identify the best crop available through scouting.
3. Prepare ground for competition, with youngsters competing against one another on a level playing field.
4. Provide them proper nourishment.
5. Protect and keep them healthy and injury free.
6. Concentrate on their prudence and shape.
7. Meet various needs of the individual as it develops into one huge talent.

It’s high time Authorities and Associations step up and take necessary actions because certain countries marred more by this may well fall further in the pecking order and doesn’t augur well for this beautiful game.

Remember: “If you are not planning and acting, someone, somewhere else is.”

The recent activities are certainly an alarm bell for the Authorities and with Financial fair play all set to come in, how far does it succeed in keeping the menace away from ruling the game is yet to be seen.

Fans being the basis for the sustainability of any sport, there is even greater responsibility to keep the game clean, competitive. It’s time to act, time for a revamp, time for a change, before things get out of hand.  Because “If nothing changes, nothing changes.”

Also, many believe that fixing is a black day for Europe and end of the game, but considering it has been diagnosed and giving optimism higher precedence, there should be belief that this is a glorious start for something good to come up, clean and beautiful than ever before.

“Be the change you want to see”- should be the motto going forward.