FA learn lesson from Olympics? ...

[Cyrus]

Originally Posted by Howard the Duck

Unfortunately money changes everything. If all the other athletes were on the same money as footballers then I don't think they'd remain the bastions of virtue they're perceived to be for very long either. In fact, I think you may see a few examples of those who've done so well at the Olympics struggle with their new found celebrity and exposure and disappear up their own arses.

I agree, if I had become a well paid football, some of the stuff I would have got up to would make Gazza and Besty ashamed.

[ollie c]

The game of football is simple and great to watch. They'll never take that away.

The circus that surrounds it, however, is becoming tiresome. Contrasts with the Olympians are inevitable, I'm afraid.

The season starts next week and I don't think I'm quite ready for players rolling around on the ground, newspaper hacks seeming more interest in club structures and finances than the football itself, the SkySports "cliche club", referees being the centre of the universe, pundits telling us that we just watched a fantastic game (when is was mediocre) etc etc

It is, on a superficial level entertaining and I'm one of those drawn to it....but to be honest, the game's integrity has been compromised simply by the fact that the hype is overtaking this great game.

Money talks, though. In the same way as it does for WWE.

[Panda.]

the easiest thing to do would be to pay them a tiny maximum salary until they're 23 and proved themselves. would never happen

[RichardW]

FA not high up in the 'influence/power' ladder in English football, so I don't expect much to change for the better. I can still remember the lack of support for The Northern League's initiative to cut out swearing, for example. And as for our influence at UEFA and FIFA.......

[SAFCOldie]

Don't be daft. You can't compare athletes that work for 4 years towards this one goal to the GB football team that was put together a few weeks before hand and didn't even consist of the best players available due to the u23 rule. Lets also not forget athletics has a problem with drugs cheats and people not 'trying their best' and the bike fella even admitted he crashed on purpose to gain an advantage, so lets not be too smug.

[Pepe]

One bad decision, hell on sponsored by sky sports news raking up every shit referee from the past 10 years, world ends, Olympics long forgotten, if not the first week, certainly by the second.

[sonson]

Originally Posted by Doberman

will anything change? Plenty of comments on here (and other places) about coming to realise the difference in attitudes between footballers and other athletes.

Doubt it. They're making positive noises about it but they've never lacked the ability to say the righ things. They just never follow it up with action.

[Charlestonian]

Football players do not give a fcuk, they are whining, twisting, blame anyone but me mercenaries on obscene wages.

Football is dying, they get further away from normality with every passing season.

I said on a thread yesterday my interest is waning, when I think about it that's probably been happening for 5 years or so.

What is really interesting is when I was a school football was the sport, if my friends kids are anything to go by that is diversifying and will only happen more with the Olympics as inspiration.

A wage cap is literally the only thing that can bring it back now.

[Cappuccino Kid]

The Olympics will all be forgotten about as soon as the football season gets underway.

[sonson]

Originally Posted by Cyrus

I agree, if I had become a well paid football, some of the stuff I would have got up to would make Gazza and Besty ashamed.

They have enough money and time to learn whatever they want, see whatever they want, go wherever they want, help whoever they want, patronise whatever hobby or cause or business they want. That's what most people want more money for.

If all they can get up to is drink, shag and play on their computer it just suggests that they're pretty insubstantial individuals, likewise anyone else who would do the same.

It's easy to criticise footballers because they ate so blatant in their flaws. Aside from football, they ain't good at much it would seem.