Footballers don’t need to go public with their ‘problems’

E says:

11:06am | 20/10/09

this whole conversation is stupid.
Footballers are not role models, they are the male equivalent of dancing girls, purely entertainment with no social function apart from ooh-ahh look at that high kick.
The idea that they were role models was floated in the mid 80’s to justify their increasing salaries. I remember, I was in primary school and we discussed it a lot. It was considered a ‘sure thing’ and ‘easy money’ by a staggering number of none to bright classmates (who failed to realise that the competition isnt big enough for them all to make it).
Before the mid 80’s, football wasnt a career, it was a hobby, and it should have remained so. But because the lowest common denominator is so huge, there was quite a lot of money to be made selling advertising during the games, and later sponsorships to the teams. This increased to requirement to win, which necessitated football playing becomming a full time job, which neccessitated higher pay.  Rinse, repeat.
So basically, hundreds of thousands of kids around Australia are being robbed of legitimate hopes and dreams (such as science, law, engineering or being a sucessfull tradesman, running their own business or even just tertiary education) which are achievable by most, robbed of these authenitc aspirations by dreams of a quick win multi-million dollar footy career, followed up with being an overpaid media hack.
All this because TV networks wanted to make more cash off the backs of the those obsessed with some ball sport. Its really sad that the lives of all those Australian kiddies are being stunted by the desperate chase for a quick buck. Football is as bad for the country as alcohol.

stephen says:

02:21pm | 20/10/09

Football may be an avenue of success that, because of limited finances or i.q. (not to be rude about it), a career in law or financial administration is way out of bounds. By the way, your letter has a distinct lack of charm ; i’d rush off to a footy game if i was you.

E says:

02:37pm | 20/10/09

yep because drunken hooligans are sooo charming, perhaps we can go to the strippers on the way home, but dont tell ‘da missus’

Football is increasingly nepotistic anyway, and my contention is that loads of Aussie kiddies are not making the most of opportunities they do have based on un-realistic dreams of sporting, media or romantic sucess. Its possible to try hard in school AND footy training.
And that the idea of footballers being ‘role models’ was only floated as an excuse for why their salaries are justified. Seriously, this was a big discussion in ‘the media’ circa 1988, why should some footy player get 60K when all he does is play with his balls? Because he isnt a sportsman, he is a ‘role model’. But they arent.

stephen says:

02:59pm | 20/10/09

Sport- or a need to play games - may be a symptom of psychological distress, and not a cause. Sport may, in other words, simply appeal to a ‘wayward’ character, in which case the fault may lie with personality i.e. a person’s history. In the absence of their career, their misdemeanors could have been much more serious. All children love role-models, and looking up to a chap who runs around after a ball, gets dirty and chases after da’ girls, well, we can’t all want to be Artur Rubenstein.

ts says:

03:37pm | 20/10/09

e - you’re a moron.  i actually agree with you on the role model point, they shouldn’t need to be, but why exactly are they being ‘robbed’ of careers in other industries?  i certainly haven’t been.  my family - some of who have had football ‘careers’ haven’t been.  the group of guys i went to uni with haven’t been. what’s your point?
stephen - so sick of this ‘i.q.’ and sport argument.  you may not be semi good at more than one thing, but don’t assume no one else can be.  and it doesn’t take a whole lotta iq to be a ‘financial administrator’... at least e chucked in a range of profesional references!
there seems to be a recurring theme on this site of bagging out any sport.  you don’t enjoy it? ignore it. quit whining.