Football Loyalty fading off

It’s a very common sight to see a professional footballer kiss their club badge in a gesture that generally depicts loyalty. At that point in time when it is all going well and rosy, footballers pretend to live and breathe their current clubs. I was watching the Premier League fixture between Manchester City and Sunderland on New Year’s Day. Frank Lampard scored the decisive goal and then celebrated passionately. And then I thought to myself; sports loyalty is overrated.

When fans idolize a football player, they more often than not do it without holding back. Fans have found endless ways of identifying with their favourite players, be it by mimicking their names on social media, or by wearing their names on the back of their club shirts. Some people have life size posters to whom they pay obeisance to every morning. But in the end, the truth is, fans are the only loyal people in football. To every other person involved in the game; managers, footballers, agents, referees, board members, it’s just a job, means to climb the social and economic ladder.

If Chelsea lose out in the race for the Premier League title, to Manchester City, Frank Lampard’s goals will have played a huge part in ensuring that the club where he is recognized as club legend and all time highest goalscorer fall short. Francesc Fabregas is a former captain and fan favourite at Arsenal. These days he lays on assist after assist for the sworn enemy, a team he vowed never to play for. Luke Shaw and Calum Chambers barely let the club that nurtured them on the basics of the game reap the fruits of their labour before abandoning them for greener pastures. Examples are endless. And of course there are players like Jack Colback who jump on the first bus that takes them out of perennial relegation battles, even if that bus is bound for the home of your fiercest and most hated rivals.

The lack of loyalty doesn’t just stop at the feet of the players however. Most mid table clubs will sell their star players, fan favourite or not as long as the money is green enough. In some ways Southampton are especially guilty of this. Imagine if the Saints had kept Gareth Bale, Theo Walcott, Alex Oxlade Chamberlain, Luke Shaw, Dejan Lovren and the rest. They’ll probably be favourites for the title. And of course there are clubs like Real Madrid and Barcelona. It doesn’t really matter how many titles you’ve helped win, or how many pints you’ve bled for the cause. Once something shiny new appears on the market, and it happens to occupy the same position as you, you’re out. Ask Mesut Ozil, or Alexis Sanchez, or Angel Di Maria, or even Arjen Robben.

Of all the stakeholders however, managers are probably the worst breed.  Not only do they change clubs like tee shirts, they do it with the most shameless of demeanours. There are managers in the Premier League who have managed as many as six different clubs. Tony Pulis has managed three different clubs in less than three seasons. To make matters worse, poaching players from your old team is considered cool. Look at how easily Pep Guardiola took Thiago Alcantara from Barcelona, or how quickly Brendan Rodgers lured Joe Allen to Merseyside.

In conclusion, fans are the only stable thing in football. And even that isn’t a given. I know someone who was an Arsenal fan till 2013, a Tottenham fan 2013-14, and now proudly claims to be a Chelsea fan. Even truly loyal fans are rare these days, as eight of ten fans you see are glory hunters. Fans are the only sets of people that lose money to the game of football in terms of merchandise, tickets, flights to away games, etc. Every other set of stakeholders in football get paid for their part. Here is my advice; Love the game, and maybe your club, but don’t be too vested in that striker, or that manager. They’re mercenaries, they’ll ultimately let you down.

 

Adedamola Obisesan