Players are humans, let’s not forget that. They’re real people, with real families and they’ve all got real emotions too. In 2019 Rio Ferdinand and Joe Cole were discussing the issue of player power following a chaotic transfer window. It’s an important issue and one that has a profound impact on football.
It’s no secret that social media platforms like Twitter has changed how the sports world goes round. Modern day athletes have far greater leverage than ever before with the ability to go public at the post of a tweet. But it can also land players in a lot of trouble when sending around pictures of their own junk.
Do Football Players Have Too Much Power?
If a player wants to move clubs we all know the formula by now. Mope around, put in a transfer request and make some media noise. But do football players have too much power or does it protect players in a professional football world that has gone mad?
It’s a question that reminds me of the argument which came first: the chicken or the egg?
Players are happy to sign big contract extensions with clubs, only to request a transfer and force a move away well short of the full contract length that they signed up for. Rio Ferdinand made the argument that if you’re not getting paid the amount you know you deserve or you aren’t fulfilling your own personal ambitions then you have every right to request a move.
Why Player Power Is Important
It’s no secret that clubs have messed around with football players in the past. All players run the risk of being frozen out by their football club when it suits them and it’s very easy to do. All a club needs to do is demote a player to their reserves team and let them wilt away. Ultimately football is just a job for the players. They’re called professional footballers for a reason.
The issue is that a stint playing with the youngsters is going to diminish their player value so players have every right to protect that and their income.
Let’s not forget the emotional impact a demotion can take on a footballer. Being frozen out by a club will make a player feel unwanted and devalued and we’ve got to remember that there’s a human element with players in all of this.
Ferdinand explained that football clubs will ruthlessly replace a player with someone else and he’s not wrong. Clubs are all involved in a hectic results based business and if things aren’t going right on the field, clubs will not be afraid to make changes.
Football Fans Are the Biggest Losers
Players and clubs need to realise that it’s the fans that are the biggest part of any football club, but they end up being the biggest losers in the power struggle between fans and football clubs.
A contract issue between a player and their club can cause disharmony and division amongst the playing group and that’s not good for anybody. Morale can have an impact on performances and who wants to see their club losing week in and week out?
Conclusion
Power in football needs to work both ways. In modern football, players are just a commodity but let’s not forget they’re only human. If players can maintain any sort of power then it’s something they should retain in an unforgiving football world that is all about business.
When Ferdinand wanted to further his career with a dream move to Manchester United, he sat in an office for 6 hours to force a move. He wasn’t shy to admit that if Leeds didn’t agree he would’ve gone public to push the deal through.
Cole later added that it’s all about communication, and he’s right. If both club and player are transparent about their goals and ambitions then the entire process will be a lot easier.
Cristiano Ronaldo was the perfect example when he wanted to leave Manchester United for an opportunity at Real Madrid. After laying out his plans to United management, both parties agreed that he’d give the club another year before making the £80 million move to Spain.
Player power and the reach of social media both go hand in hand. Things can get messy once it hits the media so it should serve as a warning to clubs that players are only human and they’re going to react emotionally like one. If clubs treat players as a commodity, they’re going to react like one and use social media to get what they need.
