Olympic Athletes Have Outclassed Footballers
By Matthew Bazell
Did football’s Team GB learn something at the athlete’s village?
For many of us, the Olympic action has been inspiring to watch over the past fortnight, to the point where it will be a bit sad once it’s all over. As a football man, I’d like to think that the upcoming season will be a consolation to any post-Olympic depression. However, if anything, football has been well and truly shown up by the brilliance and dedication of the athletes involved in London 2012. To some, that might sound too black and white, but the contrast we’ve seen in the last couple of weeks has been real. No shades of grey. Yes, I am using the Olympic athletes to bash footballers, and I feel totally justified in doing so. If the beating-up on footballers (or top City bankers) is easy, it’s for a reason - their greed and vulgarity has reached the point where it’s hard to have anything but total contempt for what they’ve come to represent.
The organisation of the Olympics may now be as corporate, commercial and slimy as football has become, but the contrast between the sporting competitors couldn’t be starker. There seemed a genuine desire by the Olympians to achieve something, not just for themselves but for the country, and, when interviewed, they came across as humble, friendly, intelligent and proud people. How different that is to the typical modern footballer who is media-trained, cold and robotic-like in interviews. Footballers are conditioned, usually by their agents at a young age, to sound modest but it’s bland and insincere. Enduring one of their interviews is like being put in a metaphorical sleeper-hold.
The gulf in wages between footballers and the typical Olympic athlete is an even bigger contrast. The highest-paid members of the GB team, in terms of weekly earnings, would have been the football squad by a huge margin. And doesn’t their brilliance just deserve it? On the Super Saturday when Team GB won a record six gold medals, these jokers got knocked out on penalties by a mediocre South Korea team. Great stuff guys, you’re worth that £50k a week, and don’t let any £15k-a-year grant-relying gymnast try and tell you otherwise.
The Team GB footballers who you’ve hardly heard of are millionaires, despite being young and only a few years into their careers. Just being a professional in the top division is enough to obtain enormous wealth, and you certainly don’t have to make a great impression or be successful in the wonderful world of football. Chris Hoy might very well be a millionaire, but it’s come about through commercial endorsements as a result of being better than anyone else in what he does. He’s one of the few exceptions, as most of our athletes make do with small grants and have the same financial concerns as most people in society do.
I’m not demanding that the state should award them higher grants (though there is a good argument to say that they should) but their dedication and spirit in what they do is genuinely admirable. Waking up before daylight, putting in an eight-hour day of training, sacrificing a regular form of social life and living on a lower-than-average income is a normal experience for athletes of other sports, many of whom succeed in winning Olympic medals for their country. Compared to footballers, they are the heroes, even though it’s a word that gets bandied about on a regular basis by sections of the football media (for example England became ‘heroes’ for reaching the Quarter Finals of Euro 2012). There’s nothing heroic in a group of people being so greedy that their demands have pushed the common man out from a sport that was once known as the People’s Game.
So, instead of being inspired by the upcoming football season, a major part of me feels totally underwhelmed to a return to what’s now become the most vulgar show on earth. I was recently interviewed by Talksport about my book Theatre of Silence, in which the presenter asked ‘So what’s wrong with modern football?”. I was totally stumped by that question – only because there are so many things wrong that I just didn’t know where to start. So where do you begin, what comes top of the list? Diving perhaps, ticket-prices, player-wages, all-seater stadiums, lunchtime kick-offs, Clive Tyldesley’s match-commentary? I was so stumped that I reversed the question: ‘What’s right with modern football?’ Virtually nothing. The game is glaringly messed-up on every level; therefore, from now on, this football fan will be taking more of an interest in other sports where an element of soul still exists. I’ll certainly keep a keen eye on the developments throughout the football season, but this will probably be the first time that I have no worthy emotion to give towards what transpires.
16th August 2012
User Comment and Reaction
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Farnborough Gooner 8:48am 16th Aug 2012
Good article I too feel that football has a lot to learn from the Olympics. To see some of our rowers apologise for letting people down because they "only came second" was very refreshing. Lets hope that the world of football has a good long look in the mirror and learns some valuable lessons. - Post No. 27806
sparksy 8:50am 16th Aug 2012
Couldn't agree more. When Mo Farah runs 2 races of 5km and 10 km in a matter of days to win his gold medals he makes these poncey prima donna footballers look exactly what they are when they complain about being tired after 2 games of football in a week. - Post No. 27807
ANON 9:12am 16th Aug 2012
WELL WRITTEN ARTICLE . SO TRUE ON EVERY LEVEL - Post No. 27808
bob 9:17am 16th Aug 2012
To be fair there's hookers and pimps out there who outclass footballers. - Post No. 27809
Mark 9:23am 16th Aug 2012
I agree with a lot of this, I too have become more and more disillusioned by modern day football which in my opinion we can trace back to the involvement of Sky. I do want to point out, however that it's not just footballers that earn ridiculous wages. Other sports are just as bad, i.e. american football, golf, baseball etc. How many millions per race did Michael Schumacher earn? Yet I agree that football is driven by greed and money and we're seeing that attitude across the board now, not just with the players but the fans, the board, the media, the pundits. I am slowly getting to the point where I care less and less; my love for Arsenal will always be there but each year, slowly something inside me dies. Not my love for Arsenal, but my love for the game in general. I wasn't looking forward to the Olympics at all but I thoroughly enjoyed it and I didnt watch any of the football. - Post No. 27810
Rocky RIP 9:28am 16th Aug 2012
Very good article, sir. It conveys my exact sentiments. The moment the 2012 Olympics was at its glorious, edyfying peak, just after Mo Farrah's run on the middle Saturday, the action switched to team GB in the football and a booing crowd and a penalty shoot out failure. Such a contrast. I love football, but at that moment it brought about a clarity in what I've grown to dislike about it so much. Even Lineker wanted to ditch the football and get back to the stuff that filled the soul with warmth. (The same happened during the Ashes of 2005, which was a pleasure to watch from a sportsmanship perspective.)I'm sure I'll be back to snarling and swearing and cursing the injustices with the rest of us very soon. - Post No. 27811
Dan h 9:56am 16th Aug 2012
The modern premier league footballer is so far removed from reality where money is their single biggest motivation is for me where football has lost it's soul.The young PL footballer can sign a 4 year 30k+ a week deal making aprox 6m+ over the length of it set up for life all on a plate regardless of performance.The athlete like you say lottery funded performance based constantly monitored on possibly 30k a year for a window of 4 years between Olympics.It is no wonder the athlete stays grounded motivated with a goal at the end of it all & like you rightly say if you become a gold medalist like Chris Hoy riches & rewards follow it is the nature of the sports sadly.The refreshing part of any Olympics is that the competitors in the majority really love their sport happy to mingle with fans taking public transport & taking in a life changing experience.The majority of footballers are at the other end of the scale forget where they come from & want to take the maximum out without putting much back in.Finally the club i believe have invited Mo Farah,Anthony Joshua & Kenyan gold medalist David Rudisha to the emirates all Arsenal fans.I believe they may be present saturday against Sunderland i bet they get a great reception Matthew people are waking up love watching football just don't have any connection with the majority that play it many i know supporting all different teams say the same. - Post No. 27812
parousia 10:19am 16th Aug 2012
I love Arsenal but after the sheer joy and passion of the Olympics I approach the coming season with a mixture of trepidation, and for the first time indifference. I can only agree with every word written here as the vulgarity and arrogance of the players is in stark contrast to the modesty and humility of our Olympians. I have one question for you all...who would you rather have your son grow up to be like, Bradley Wiggins or Nicholas Bendtner; Alistair Brownlee or Wayne Rooney? - Post No. 27813
ALEXTHEGOONER 11:06am 16th Aug 2012
Can we stop this lovefest with the olympics now please. Yes we all enjoyed the 2 weeks but to compare it with modern football is plain silly. Footballers at the high end - rvp, terry, cole rooney et al, are greedy and selfish in their outlook but have been made that way with the ridiculous attention and indulgence shown them by us fans. They are adored and worshipped on a daily basis and pick up 200 grand a week for their existence. However there are hundreds of footballers who show humility and charity without so much as a mention. Olympic athletes hog the limelight every 4 years. In between they are bit parts in the sporting jig-saw. Do you really imagine they would be any different to footballers given their level of wealth and attention. I understand Bolt will only run in countries where they exempt him from tax for his appearance fee. I'm sure at the high end of athletics there are other examples of greed. I'm not defending the scummy world of football but get irritated at the beatification of olympians who have the luxury of relative anonymity most of their careers. Compare like for like please. - Post No. 27817
J A J Gooner 11:17am 16th Aug 2012
Hear hear sir! In a week when RvP has wiped his rear end with everything Arsenal stand for and allowed himself to be manipulated by football agent scum (the only people who have frankly even less morals than those they represent), it is good to see people highlighting the vast differences in attitude between athletes and footballers. Unfortunately, we all know what will happen. As soon as the first Sky Super Duper Miss It and You're a Mug Sunday comes along we'll all be too engrossed in our tribalism to remember this debate. Mark my words :( ... - Post No. 27818
David White 12:34pm 16th Aug 2012
Money was always a big part of football, whether it was greedy chairmen, inventive managers finding ways of paying their players a bit more during the time of the maximum wage, or Italian clubs offering players like Tom Finney, John Charles or Jimmy Greaves unheard of sums of money. For all the other things that used to characterise professional football in England - a sense of community, close ties between players and supporters, club loyalty - money has consumed them all. When you watch the Olympic athletes, you remember what footballers used to be like before money was everything. - Post No. 27820
Ron 12:36pm 16th Aug 2012
Agree totally. Mo Farrar and various others in particular created a buzz for me that football hasnt for a good few years. I watched that garbage at Villa Park last week end and the contorted, vile rage ridden faces of the fans and the players and the routine abuse made me glad ive dropped out of football in so far as going to games applies. Van Persies wages just uderline my view of football ie those who want to fund it now are welcome to it!! - Post No. 27821
Angry & Frustrated 12:37pm 16th Aug 2012
Couldn't agree more with this article, but sadly we all know that the constant cheating, feigning injury, time wasting, and non stop argueing with the ref will be back on the cards, once the new premier league season kicks off. Our glorious leader is another prime example of this, with his non stop bitching with the fourth official, kicking water bottles and on occasions refusing to shake the hands of a fellow manager. Knowing all these participants are grossly overpaid, makes it all the more sickening. - Post No. 27822
MarkH 12:51pm 16th Aug 2012
All do yourself a favour and get a copy of True Storey by Peter Storey. For those who never saw him play, learn how players played for the love of the club. Yes they earnt good money,about twice the national average,but they lived in 4 bed semis in Cheshunt and drove Fords. If nothing else it will give Peter a bit of pocket money. True Arsenal legend. - Post No. 27823
Luke Mather 13:31pm 16th Aug 2012
I love the Olympics, not just London 2012, as much as anyone however I think we are all getting far too carried away with all Olympians are great, in the same way we tar all footballers witht the same brush. Lets remember we had a gold medalists who took perfromance enhancing drugs, another athelete doing the same, one that took marijuana, we had multiple players that played to lose, we had an athelete who gave up in one race sporting an injury and the easily won gold the next day. Lets not go to OTT, as much as there is inspiring olympians and many in teamgb there are cheats, in the same way that not all footballers are cheating mecenaries as well. - Post No. 27824
Highbury Boy 13:47pm 16th Aug 2012
Spot on. It's not only the footballers but their managers who come over very badly in interviews. I am expecting to be embarrassed on Saturday when after the Sunderland game Wenger will blame the referee,midweek internationals,lack of usual pre-season Emirates Cup, media fuss over VP , tough tackling by opposition;in fact everyone but him and his players. I'm another who is getting very tired of PL footballers and their entourage who have been really shown up by the humble Olympiads. - Post No. 27825
Ron 14:46pm 16th Aug 2012
Like Mather - Yes you make a good point while missing the main ones. Its what football does to people thats changed so much. There is no accepting losses, no accepting the other team was better, its always a case of there being a 'reason' for losing, their mananger is always right, he's always 'not that kind of lad', its always 'why not shake hands and forget youve just bellowed vile abuse at me from 5 yards away for 90 mins', crowds are vile, many of the songs sung by away fans are vile and insulting, players dive and cheat and accept it, money is a cancer yet all in the game accept it. What loyalty there was has gone, most players are all mecenary, 3rd is 1st, Cups are irrelavant as they make no money, internationals are old hat and a nuisance, kissing Alex Fergusons back side is compulsory, Man U arent corrupt and dont run the Premier league and if you say they do, youre a lunatic (so say SKY), early kick offs, rip off prices, idle non committed players and in the main CRAP games of no passion and limited skill. This is just a flavour of whats bad in football ..................... etc etc. There are bad things in athletics as you say, but the bad isnt culturally ingrained in it. - Post No. 27827
Gloucester Gooner 15:55pm 16th Aug 2012
Excellent article, if only we had footballers who were as dedicated week in week out like these athletes. Its no good saying that footballers play every week, these athletes work all day and then train all night case closed. - Post No. 27828
Dorset Gooner 17:50pm 16th Aug 2012
Wel said Sir,could not agree more.I have never felt more uninterested in a new season as this one. - Post No. 27831
Andy Heap 18:18pm 16th Aug 2012
Great article and couldn't agree more. Money has poisoned football. Roll on the day the Sky fuelled gravy train ends and football becomes accessable again. Here's hoping! - Post No. 27832
MRMROD 19:16pm 16th Aug 2012
Hear hear! Could not agree more. The whole football scene is so phoney from the brainless, inarticulate imbeciles such as Kamara and Savage who darken our screens and radios, to the 11 proto-geckos who take to the field each week up and down the country who for the most part believe "greed is good" and raise two fingers to absolutely everyone else in society - fans inclusive. In fact to be honest its hard during a live match not to slip off into a day dream and question; Why the hell have I just got out of bed at 5am; got taxi to the airport; flew to London; got a taxi to the ground; eat/drink/purchased only to then do it all over again in reverse and get home at about 10pm - it adds up...Maybe its just the life long love of the Arsenal that keeps me going and not the (many, not all) undeserving who get to adorn the shirt. - Post No. 27833
Adrian Wagenaar 19:16pm 16th Aug 2012
Oh I so wanted to write something like this - if you want an example of how ridiculous football has become just listen to Talksport. - Post No. 27834
Joe Fitzpatrick 21:00pm 16th Aug 2012
Why don't you try and get the crowd going around you by chatting with them and having a bit of the craic with them? It seems that everyone wants to complain about the lack of an atmosphere in the so called "theatre of silence" but everyone is just too cool to make the first bit of noise! We improved the atmosphere so much last season by really getting behind the team for the big games and I thoroughly enjoyed last seasons matchday experience than i did the previous seasons at the Grove. - Post No. 27839
Charlie Charlie 21:40pm 16th Aug 2012
A good article that accurately reflects what a lot of people are thinking. I went to one morning athletics session of Olympics with a Coventry season ticket holder and we both admitted at the end that after many many years of blind support we had considered not renewing our season tickets this year. I just don't know whether I can stand another season watching and listening to all those overpaid morally bankrupt wankers such as Nasri, Cole, Terry etc etc. The list really does go on and on if you think about. I tuned into Talksport this afternoon and just felt angry hearing the same old **** from the same old tossers and had to turn off after a few minutes. But I will be there again on Saturday, out of habit I suppose, but I sense that a big backlash against the Premiership may be just around the corner unless something starts to change soon. Well done to Team GB. You made me proud in a way no football team has done in years. - Post No. 27840
Ronster 8:32am 17th Aug 2012
A superbly organised Olympics coupled with the warm generosity bestowed by the British crowds towards every athlete has almost certainly hastened the return of the World Cup to these shores....let's hope the sport of Association Football is a far nobler animal when that time comes. - Post No. 27844
NileshBhagat 10:12am 17th Aug 2012
The irony of the author decrying 'modern football' whilst he is appearing on Talksport should not be lost on anyone. - Post No. 27867
Jox 10:17am 17th Aug 2012
You are voicing the views of thousands even millions of people. Everyone I know is wandering around in a confused, bereft yet euphoric state of pride about what our athletes did. Words cannot sum up how well they have served their nation, inspiring children and adults everywhere to dust off their trainers. This fervour however is generated from a desire amongst people to work hard, train hard and achieve just for the joy of achievement itself and NOT for financial gain. Robin van Persie and players like him make me sick. They are not true athletes, sportsmen or people who play fairly for the good of their game. They are businessmen. End of. - Post No. 27869
JER 14:14pm 17th Aug 2012
Whilst I agree with almost everything in this article let's not go over the top. There are many footballers who are thoroughly decent people, who would be mugs to turn down the inflated salaries paid to them. Even so-called villains like Drogba and Adebayor have donated huge amounts to charity. I think the guilty party is Mr. R. Murdoch who bought football twenty years ago and then ruined it. - Post No. 27910
Chas Howard 17:14pm 17th Aug 2012
A good start to changing football, would be for the refs to address any dissent and to send off anyone swearing and in particular, swearing at the ref. The images of footballers swearing e.g. Andy Carroll in the last England match, are disgraceful especially when compared with attitude of the the athletes. The refs are reluctant to take on the players and the players know that. If TV picks it up, so can a video ref who could advise the ref. - Post No. 27927
Tony tadley 20:31pm 17th Aug 2012
It's not just the players. My wife and I went to the show jumping at greenwich and there was no booing of the german or argentine competitors. The whole crowd were hoping they would do well, just willing GB to do better. Compare that to any away footballer taking a corner anywhere in the country and the abuse they get. For once London was filled with sports fans with no malice or aggression, home supporters helping foreigners to get around. The police were relaxed and friendly and clearly enjoying the whole games. Still it will all go back to normal this weekend and for that we are all poorer. - Post No. 27938
Alex Stone 14:27pm 18th Aug 2012
WELL SAID!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! COULD'NT HAVE PUT IT ANY BETTER - Post No. 27968
Your heroes 13:10pm 19th Aug 2012
Is there anything more patronising and misguided than the club trying to sell us merchandise with 'your hero's name' written on it? Very few modern footballers are heroes. They have to earn the right. After the number of mercenaries we've seen come and go, it's hard to take too many to your heart these days, let alone term them YOUR HERO! - Post No. 27997
Mark Davis 13:22pm 22nd Aug 2012
Absolutely superb article and spot-on in every regard. I realise this is a rather belated post as I've only just read the piece, but I simply had to endorse its every sentiment. Thanks for posting exactly how I feel, Matthew. - Post No. 28145
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