August 27, 2018 - T. Avineshwaran
"Instead of passion, enthusiasm and intensity, we are beginning to see primadonnas, gold diggers and sulkers in the game"
As an 11-year-old kid, 5 pm was one of the best times of my life. Together with my friends, we would take our torn ball to a nearby street and play street football with six odd fellows. Gates would be our goalposts, no cars spared and we could go all day long but the shouts of, "Come back home" would echo around the neighbourhood. If we did not hear those noises, we could all go on till 9 pm.
The simplicity of the beautiful game was a thing to behold during that time. There would be bruises and scratches, but we could not care less. As long as we had the ball on our feet, the world was ours.
Football to some is simple, but it will always be intricate to me. To some, it is 22 men or women chasing for one ball, but to me, it is an art that continues to mesmerise you.
I was the weird kid on the block as I fancied players like Paulo Maldini, Dennis Bergkamp, Philippe Senderos... Yes, you heard me right, the Swiss tank himself and Henrik Larsson while others had their eyes on Ronaldo, Rivaldo, Gabriel Batistuta and Zinedine Zidane
At the time, it was passion that made the game so beautiful. Players who graced the pitch gave their 101 per cent, and it was always intriguing to see top players facing off each other. Ronaldo with his shimmering stepovers, Zidane with his ballet-like pirouettes, Maldini with his effortless interceptions and blocks, Gabriel Batistuta with his blistering shots and Senderos with his hawk-like awareness. Laugh all you want but Senderos could have been an asset if it was not for his injuries.
It was fun reading and analysing those players, and because of them, my interest in football grew. I wanted to know more and what made the game beautiful. Why is the most loved sport in the world? Why do people see it as a way out of poverty? Why do we see fans go crazy lengths to support their team?
For the 2018 Russia World Cup, some fans mortgaged their properties and even took personal loans to watch their beloved nation play. These stories can be heartwrenching, but in this day and age, it is no surprise to see people making such moves. The game is evolving every day, and we are bound to see more craziness in the future.
But I also wish some fans do realise that the game does not repay your faith. People who hate change will surely hate football. Instead of passion, enthusiasm and intensity, we are beginning to see primadonnas, gold diggers and sulkers in the game. At first, I felt it was drifting away from me but hey, it is best to ride along the change and what best we can make out of it.
These days, the game seems to be a question of what ifs. Flamboyance is taking over passion, and skills seem to erode techniques. These days, it is the flashy players who hog the limelight. I am not saying that these players cannot be great but we cannot seem to compare them to the players in the past.
When I first watched Neymar play for Santos in 2011, I was excited to see a player who might be the next big thing in Brazilian football. He was confident, skilful and many people do not seem to understand this side in him, but he is one of the most technically gifted players in world football. We all know how first touch and control is essential in football and this lad makes it look effortless.
His growth trajectory is pretty good, but something is hindering his progress. Stardom is already there, but I cannot see him alongside the likes of Pele, Zico, Ronaldo and the flamboyant and ever smiling Ronaldinho. If you look at his international statistics, to gain 90 caps and 57 goals at the age of 26 is remarkable, but fans will always remember you in big tournaments. Neymar was a meme-fest in Russia thanks to his theatrics in most of his matches.
Paul Pogba is another player who divides opinions but he to me if given the right role is one of the best central midfielders in the world. In France, he has attained legendary status after winning the World Cup, and the 25-year-old was an instrumental figure in France's fantastic run in Russia.
However, when he dons the red and black jersey, there is a sense of insecurity in him, and we wonder if it is the player or the coach. Many have said that Jose Mourinho does not know how to utilise Pogba and his talent and it is about time the club makes a change. To be fair, Mourinho has not done himself any favours with his recent statements, but it got me thinking, aren't players supposed to understand the principles and tactics of their manager?
In the past, you had Marcello Lippi, Fabio Capello, Aime Jacquet, Vicente Del Bosque, Sir Alex Ferguson and Ottmar Hitzfield barking at their players and these players would reciprocate their instructions on the pitch. These coaches had stellar careers, and many players benefited from them.
These days, player power seems to be the norm of the day. If results do not go your way, it is the coaches fault. Sometimes you wonder if the players should take the blame but who cares, as long as they pocket GBP300,000 per week, party with their mates every week and bring different flashy cars to the training ground every day. Sometimes you wonder if they feel guilty or not, but I guess the world has changed. We all should move on quickly or else we are going to lose out.
These days, money talks and many clubs are beginning to splash the cash without even realising the consequences. Corporate mentality is starting to seep into football, and it is a business that is thriving. As a fan, I do not like it one bit. My father used to tell me that, "Money does not mean happiness" but his words seem stale and if you say those words to clubs, they would be laughing at you. Even fans now are demanding their club to fork out big bucks for average players.
Fulham forking out more than GBP100 million pounds was a stunner, and some of the players they signed did not warrant those transfer fees.
The day PSG signed Neymar for EUR222 million, I knew teams were going to be ripped off for other lads. None of the players we know these days warrant such transfer fees, but clubs do not care, or they do, but they do not have any other choice.
If you have read this whole article, I am sure you would have seen lots of buts in it. Now, I wish the game was simple, but just like life, football can be complicated. It is either I wallow in sadness or embrace the game as it is right now. The game will continue to evolve, and as fans, we all should grit our teeth and accept it.
Players and club may change, but fans will remain the same. They will adapt to changes, but their love for the badge will always be there. I guess, we just have to enjoy the spectacle while we are still on earth.
While some of you ponder whether Pogba and Neymar will be leaving their clubs for La Liga, I am just sipping a cup of coffee and watching highlight reels of Senderos marshalling Houston Dynamo's backline. Life could never be better!