Monday, October 27, 2008
More Cole
No more respect
Probably the last thing Ashley Cole wanted after the crescendo of boos that greeted his defensive howler that gifted Kazakhstan a goal at Wembley on Saturday was for Rio Ferdinand to come out and attack the boo boys. Birds of a feather and all that.
I think for many fans Ashley Cole epitomizes the greed is good culture that dominates the game today. Cole, it may be remembered, is the guy who nearly drove off the road on learning Arsenal were offering him an extra 5,000 GBP a week. If someone offered me that kind of money I too would probably lose control of the car. But then I’d be punching the air in delight while Ashley was punching with frustration and derision.
The likes of Cole are essentially celebrity wannabes who just happen to play football. You are more likely to see exclusive snaps of his holidays in some celeb pandering magazine than read his thoughts, if he had any, on the transition from Jose to Big Phil via Avram.
The Chelsea full back has his fame. It’s just that kicking a ball is the price he has to pay and unfortunately for him many punters aren’t totally enamoured with him and his drunken affairs or his arrogant holier than thou attitude. A bit part footballer in a sport where the fans live and breathe the club.
Cole isn’t of course the first player who thought he was more celeb than footballer. But he is part of a Premier League breed who sees himself as bigger than the game and the rest of us should understand our place in the footballing pantheon. As players get richer and richer they grow ever more distant from the fans and woebetide any terrace oik who insults them.
It wasn’t that long ago that Arsenal players could be found in a bar near the stadium after training. Go back even further and one future England manager would work in his grocer’s shop in Liverpool during the week before traveling down by train on match day to play for the Arsenal.
But the first player to excite mass appeal was George Best. With his good looks and impish charm Bestie played the field, on and off, but everyone loved him. The country took to him, accepted his peccadilloes because they knew that on the field he was a genius.
He was also much better than the likes of Cole at dealing with the media. While Cole nearly trashes his car over 5 grand a week Bestie proudly related that 90% of his money went on women and drink. The rest he just wasted.
Ashley Cole will always be a target for the boo boys. This may surprise many involved closely in football but there is resentment at the salaries being paid to players. A recent survey showed an average fan spent over 100 GBP to go to one game, of course there is frustration at pampered players throwing their dummy out of the pram because they feel 250,000 GBP extra per annum is beneath them.
All the while they are doing their job well they will be passively tolerated. But one mistake and the pent up frustration will find a very public outlet and will let the player concerned know quite clearly the low esteem in which he is held.
Probably the last thing Ashley Cole wanted after the crescendo of boos that greeted his defensive howler that gifted Kazakhstan a goal at Wembley on Saturday was for Rio Ferdinand to come out and attack the boo boys. Birds of a feather and all that.
I think for many fans Ashley Cole epitomizes the greed is good culture that dominates the game today. Cole, it may be remembered, is the guy who nearly drove off the road on learning Arsenal were offering him an extra 5,000 GBP a week. If someone offered me that kind of money I too would probably lose control of the car. But then I’d be punching the air in delight while Ashley was punching with frustration and derision.
The likes of Cole are essentially celebrity wannabes who just happen to play football. You are more likely to see exclusive snaps of his holidays in some celeb pandering magazine than read his thoughts, if he had any, on the transition from Jose to Big Phil via Avram.
The Chelsea full back has his fame. It’s just that kicking a ball is the price he has to pay and unfortunately for him many punters aren’t totally enamoured with him and his drunken affairs or his arrogant holier than thou attitude. A bit part footballer in a sport where the fans live and breathe the club.
Cole isn’t of course the first player who thought he was more celeb than footballer. But he is part of a Premier League breed who sees himself as bigger than the game and the rest of us should understand our place in the footballing pantheon. As players get richer and richer they grow ever more distant from the fans and woebetide any terrace oik who insults them.
It wasn’t that long ago that Arsenal players could be found in a bar near the stadium after training. Go back even further and one future England manager would work in his grocer’s shop in Liverpool during the week before traveling down by train on match day to play for the Arsenal.
But the first player to excite mass appeal was George Best. With his good looks and impish charm Bestie played the field, on and off, but everyone loved him. The country took to him, accepted his peccadilloes because they knew that on the field he was a genius.
He was also much better than the likes of Cole at dealing with the media. While Cole nearly trashes his car over 5 grand a week Bestie proudly related that 90% of his money went on women and drink. The rest he just wasted.
Ashley Cole will always be a target for the boo boys. This may surprise many involved closely in football but there is resentment at the salaries being paid to players. A recent survey showed an average fan spent over 100 GBP to go to one game, of course there is frustration at pampered players throwing their dummy out of the pram because they feel 250,000 GBP extra per annum is beneath them.
All the while they are doing their job well they will be passively tolerated. But one mistake and the pent up frustration will find a very public outlet and will let the player concerned know quite clearly the low esteem in which he is held.
# posted by Me @ 6:06 PM 
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