The Loyalty Myth

Can you read Wayne Rooney? Can he read?

As any fan will tell you, football can be a cruel sport. As its followers we take for granted that we will inevitably have to suffer through humiliating defeat and humbling knock-backs but what we never expect, no matter how many times it may happen, is to be let down by the players we so stubbornly stick by through poor form and injury.

I am, of course talking about last week’s media-dubbed ‘Rooney Saga’ and it certainly involved enough drama to merit being labelled a ‘saga’. In hindsight it could all be seen as a (perhaps overly) bold agent using a hard line on an even harder manager, which in the end fizzled out to nothing. And by nothing I mean a new five year contract worth anything from £200,000 to £300,000 a week, depending on what newspaper you read. But for a fan, in the midst of this behind-closed doors battle, it was difficult to know how to feel.

After hearing the rumours, the first thing I did was call my big brother, from whom I’ve always gauged my reactions and opinions on all things football. When he heard how upset and angry I was, he told me to man up and this was precisely why girls are not supposed to like football. But then I remembered his steadfast denial of Keane’s departure in 2005, his ‘man-tears’ over the loss of our childhood hero Van Nistelrooy and his overwhelming fear for the future after Ronaldo’s exit two seasons ago. I knew he felt just as betrayed by our club’s faltering talisman as I did. But then he said something that got me thinking, “You just don’t get loyalty from players any more”.

I had to disagree with my brother on this point. Although I agree with the sentiment, after much thought on the topic I believe he was confusing loyalty with emotional attachment. These are two qualities that in this context mean very different things. It is a matter of professionalism. Players have to be loyal to club purely in order to play for it week after week. The loyalty comes through the fact that every time a player crosses the line he is risking a potentially career-ending injury to satisfy his employer and through doing so the fans as well.

In my opinion the attribute players lack in these cases in an emotional investment in the club. Although it can seem heart-breaking to supporters who live and die for their club, a certain extent of emotional detachment has become a necessity in the modern game. Sure, players still need passion for the game to truly excel, but is it healthy to love a club that could sell you in times of financial difficulty? Would it further their career if they were perpetually serving bans for overzealous celebrations and aggressive protests? In this world players like Silva and Villa would have thrown strops and chained themselves to the Mestalla at the mere mention of being sold, Adebayor-esque celebrations would be rampant and Gary Neville would have been handed a lifetime ban a long time ago for some unspeakable deed.

So in the real world, the harsh reality is emotional attachment to club can only truly be felt by the fans, who can’t be sacked or sold and this somewhat warped, professional sense of loyalty is left to the players.

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