Is money everything for pro-footballers?

[Jack]

Not sure if this is Hibs chat, so I’ll use a Hibs related example. [Is that OK 325?]

Alan Smith has just been released and as usual as soon as the unrealistic post ‘we should try for him’ is up it will followed by the realistic ‘we could never afford him.’

But is that realism the right way round?

Alan Smith is likely enough to have made enough money for 2 or 3 lifetimes – more if your at my wage level. His investments, even if only reasonably sound will have him living in a grand style long after he's dead!

So just as nearly all of us can understand why young players chase the bucks, some even just along the M8, could there not be a time when a player is comfortably off that there are other things that are more important than money, like playing for an old mate?

If I was in either position I could see me doing it.

[Haymaker]

For young players I think it is, you have a relatively short career and you need to make your money. For the older player it can be either two ways. If you have banked your cash, put it in savings/invested it wisely like Robbie Fowler and others did then why not just play for an old mate for the fun of playing football?

Others however may have splashed all their cash, invested it poorly or lost it and feel the need to keep chasing the biggest cheque they can as they need to do so to set them up after football. Players like Edgar Davids who keeps chasing cheques even though he should have hung up his boots a hero years ago.

[Dashing Bob S]

Title is maybe a little unfair, Jack. I'd also put sex, alcohol, cocaine and golf on the list, though I suppose money can buy/enable those things.

[Hillsidehibby]

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Title is maybe a little unfair, Jack. I'd also put sex, alcohol, cocaine and golf on the list, though I suppose money can buy/enable those things.

You missed gambling

[gringojoe]

Yes. It's a short career and when you're finished playing at 34-35 as a youngish healthy man you can never work again as it's beneath you. You wouldn't want your mum to have to work in Lidl to support you.

[Future17]

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You missed gambling

But now he's started doing it again.

[Phil D. Rolls]

I have heard that many are concerned about the liklihood of the sky falling.

[HUTCHYHIBBY]

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Title is maybe a little unfair, Jack. I'd also put sex, alcohol, cocaine and golf on the list, though I suppose money can buy/enable those things.

What about their brothers wife?

[Pedantic_Hibee]

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What about their brothers wife?

Is it fair to say that Ryan Giggs has now bonked women from Big Brother and Little Brother?

[Scouse Hibee]

[QUOTE=Haymaker;2822828]For young players I think it is, you have a relatively short career and you need to make your money. For the older player it can be either two ways. If you have banked your cash, put it in savings/invested it wisely like Robbie Fowler and others did then why not just play for an old mate for the fun of playing football?

Others however may have splashed all their cash, invested it poorly or lost it and feel the need to keep chasing the biggest cheque they can as they need to do so to set them up after football. Players like Edgar Davids who keeps chasing cheques even though he should have hung up his boots a hero years ago.[/QUOT

That statement always makes me laugh! Not many people these days are fortunate enough to stay in the same job/career for the whole of their working life.Many have to retrain and move to something else, you don't hear many folk claiming their earning potential is over because of it.

[Franck is God]

I think it depends at what level of the game you play at to how important the money is.

Say your level is bottom half of the SPL or 1st div in Scotland, I would say that wages are hugely important as it's unlikely that your are earning vast amounts of money, I'm sure its still a fairly comfortable living but you still need to send the kids to uni and pay the mortgage and every time you step onto the pitch an injury could end it all in a second.

If you are Premiership quality and £20k per week is the norm then you would hope the majority of players are more concerned about playing every week and enjoying where they play but I suppose regardless of how much you earn if someone comes along and offers to double it....

[marleyhib]

Money (and status I am sure) is everything to footballers undoubtedly

Why would Alan Smith want to play for Hibs?

- he has played for Man U, its a massive step down from the EPL
- we are a small club

The only reason would be money.

Very few players who have played at the level he has play in the lower leagues at the end of their career unless they go to the infirm :)

[Baldy Foghorn]

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Money (and status I am sure) is everything to footballers undoubtedly

Why would Alan Smith want to play for Hibs?

- he has played for Man U, its a massive step down from the EPL
- we are a small club

The only reason would be money.

Very few players who have played at the level he has play in the lower leagues at the end of their career unless they go to the infirm :)

So did Liam Miller?

[JimBHibees]

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Is it fair to say that Ryan Giggs has now bonked women from Big Brother and Little Brother?

[LancashireHibby]

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So did Liam Miller?

Good point, although it's fair to say Miller didn't exactly hit the same heights of Smith.

[sixtwo]

it's not all about money, they enjoy a good barbecue. Only yesterday a couple of players were telling me tales about their best spit roasts!