Interesting question???

[Postman Pat loves Norwich 0]

If you were a pro footballer playing for the club you supported as a kid and loved I.e Norwich and earning decent money, if a better team came in with more money would you stay? Personally I would but has loyalty been taken over by the lure of £50-60k plus a week?

[? 20]

I find it very hard, personally, to blame footballers that take the money and leave.

I like to think i''d stay with the team i love, but no doubt the offer would be a damn sight harder than i imagine to turn down if someone actually approached me with the money.

[BigManInTheBarclay 84]

I have to say no...I''d stay loyal to my club.......but the game isnow effectivly run by agents whispering in players ears so this isa rare occurance.

[6088m canary 4]

I don''t think  any pro footballers are truly fans of any one club.  From an early age if you realise that you have the ability, you will strive to hit Man Utd or Liverpools of this world.  Id play for City for free but then i was never going to make it as a pro.....

[crabbycanary 2]

The days of the Matt Le Tissiers are gone, IMO as there is too much money riding on results at the top level. If you were that player and things were going wrong( which they would inevitably at some point), would you want that extra burden on your shoulders, and be part of something ( relegation?) on your team? Nah not me, despite it being a lifetime ambition to pull on a City shirt

[Shack Attack 0]

It''s easy to claim that you would stay loyal to the team you support when you are never going to find yourself in the position when you are offered an extra £10,000 a week to play for someone else. Believe it or not footballers are ordinary human beings like the rest of us. The fact that most of them would jump ship at the first opportunity suggests to me that it is a fairly natural human reaction and most fans would do the same.

[Old Shuck 300]

I''d crawl over broken glass (swarming with snakes and scorpions) to play for Norwich...

...but if the chance came along to play for Man Utd, I''d have to take it. Doesn''t and wouldn''t stop me supporting Norwich.

David Batty is a good example of a footballer playing for "his" club-he was, is, Leeds, through and through; to the core. But he moved on to Newcastle. In his book he writes that, when he was there, whenever the Newcastle team coach went past Elland Road, all the Newcastle players would rip him apart saying "look Batts, there''s your club" and he''d admit it.

But £10k a week at NCFC or £60k a week at Man Utd-no contest. Logic and Bank account come over loyalty to team I''m afraid, or would, if I was a player. The good thing is, money can''t change your allegiance as a fan-or you''d like to think so, there are a few "celebs" who suddenly became fans of the big clubs, no doubt succumbing to agent whispers about Man U/Liverpool "looking better" than Hull or Barnsley!

[Europe_93 51]

It is easy to think you would stay loyal to your boyhood club, when you are never going to be in that position. When you imagine, you only imagine good times, not the difficult, so you always imagine the people will want you to stay.

In the real world fans are incredibly fickle and whilst they show loyalty to a club, loyalty to players is a much rarer thing. Hence players will nearly always look to cash in while their stock his high.

I''m sure player''s if given a choice would rather contribute to the success of their boyhood club''s than a Man Utd or Chelsea, but most of them probably don''t believe they can make that much difference to a team, hence they will put their careers first.

[Viva_Marc_Libbra 0]

The club wouldn''t be loyal to you in the reverse situation, if you were having a bad season but said you could improve next season just give me another year. You''d be out on your ear, so as much as I''d want to play for Norwich, if a chance to earn 5/6 times as much came along you''d have to take it for security once your playing days were over. That''s why I wouldn''t mind if any of our players were snapped up by a bigger club with European ambitions (UEFA Cup), but if anyone left for WBA, Wolves, Swansea etc, I''d be pretty p*ssed off.

[K Lo 248]

You also have to remember that your earning potential as a fooballer will pobably be over from the ages 36-40, so, somehow, you have to find another income for the next 25+ years.

[BarclayWazza 93]

My answer would be that I''d make sure City got a mega fee for me, earn my £100k a week for 4 or 5 years then come back on a free.

[Tetteys Jig 853]

Yeah, i''d make sure Norwich got what i was worth and more. I''d stay loyal until they could do more with the money than have me playing for them and then i''d come back at the end of my career and play for free.

[K Lo 248]

It also depends how good I was. If I were rubbish, I''d sign or Ipswich.

[shiplee15 0]

For me would depend on few things:

1. If i was in the starting 11 at Norwich and in the managers long term plans

2. What league they were in - Have to play at top level if you get the chance

3. Home situation - if you''ve just settled down and have kids you have to think about what''s best for them at the end of the day.

4. Chance to play in Europe?

5. Chance to play for Nation?

These two obviously depend on ability but if you''re being paid that much a week you must be half decent!

6. Age - if you''ve got years ahead of you and can develop playing week in/week out instead of sitting on the bench then stay, if it''s last chance to play higher then have to take it.

As things are at the moment, i''d stay loyal and stay at the club.

[Postman Pat loves Norwich 0]

What about players like nasri and clichy who were already at a high level, playing in the champions league and on a decent wage? Money had to be the main reason

["""""""""Ben """"""""""" 0]

I''d play for Norwich until Man City offered me £300,000k a week then i''d be gone in a shot :)

[Postman Pat loves Norwich 0]

lol even if you didn''t play?

[Yellowbeagle 0]

[quote user="K Lo"]It also depends how good I was. If I were rubbish, I''d sign or Ipswich.
[/quote]

Trouble is i''m not sure you could be bad enough to be worse than what the currently have.

[Power Hamster 0]

I don''t think anyone expects loyalty from players, nor should they, in the modern game. What we should expect, however, is a fully professional attitude towards every game, no matter who they are playing for (or against). .Any player who gives less than 100% should be given a boot up the backside and made to go and work on a building site or in a call centre for a few weeks - then they will realise what a privileged position they are in, being a professional footballer.I really don''t care if NCFC players are motivated by money or loyalty, so long as they give their best in EVERY match (those who played against MK Dons take note!)

[. 0]

I suspect that the business like reality of any football club soon kicks in and as in all other workplaces it soon becomes just becomes a job.It''s a short career and I would go where the money was to secure my family''s future... then if not too jaded at a later date look to ''return home'' in some capacity to help them on.

[crabbycanary 2]

[quote user="K Lo"]You also have to remember that your earning potential as a fooballer will pobably be over from the ages 36-40, so, somehow, you have to find another income for the next 25+ years.
[/quote]

 

I''m sorry but I hate when footballers use this as an excuse. When they get to the end of their careers, say 35, and they have been earning top money for 12-15 years already, they have already earned more money than the common man would in a lifetime of working. They wouldn''t have mortgages etc to pay like the majority of us at 35 plus. All they would have is their ''living'' expenses to worry about, and if they can''t get a (very well paid) job from their network of mates in the football world, then they might have to lower themselves, bite the bullet, and get a ''normal'' job like the rest of us! Oh the shame of it!

[Yellow Wal 316]

One day people will realise what is important in life. I can understand players moving to further their careers and win recognition and trophies but to move for an extra £10,000 a week when you are already earning £80K or £90K seems nothing but pure greed. And for what purpose? What can you buy when you are getting £5M a year that you can''t buy if you were only getting £4.5M.

Greed seems to be an acceptable part of modern living ...... and look where it has got us. We complain about the greedy bankers but for some reason do not complain about greedy footballers. They both take us for a ride. The next time you see a Manchester City player running about on a football pitch just stop and think for a minute that on that Saturday that you watch him he will probably be ''earning'' more than you earn in a year. 

And if you can''t secure your family''s future on £4.5M a year for a few years and feel you have to move for that security to get £5M, then God help you.

[smooth 114]

I think it shows you what has happened to football since the premier league and too much money.

Prior to that you could go through the leagues via transfers, now with premiership teams looking to europe etc. you have to be very lucky. How many players make that leap when they are bought from a championship team to a premiership team? The answer is very very few.

Yes we have come up as a team from league 1 and players have come up from that league to join us that year. But by god that is very rare.

Hence if you are a boyhood Crewe fan playing for Crewe and a bigger team comes in, you make the move but you make it clear that you are still a Crewe fan. Returning for games (like bellers, dyer and bramble for ipswich), doing charity events and nowadays use social media.

You caertainly as a professional look to be part of a team that can win a cup, promotion or an england cap. At the end of your career what have you got to show for it, apart from a bit of money and depending how it is invested you are going to be known as former footballer who either won something or just as a former footballer.

If you are a premiership youngster the chances are you will go down a league on loan with the possibility of then playing for your team upon your return.

If you are in a lower team you have to work very hard to move up a league it is very easy to move down a league on loan or a permenant move. As Oli Johnson is now finding out, he and many lower league players may be free agents from now on. Money is not in football as it once was.

A professional should strive to win trophies and accolades whatever level that is. Money is part of that, but only to the elite. Not a player who has layed in league 1 all his career or someone who is in a less financially powerful championship team.

I do think that with moving on there is still many ways to still hold you alliance with the club that you have fondness for.

Remember Steve Foley said when we went up under worthy bellers was the first person to text and congratulate him.

For those moving for the extra funds, like Gyan, why not? New challenge, TAX FREE and moving into a league where he will be a star and like Beckham probably has a percentage of shirt sales etc. Gyan has played for a number of teams away from his home land. Same as Eto with his new move.

To be honest one day the premiership won''t be the best leaguie to play in, Russia and Asia with their tax free environments will hopefully take those interested in cash and we will then be able to develop our home grown players better and hopefully instead of them going down the leagues they can go up the leagues.

[crabbycanary 2]

Well said Yellow Wall

[Sing Up The River End 0]

No because i would easily be on enough at Norwich.

There is getting payed alot, then there is just stupid

[Canarino 0]

I think it all depends on how talented a player you are. Look at Rooney - I''m sure many Evertonians were surprised when he left them, as Everton was definitely "his" club. However, he is surely a better player now than he would have been if he''d stayed there.

You have to be fortunate to actually be one of the best players in the country and be able to start and end your career at a top club which happens to also be "your" club - like Scholes, possibly.

[Martin Bryant 0]

I like working where I am- 5 minute drive to work and wouldnt want to change, but if I was offered the same job in North London (1-2hour journey a day) but for lots more money id take it.

I guess its similar for footy players, as much as you like the team you play for- chaaa chinngggg more money is very tempting.

[curly_whirly_tipz 0]

Surely it would also depend on the club and management at the time. If, like now wehave a good manager and excellent team spirit I would imagine players would be less inclined to leave. However if its in Roeder days or something similar and morale is incredibly low Id imagine the temptation to go for more would be increased.

[Robert N. LiM 6,442]

Scholes is an Oldham fan

[Canarino 0]

I heard a piece about him where he was described as a lifelong Man United fan, so maybe he is adaptable :-)