Expecting footballers to be loyal just plain stupid

“Football players should be admired for ambition and not castigated for disloyalty‘ – Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Wayne Rooney recently just issued a second transfer request in three years as he felt the need to move on elsewhere and win more trophies. He has been facing the ire of the United fans ever since, but are we wrong on our part to show our displeasure at his decision?

Wayne Rooney came through the ranks at Everton as an ambitious young center forward who loved to have a go at the defenders and have a pop on goal when presented with the opportunity. He was referred to by David Moyes as being ‘over-ambitious’, someone who pushed himself to the limit to taste success. That’s when Manchester United came knocking. Being the scouse that he is, his move from Merseyside to Manchester didn’t go down too well with the Everton supporters as they continue to boo him when presented with the opportunity.

But his move to Manchester United can only be termed as a success, given his trophy haul at Old Trafford. He has achieved almost every trophy he set out to achieve when he accepted terms with Manchester United. His recent transfer request does not raise questions of his disloyalty to the club, which is absolutely stupid to expect from a player who isn’t a Mancunian. In fact, it only goes to highlight the fact that he is bored with Manchester United, bored of winning, repeating the same routine every day. Young football players are ambitious, but is it wrong to blame them for their ambition? It’s a big NO. I’d rather want a willing Rooney to don the red jersey, than a hesitant one who comes up with mediocre performances.

This is just an example, but it perfectly stereotypes the youth of today. If given the chance to move to greener pastures, they’re ready for it. This is just a natural human tendency. We’d do anything to see us in a better position in the future. And care less about what others think.

So when a door for a move opens, a footballer has two choices – be loyal to your fans and gain their support by signing an extension or choose a bigger pay check, new team mates, new challenges and most of all, a new venture. Change, something which we all wish for to make our lives a bit more exciting, is playing the role of a spoilsport in football.

Same is the case with Robin van Persie, a player who spent eight seasons with Arsenal in expectation of silverware, but to no avail. His career was going nowhere with Arsenal. Goals were coming, but he wished that these goals would bring some glory to him, if not the team. which perfectly explains his move to Manchester United. His move to Old Trafford has resulted in a lot of hatred from Arsenal fans, who term him as a ‘one-season hit’. But how better to silence your haters by claiming a lap of honour at a place you once called home? How better to prove the critics wrong by bagging the Premier League Golden Boot in successfully guiding Manchester United to title number 20?

Zlatan Ibrahimovic keeps looking for new clubs after every season, people call him paranoid, crazy but he’s getting what he wants. A high wage bracket, and respect for consistently keeping his form in every new venture.

It’s an old English mentality, that if a player seeks a move away from the club, fans are quick to call him ‘Judas’ by completely forgetting all that he has done for the club.

Football fans aren’t wrong in showing displeasure when a player seeks a move from a club to gain more ‘glory’ and experience, but it’s wrong to expect loyalty from someone who had been lured to his current club for the same reason.

Players come and go, managers come and go, but the club remains. And as they always say, no player is bigger than the club.