It’s funny how the world of soccer works. Loyalty is subjective, and even the meaning of contracts. In any way, the fact that Robert Lewandowski and Luis Suarez signed huge deals with Borussia Dortmund and Liverpool means nothing to the players when its time for them to bolt.
Maybe it’s about money and agents more than actual sport, more than it should be at least. When you listen to Robert Lewandowski talk about how disappointed he is from Dortmund, it makes you think and feel, if you didn’t know of the actual circumstances, like this is some poor worker caught in the claws of some global corporation, which doesn’t care about anything but its own success.
But Lewandowski talks about the club not being true to its word. What? He doesn’t say, only imply. When you usually have nothing of value to say, it’s better to hint and repeat vague allegations. Like Cristiano Ronaldo saying he’s unhappy, and “Real Madrid know why.” He’s airing out the dirty laundry, but not really. All he wanted was more money in his contract, but players don’t want their fans to realize they’re just money grabbing machines.
Lewandowski forgot that signing a contract is also “giving his word.” He forgot that Dortmund weren’t built in order to promote players on their back so they can go on and succeed with other clubs, let alone their greatest rivals at the moment (and forgive me, Schalke fans). There’s no reason in the world Dortmund should sell Lewandowski to the one team that prevented them from winning the league & Champions League title last season, unless they were in some sort of financial difficulty.
The same goes to Luis Suarez, who has changed his versions more than once, and more and more seems like he’s being led by his agent. Surez initially talked being unable to live under the hounding from the British media. But a month away from England and suddenly it’s about winning titles and playing in the Champions League.
Liverpool stood by Suarez through the racism allegations and every time a finger was pointed at him, calling him the dirtiest diver on the planet. They gave him a new contract, as he became the team’s best and most important player. But now Suarez is acting all sad and betrayed. The £40 million clause was only to allow clubs to talk to him, not sign him. Suarez and his agent read it the wrong way, or maybe Suarez is being misled by his agent most likely.
Loyalty doesn’t exist in a business atmosphere, and that’s OK. But for players to expect clubs to act any differently than them, which is doing what’s best for the team and not the player, seems a little bit ridiculous. Either someone’s been paying them too much money it’s gone to their head, or their agents, one of the biggest hazards in global football today, are the root and cause of all these problems.