Quote:
| Originally Posted by OlesBodyguard What was it before, if not a global sport?
Rather than 'becoming' international, football has become increasingly capitalistic, for better or worse, over the past ten or fifteen years. There is nothing so holy or sacred in football today, as is money; and unfortunately, 'ethics' will always consist of what is good for the bottom line.
The key to understanding Wenger, is to consider that he is an educated engineer who perceives the smallest details, and who speaks in nuanced ways. What he sometimes fails to see, however, is the overall scheme of things. In this case, he is correct in saying that there is a certain ethic which the transfer dealings of certain clubs lack; but it is an ethic which cannot exist in a world whose main purpose is competition and the swallowing of opponents.
To convince Madrid or Barcelona, Chelsea or Manchester United, to cease doing what is in their power to convince the best players of other clubs to join them, is to convince them to contemplate ceasing to be competitive.
In order for Wenger's idea of 'respect' to fully pan out, football must turn into a world which is more or less free of great financial gain, thus undermining the desire and need of clubs to win major trophies. His schema can only work on a smalltime level, or in a utopia where only beauty and artistry are the goals of sport, and glory is won for the sake of itself. |
I would tend to agree with that.
Nothing more to add really.
Great post.
