Michael Ballack (that's him pictured above with his Mum) has bought equipment for the club in Chemnitz where he began his career, he's also helped finance the wages of the club's physiotherapist. Now I know you could be cynical and say well that's easy on £120,000 a week netto but the fact that he's doing it when, in my personal and professional experience, the people with the most money have the tighest wallets should be applauded.
At the time when Sven is still being paid £6,500 a day, and will be until this July, I think that the players who do give 'something back' should be applauded - whatever level of football they play at. It's not just the Thierry Henry's, Patrick Vieira's or David Beckham's who donate money, and more importantly in my opinion, time but Harry Redknapp has propped up more than one football club for a number of years through donations, Tresor Lua Lua supports various childrens charities as do Yossi Benayoun and Sol Campbell. Even the normally instantly dislikeable Wobby Savage gives his time to helping kids in North Wales.
Footballers take a lot of stick for the money they earn, which in most cases is just a simple case of them exploiting the market - so when you hear a story like Ballack's it does make you think that they aren't all bad.
4 comments:
"Credit where credit's due" is absolutely right. Although I think it's generally better to be discreet with one's charitable donations, perhaps some of these footballers deserve a bit of credit (or whatever) because it shows that there's more to them than what we see on the pitch.
I agree Shy. I was listening to a phone-in about the Beckham transfer and it was pointed out that his soccer schools have given the opportunity to thousands of children, who wouldn't normally get the chance to be spotted because of the closure of club Acadamies, to try and break into football.
Sarnia - I was trying to do two things at once and being a man failed!
P.S.
You don't like Sven, do you, Paul?
Mind you, I find it hard to be favourably disposed to anyone who gets paid a huge salary for doing sweet F.A.
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