Footballers = overpaid muppets?

[Dr. Z]

Indeed, it is society that allowed these individuals (be they footballers, musicians, actors etc) to be so well paid. It is us that pays them! Directly or indirectly, we are ultimately to blame.

I don't have a particular problem with that either - its up to you how you choose to spend your money! I watch hardly any TV, I don't watch football anywhere, I don't buy magazines etc so I don't directly contribute much to the bank accounts of these people, with the exception of musicians. I actually think that if someone does something that I enjoy they should be rewarded. I enjoy music a lot, so I don't mind buying CDs when I can afford to.

I don't really see the difference between buying a CD and buying a nice bottle of wine or an upmarket meal. Someone somewhere has done something that I enjoy - why shouldn't they be rewarded for that? Extend that argument to football - people here quite clearly enjoy the game. People might choose to pay £30 to enjoy 90+ minutes of a game, how is that any different to paying £30 to enjoy an excellent steak at a top restaurant?

Whilst I don't enjoy football myself, I cant say I don't see why - and consequently why people pay so much.

[Admiral Huddy]

Originally Posted by Matblack

The bottom line is I can forgive footballers for being highly paid and if they aren't highly paid I can forgive them for being muppets but if your highly paid and a muppet your are going to fall into my 'overpaid muppet' classification.

MB

I loved this comment .. very true haha

[Robert]

In my opinion - yes they are.

At the end of the day they do the same thing. Yes you get the top and the bottom, but essentially they do exactly the same - they train and kick a ball around. Now for example, I'm still working part time at Thorntons until I find a job. I serve people and stack shelves. Now the Finance MD doesn't just stack shelves, doing a better job than me. He balances the books, makes forecasts, points out areas where savings could be made etc etc.

[Desmo]

Originally Posted by Robert

At the end of the day they do the same thing. Yes you get the top and the bottom, but essentially they do exactly the same

They might all WANT to do the same thing but they CAN'T all do the same thing. Some of them just aren't as capable as others. Comparing it to stacking shelves isn't the same thing...being better at stacking a shelf doesn't get your company more money. Being better at sport than someone else does.

[Robert]

No...but the basics are there. Most of the time they do the same things better e.g. heading, running, tackling - which to me doesn't = £80,000 a week.

[Desmo]

They might do the same basic function, but as a business, you want the best people to do those same basic functions.

If I worked for you as a professional farter and earnt you £1M a year, you'd be happy. But what if someone else comes along who can fart better than me (not gonna happen, but just use your imagination)? He farts twice as much and earns you £2M a year. So who do you pay the most? We both perform the same basic function.

[Stan_Lite]

Originally Posted by Desmo

They might do the same basic function, but as a business, you want the best people to do those same basic functions.

If I worked for you as a professional farter and earnt you £1M a year, you'd be happy. But what if someone else comes along who can fart better than me (not gonna happen, but just use your imagination)? He farts twice as much and earns you £2M a year. So who do you pay the most? We both perform the same basic function.

I see the point you're making and agree with it wholeheartedly - it's called economics, you pay the best farter more because he's more valuable to you and you want him to stay.

I only really quoted it because it made my face hurt laughing

[Mark]

Are top flight (important to make the distinction) footballers overpayed? In my view (and I'm not answering for anyone else here) yes. Muppets? Yeah, that too.

That's not to say I don't understand why it is so, because I do. Professional football is first and foremost a business. The sporting aspect is a means to an end - winning = more money, losing = less. Supporters may not see it that way, but you can bet the club's boardroom do.

To win, you need good players. Good players are a very scarce commodity indeed, so as sure as night follows day you can bet that if one team won't offer a huge pot of cash, another will, and so beginneth a bidding war. As long as the supporters of a team are willing to pay for season tickets and Sky Sports subscriptions so that a team can afford to pay the wages, they will.

I am therefore resigned to the fact that there will always be overpaid muppets in football.

[Daz]

I think muppets is perhaps a bit harsh. These people have got themselves in to a position where they can retire in their thirties if they want to, be that rightly or wrongly.

Overpaid in the grand scheme of things certainly but you cant just take money out of an industry overnight.

[edit]In the grand scheme of things I'm talking about comparing what they earn to say people in the emergency services. Though we might be moving into privatising the health industry here so I'll shut up

[edit2]To be fair you cant overlook the contribution this sport and in turn the people involved with it contribute to the economy.

It seems I've not thought my own opinion through here Stand by the first comment though, I dont think these people are muppets.

[Davey_Pitch]

Originally Posted by Mark

Are top flight (important to make the distinction) footballers overpayed? In my view (and I'm not answering for anyone else here) yes. Muppets? Yeah, that too.

That's not to say I don't understand why it is so, because I do. Professional football is first and foremost a business. The sporting aspect is a means to an end - winning = more money, losing = less. Supporters may not see it that way, but you can bet the club's boardroom do.

To win, you need good players. Good players are a very scarce commodity indeed, so as sure as night follows day you can bet that if one team won't offer a huge pot of cash, another will, and so beginneth a bidding war. As long as the supporters of a team are willing to pay for season tickets and Sky Sports subscriptions so that a team can afford to pay the wages, they will.

I am therefore resigned to the fact that there will always be overpaid muppets in football.

I can see what you're saying there, but surely if someone is being paid what they're worth to a club (or business, whatever) then they're not overpaid?