Tue 12 May 2009
Are footballers drinking in The Last Chance Saloon?
Posted by Craig under General and news with the tags alcohol • drink • football • Harry Redknapp • Spurs • Tottenham HotspurThis week has seen another professional footballer hitting the headlines following some drunken escapades on a night out.
This time the player in question is Ledley King, who plays for Tottenham Hotspur but in the recent past we have seen similar stuff from players on the books of various clubs.
Of course, it often seems to be players of London clubs making most of the news but then again most of the paparazzi frequent the capital’s hotspots so I guess that shouldn’t be much of a surprise.
I suppose it’s normal for young guys to head out for a few drinks with their mates and for things to go a bit too far from time to time - whether you are famous or not.
Does that make it right though?
These players earn an absolute fortune, and any money earned from sponsorship or from endorsing certain products must be taken in the knowledge that you are now an ambassader for that brand or that club which means you are a role model for young kids whether you like it or not.
If you don’t want that responsibility, don’t sign the deal.
King’s manager, Harry Redknapp has come out today saying that the drinking has to stop.
Of course there’s little he can do for those players he doesn’t control, but as far as Spurs are concerned things will be changing for next season with a ban on alcohol coming into effect.
It’s easy to say things like that, and I’ll be interested to see if this plan comes to fruition.
These guys train hard and eat all the right things, as dictated by their club, so Redknapp’s argument is that they shouldn’t then pollute their bodies with toxins by pouring litres of alcohol down their throats on nights out.
He likens it to putting diesel in a Ferrari, it’s just not right.
Good on you Harry, I’ll drink to that.
May 12th, 2009 at 6:08 pm
I’ll preface this comment with one line: I no nothing about football.
However, it is also common knowledge (among BlogF1 readers) that I have a certain amount of despise towards footballers, and the news that another high-earning football-playing role model has fallen foul of the bottle doesn’t surprise me.
I know my sport of interest has it’s characters, and from time to time Formula One drivers end up in the news for some kind of debauchery - Raikkonen in a (London?) nightclub comes to mind, although that was several years ago now.
However, as you say, sports people are role models and the younger generation look up to them, especially so in football as the sport is so popular in this country. Many footballers also seem to fail to realise this and that the image they often put out is completely unprofessional. I have often wondered why some companies apparently do not mind being associated with some competitors and teams. Although I may be ignorant of something relating to this as I am not that knowledgeable of the sport.
I will add a voice of support to Harry Redknapp though. The drinking culture in the UK is generally bad (although obviously not to the fault of football), and it is often alcohol that proves to be the match that ignites the petrol-saturated disdain between rival clubs that ultimately leads to violence in and around games.
If the players are seen to be professional athletes who are never in the papers because of an alcohol-related incident, then the fans will eventually follow suit. Eventually.
How many riots have happened over a grand prix, or a surfing contest? A volleyball match or even a more high-profile sport like rugby? In comparison to football, I’d imagine the number is insignificant, even for rugby to a degree.
I’ll raise my glass to Harry and wish him the best of luck.
May 12th, 2009 at 8:51 pm
You are spot on Ollie.
The difference between rugby players and their football counterparts says it all in my view. I don’t know when I last saw one talking back to a referee for example, and despite rugby being considered the rougher sport I would say football ends up with much more aggressive players at times.
The same can be said of the fans - I would say rugby fans would be able to drink footie fans under the table, yet there’s rarely any trouble after matches as far as I’m aware.
It’s a strange old world!