Sol Campbell said something the other day about 'giving his whole career to club and country' and that he thinks he 'deserves more'. He wasn't talking about another contract - he was talking about what the fans are shouting at him.

I'm sorry, but I'm getting fed up with all this. Players like Sol Campbell and managers like Harry Redknapp, despite where they were born or brought up are now no longer connected to the real world or the average football fan and if they can't handle the stick then they should get out of the game.

The fact is that all these people are getting paid, quite literally, millions of pounds a year and one of the things they've got to accept, when happily getting paid all this money and accepting everything else, is the verbal abuse.

I agree that it's not nice that children are hearing this but it's not only at football that this language is used. It's now used in the playground, in films and television and pretty much every day life.

I've said this before, but I'd quite happily take the abuse if I got the money to go along with it - no problem.

Actually, if you put it to all these players before they signed their first professional contract that they'd have to accept all these words shouted at them, then every single one of them would accept it - not one of them would turn it down. Sticks and stones and all that.

These players and people in football just have to grow up, stop moaning and be grateful for what they've got and if as Sol Campbell has asked, anyone in "the FA, the PFA, even the Government should get involved" then it will make this game even more of a joke than it already is.

Comments (25)

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Villain of the North said:

I think you're wrong in this to be fair, Damian. They're not saying they shouldn't take any abuse, but what they ARE saying is that the abuse has escalated to something that they're not common on dealing with. If we want to hold our heads high and mighty and claim we don't have a big problem on the terraces with racism while our european counterparts chant monkey and said players, then we're not really any different. Sure, take the abuse that is warranted and part and parcel to the profession in which they are so over paid in, but that doesn't mean they have to tolerate the kind of abuse that is being suggested. Just because foul language and abuse is common, doesn't mean we have to accept it.

December 22, 2007

Damian said:

let me ask you this Villain of the North if i pay you £2mn a year can i, from an average of 30 yards away shout anything i want to you for, lets say 90 hours a year. 90 hours = 3.75 days, or about 1% of the year .. you cant start dissecting what is actually been shouted or said to these players. my point is, if i offer you this money - pretty much guaranteed for 4 years (i.e. you will become a multi millionaire and will secure the future for you and your family, pretty much forever, if you're sensible) - can i say whatever i want to you? if you say no. you're bulls**tting only to make your point ...

December 22, 2007 | url

I HATE BLUES said:

I heard his interview in radio 2 and to be honest he sounded like a big tit.Even in the twilight of his career he still has to be earning around 40k aweek ,give me that aweek and ppl can call me all they like for an hour and a half.What i feel he's done is show every football crowd how to put him off his game and its only going to get worse for him now what a ,t w a t

December 22, 2007

Villain of the North said:

Depends what your upbringing was like and whether job satisfaction or pay is your motivation. I can say that i've seen the lows and highs of finances to life, and if i was earning what they earned then i too would speak up about the abuse. I think you're suggesting just because someone earns huge amounts of money, they are deserving of over the top abuse. That is completely illogical to me. I have no more time for these chavs than i do for people who TyPe Lyk DiS On Heeer. Anyways, i just can't see how £ = Right to be abused.

December 22, 2007

Damian said:

at Villain of the North i dont think what happens at a football game and has done for decades, has anything to do with your upbringing what i'm saying is, this is part of the game. it's actually part of society these days - which is a pretty poor reflection on the country as a whole, but it's true .. i'm also not saying they deserve the abuse - i'm saying they have to accept it and stop acting, to coin a phrase used above, a twat but answer my question. if i give you £2mn. a year for 4 years can i say whatever i like to you for 1% of the year? you'll answer yes ... my point is - all these players know it - they're just so far removed from society these days its laughable

December 22, 2007 | url

Villain of the North said:

But you did suggest that i would take that kind of money and accept the abuse as something that i would just "accept". I don't think anyone in their right mind if they felt they could do something about it, would not speak up. You're right, i think the life of a footballer is fantastic compared to many. I also think that they should take their fair share of their abuse, it's the nature of the passions of sport. But i don't think it's right to justify over the top abuse which is all my point has been. It just feels a little unbalanced to be so blown out by racist chants yet anything else goes. All this pc crap gets on my nerves.

December 22, 2007

Nachlader said:

Just because they earn millions a year, I am justified to throw verbal abuse at professional footballers? You're beyond stupid. Don't you even know of the charity events that a lot of Premiership footballers take part in? If they have responsible reasons for beng trusted with 30k a week salaries then obviously they deserve a barracking from some bloke and his spoilt son.

December 22, 2007

Damian said:

All this pc crap gets on my nerves. thats pretty much my point ... as for i'm beyond stupid .. yes, i'm fully aware of the work they do for charities - if i earned that much money i/'d also do work for charities - it's a nice way of offsetting some income tax - okay that last bit is a little off but its viable and true to some my point is. abuse is part of the game. they all knew this when they got into it .. the only reason they're saying anything is because they've become so far removed from the average supporter that they think they're above this .. it will never change and if it does it will be because the heart of the game 'passion' has been destroyed

December 22, 2007 | url

ross said:

what about all the abuse the players and managers give the refs. they don't think about that when there moaning in the papers. i think aslong as the abuse isn't racist they should just shut, play football and earn ther cash

December 22, 2007

PaulE said:

I'm not sure exactly what Harry Redknapp and Sol Campell's definition of 'abuse' is, but you have to draw the line somewhere. Personally, I don't have a problem if people shout abuse related to the game, but I do have a problem with anything outside that boundary. If they've been receiving abuse that has nothing to do with the game then I think they have a right to complain. Otherwise, they don't.

December 22, 2007

AVFC4ever said:

Personally, I don't have a problem if people shout abuse related to the game, but I do have a problem with anything outside that boundary. These players & managers are in the public eye, their lives are up for scrutiny and they should be role models, if they choose to get involved in activities outside of football such as jonny evans allegedly has, also redknapp and everyone remembers ashley cole is into a***hole. These players get paid enough money and are old enough to behave themselves and carry themselves as professionals in the public eye, if they can't do that then that is their own fault and they deserve to be given grief and can expect abuse to be shouted at them.

December 22, 2007

Dizzy Mugs said:

You've dug yourself into a bit of a hole there, Damian, but hey, it gets some internet traffic on the site I'll certainly accept that players should know what the fans think of their performance, but bringing culture into an insult is too far. If it involves racist remarks of any kind, i'd happily throw that fan out of the stadium. We don't know what kind of abuse Sol Campbell and 'Arry Redknapp are going through personally, so we don't have much of an opinion. Yeah, they learn a lot of money, but that's down the FA, not the player. Let the player know if he's played well or not, but don't try and insult him with something personal.

December 22, 2007 | url

Dizzy Mugs said:

Let's also not forget that these guys, however special or spoilt they are, are just human. Humans make mistakes, and the media will pounce on that and transform it into some resource for personal abuse. Don't believe all of the stories in the paper, in fact, don't believe anything written in the paper when it's due to speculation. These people are still normal, and aren't on a level above us, they just earn more money than us. But that is simply because they've made the most of their talents. Whether they're s**t in your opinion or not, they're still successful, and deserve some peace.

December 22, 2007 | url

Robbie said:

I accept that abusing people is wrong, completely. But, it's a sport which, if it wasn't so filled with passion by it's supporters, wouldn't be anything like it was. Most importantly, very little of this abuse is personal. We don't know the player's, so everything we say to the player's is completely superficial, and if they're going to whine about that, then what is left; a tepid game with supporters who don't care. In order to get the highs from the crowd, you have to take the lows. And, as has been said many times before, if you're going to get paid ridiculous money for something that you love, you have to be prepared to take some stick when you mess up. They are humans yes, but they are removed from society, from us, and should expect it. Stop whining for christs sake...there's nothing worst than hearing people a lot better off than the rest of us just wanting it even better. Take the good with the bad.

December 22, 2007

Mat said:

I have to say I really disagree with you Damian. Why is it that whenever this debate comes up, the main argument for abuse is that they get paid an extortionate amount of money, and should have ´thicker skin´. this whole argument is founded in bitterness. It is everyone in this countries human right to be allowed to live and make free choices without fear of personal abuse (a bit of theatric booing excluded). Every one of us also has the right, in a free market, to hone our skills to whatever level we so decide, and potentially gain lucrative rewards for our talent and dedication. Sol Campbell has a right to live without this abuse, irrespective of how much he earns.

December 22, 2007

kohoutek said:

I have to disagree as well, Damian... Abuse reflects on the abuser. It's one thing to be a passionate supporter, another to be abusive. I used to live and die over results in all kinds of sports, as though I were out there, as though what the team did reflected on me personally. It made for great highs, and terrible lows, based solely on the results of games played by strangers over which I had no influence on the outcome. The sense of powerlessness over results led to a lot of frustration. Then I let go, realized it's just a game and not life and death. I didn't like the things coming out of my mouth, or what they said about me. It was Jekyll and Hyde. My children were embarrassed. Now it's more fun to watch games. The highs are still there, but the lows aren't nearly so bad, and I don't embarrass myself. So, it's one thing to have an opinion, but it's another thing to be ugly. Do people have a right to be ugly? I suppose they do, but it's not anything to be proud of. And it's not a lot of fun to be around people who are being ugly.

December 22, 2007

Damian said:

kohoutek, i agree that abuse reflects on the abuser - i think we will all agree to some extent that society in england has got to the level where it just happens .. my point is, abuse has and always will be part of the game. every single premier league footballer also knew that when they started playing - this is nothing new you changed - not everyone does or can and for those that do let it pass there is another who is coming of age that it grips but, at Mat you say 'this countries human right to be allowed to live and make free choices' but thats not true any more - hasn't been for years - it's all becoming too politically correct

December 22, 2007 | url

kohoutek said:

I agree, the players are well paid, and know that just like dealing with the press, some degree of stick is going to be part of the game. I think some of the abuse does cross a line, though. You look in the stands, and see some of the twisted faces, the venom...I don't know that there's really anything to be done, but I don't mind players and managers drawing attention to the issue. It sounds as if it's gotten worse than the standard issue of days gone by. You're right, though...It's always going to be with us to some extent, so it's nice there's a family section, at least.

December 22, 2007

Arrlui said:

Anyone seen 'This Is England'? Was that your favourite film Damian?

December 23, 2007

Mat said:

Damian, I am once again disappointed at the drab and tired 'political correctness gone mad' card. Next you will be telling me that Sol Campbell is trying to cancel Christmas and call you a nazi for flying the flag on St.George's day. How are the two issues related? Bitterness AGAIN. Who is silencing you? You have had your chance to make a tired argument, and shall receive due criticism. What people who play the persecution complex like yourself don't realise is that you are being an outright hypocrit. You complain that other people are restricting your freedoms and yet come out and publicly lambast Sol Campbell for taking advantage of his right to say what he feels. Stick to football mate, please. I really like this site and don't want it ruined by ignorant rants that should be confined to the Daily Mail.

December 23, 2007

w0rd said:

Mat- i doubt that you were unaware when laying into damian that this is a discussion about the rights and wrongs of abusing people on a personal level. whilst you might be proving a point by doing so itll only distract the thread from what is quite an interesting debate. there's a lot of atavism in football crowds, and oddly i even quite enjoy the feeling of being threatened that i get at away grounds: there's a kind of us and them divide that you're clearly on one side of which is not found in the real world where every pretends to be your friend. there's also lots of other stuff to discuss-- the refs who get paid nothing of the players salaries and get twice the abuse, the tracie andrews signing, the way that racism is taboo but lots of other objectionable stuff is shouted en lieu.... well done damian for sticking your head above the trench.

December 23, 2007

Mat said:

W0rd, this is not a personal matter, but each man should be held accountable for his words, and I chose to remind Damian of the implications of his argument, which I consider to be unfortunate. I doubt that Sol Campbell would be complaning about criticism levelled at him in the form of articulate discussion, so fail to see the irony charged. Please continue the debate and don´t mind me, I can quite happily spend my time reading something a little less cynical. I am just glad I live in a world where the people around me aren´t just ´pretending´to be my friend, and masking the burgeoning atavism that you appear to be arguing lies beneath the surface of day to day life. By all means stick to football, as I fear on any other platform these arguments would be judged as bitter and jaded.

December 24, 2007

Damian said:

Hi Mat Sorry, I've just got to this now, but when I see my name in a comment it most often makes me read ... just not every time. You complain that other people are restricting your freedoms and yet come out and publicly lambast Sol Campbell for taking advantage of his right to say what he feels. Okay, if I said someone is restricting my freedoms then I apologise, because I don't think anyone actually is. Maybe you've misunderstood something I've said, written or done, but that isn't what I wanted it to mean. I actually use this website as a place to write things that you wont read in other places - I actually see it as a place for me to make the most out of my freedoms if anything else. But as for me lambasting Sol Campbell, I don't think I am, what I'm saying is: Players like Sol Campbell and managers like Harry Redknapp I used what Sol Campbell had said as an example and had brought up Harry Redknapp because of the incident at Villa Park. My point and I've said this a few times now, is that football will always have this abuse. Yes, they can come out and say they are upset by it, but it's never going to change and by coming out and clearly not really understanding what it's all about any more, they're just proving again how far removed they are from the game. To me it's just highlighting what, above everything else, is wrong with the game and what has made the game a bit of a joke. Players can say and do what they want, I'm just saying the game is a joke, the money has made these players not really understnad what it's all about anymore and it's never going to change. But seeing as you bring up irony - the players ask for this respect - why can't they then demonstrate it on the football pitch when communicating with the referee for example?

December 24, 2007 | url

villafan said:

footballers have to forgot about football being their 'job'. its not a job its a dream. the likes of sol campell has the right to speak out against abuse, but it just makes him look like a bigger girls blouse. if he wants to live in the comfortable environs of teh work place get a job in an office and join teh union. then he can complain about being bullied in the workplace. footballers egos are becoming so inflated from going to premiers and being a celeb n hob nobbing with actors they forgot where theyve come from, who they stand for, and honouring themselves and there club to stand up and be a true man. sticks and stones may break my bones BUT WORDS WILL NEVER HURT ME. these millionaires have to become footballers real men, who stand up and fight and not lay down and cry n complain. football grounds are battlegrounds not for the faint hearted, football players are our warriors beckham has turned them into louie vutton bags hairbands and moisturisers. i F**king hate teh metrosexual male which is what footballers have become. bring back the glory, forget about teh money and fight for winning tropies and to be remembered in teh annals of time and history as a true great footballer

December 25, 2007

Mat said:

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/t...101424.ece Just read an interesting article on this that pretty much outlines my main point. Villafan would fall under the anger management category. Get some perspective. Damian, I appreciate your interesting finishing queston, but fear that I was responding to direct comments made above, and was not misunderstanding you. In many ways the game is a joke, but negativity from fans with influence will only contribute to the farce, and hinder just how seriously our collective voice is taken. If people are ready to accept abuse as an inevitability, then they either aren´t thinking hard enough or secretly enjoy the brutish elements that taint our national game.

December 28, 2007

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