RICKIE'S TAKE: FOOTBALL DIARY #1

FOOTBALL TRANSFER COMPLEXITIES

The football transfer season is beyond complex. The club managers, players, football agents, and even club scouts have in diverse ways and while playing varying roles, made every transfer season a massive spectacle in the modern era.

Football players now command incredible weekly wages, and also generate tongue-wagging and ridiculous transfer fees during transfer seasons. Gone are the days when players were financially treated unfairly or coerced to sign slave contracts. Quality players now determine their earnings, and often showcase their power-wielding abilities by going as far as influencing clubs decisions such as deciding the future of a manager, and what players to sign or get rid of.

The game has become increasingly economic in nature, and less about the footballing culture or historical football transcendence. Financial investments in players, clubs, sponsorship deals, endorsements have hit an all-time high; for the better, I must add.

However, despite the influx of ‘new money’ into modern day football by enthusiastic and often times over-zealous club owners, questions still have to be asked as to whether the trend portends well for the young emerging talents and the future of the game.

Point to consider, is the incredible sums being bandied about for the signing of players, whom in most cases are unproven and have yet to hit ‘top-potential’ or in some other cases, have passed their prime, as was the case with a 29 year old striker being signed for 90 million euros. One begins to wonder what sell-on value would have prompted such a staggering deal. An example regarding paying hugely for unproven potential was when a 21 year old defender who hadn't played in a top team or top competition was signed for about 50 million pounds.

Some of these transfer dealings are often filled with controversies and plenty talking points, and give us interesting issues to yap about, while also making the football transfer season an enigma with complexities. Despite all these, I always anticipate and look forward to transfer seasons and the intriguing fact that players as well as football agents are now ‘shot-callers’, in the modern era.

As for the 2017/2018 summer transfer season, the drama is JUST BEGINNING. So, be like RICKIE - grab a popcorn and beverage – (and follow this blog) as we watch it all unfold.