It’s summer time and every club in Europe is looking to strengthen its squad. Over the years we’ve see the price of players continually increasing but this year it seems to have, as Rafa quite rightly put it, gone crazy. Even for a club of Liverpool’s stature the ‘star’ players are simply unaffordable. I’m sure the signing of Glen Johnson in a years time will look like a brilliant piece of business, even though the £18m fee was questioned as being over the odds.
Rafa Benitez speaks out against crazy transfer fees
The reality is the price of players and their subsequent wage demands have become idiotic. We all know teams like Chelsea, Real Madrid & now Manchester City are responsible for offering lunatic transfer fees and driving the cost of both quality and mediocre players sky high. In my mind Roman Abramovich has been a curse on the English game as he started this “buy players at any cost” mentality. The guy has too much money (he could have solved the economic situation of several third world countries with the money he has wasted) and so now we’re stuck with it, as players and their agents demand higher and higher transfer fees so they can stuff their own pockets.
I honestly believe UEFA should step in and penalize clubs like Chelsea and Real Madrid for creating this situation. In a press conference today Rafa Benitez spoke out about the transfer situation and I applaud him for it. We cannot afford to see the Premier League, or any other league for that matter, be totally dominated by two to three clubs that have so much money that no one can compete with them. I understand a team filled with stars doesn’t guarantee success, you only have to watch England in World Cup’s and the Euro’s to understand this one, but it sure gives them an amazing advantage.
I love football but I admit I’m beginning to fear for the games fundamental structure when I see how polarized it is becoming. Time to take action?
