There can be little doubt that modern football is big business, and that modern footballers are big news. The world of celebrity has changed to such an extent that you are almost as likely to see a football player on the front page of the daily newspapers as on the back, and millions of children no longer aspire to become the next rich actor or poster, but the next millionaire footballer. With England a relatively underachieving national side considering the huge sums of money being ploughed in to the game, could the hunger have gone? Are British youngsters growing up hoping to be the next goal-scoring hero, or the next super-rich celebrity footballer?
In a recent interview with Michael Parkinson on the chat show legends last ever broadcast, David Beckham, the ultimate football celebrity, revealed a worrying trend amongst youngsters. When talking about his coaching involvements with children which involve a question and answer session with the man himself, Beckham told how the first question he is asked on nearly every occasion is "How much money have you got?" He questioned whether English kids still have as strong a desire as their counterparts from other' football nations' to just play the game for the love of it, rather than its benefits. Beckham, not famed for his wisdom, but certainly not anywhere near as unintelligent as he is often portrayed, may well have put his finger on a very important issue here. Through his magical right foot, granted with some good looks thrown in, David Beckham has become more than a footballer, more than a celebrity even. Beckham is now a global icon, one of the most famous people on the planet. Of course the average professional footballer will not achieve anything like this level of fame or fortune, but football has become of such interest that an ever growing number of players are becoming public names, and can be seen in the media flaunting the good life that their wages bring.
MTV culture has swamped a generation of potential upcoming superstars. Children are now as likely to see a top star showing a camera crew around their luxury houses, and revealing how much money their latest cars cost as they are to see them playing a long ball or making a crunching tackle. This idea is not entirely new, George Best is widely recognized as the first 'celebrity footballer' to grace or turf and our tabloids simultaneously, but Best was the Beckham of his day, and an anomaly. Footballers can be found anywhere in media, flaunting dance moves on youtube, stumbling out of bars in the gossip section of papers and magazines, and in a variety of sticky situations with the opposite sex which seem to be reported on a weekly basis.
It can be very easy to point the finger, to blame these men who are meant to be doing a job, meant to be focusing on winning games that supporters pay so much money to watch. Looking at the flip-side though, it is clear footballers at the top level are better athletes than they have ever been before, faster, fitter and stronger, and they are also under intense scrutiny both on and off the pitch. Hand a group of young men vast amounts of money and a status that attracts females in abundance, and surely it is ridiculous to expect them to just play football and not get attracted to any of the baggage. Sometimes these young men don't help themselves, that is for certain, but it is easy to criticize without being put in their position.
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By Danny Fox
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