Money talks, people mumble

by @CheGiaevara

Throughout the history of football, the big teams have stood out in terms of results, trophies and achievements. As we've gone into the 21st century, the criterias of being a huge team does not depend too much on your results anymore. It's all about the money, and how much of it you got.




The classic teams of the 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s all carry with them the moniker of being great teams due to the football being played. Who can forget Pelé's Santos of the 60's, or Johan Cruyff's Ajax of the early 70's. Not even the British domination in the European Cup in the late 70's and early 80's has been remembered for huge signings and big amounts of money invested in players. They were all lamented as hard-working teams with a football philosophy they believed in, worked to perfection and made them timeless. Whenever you hear the children of the those decades talk about the best teams of their youth, they speak with a sense of romance and awe. It's a love story almost. In this day and age, the romance has been switched out with cold, hard cash.


If we have a quick look over the fifteen most expensive transfers of all time, there's only one that dates back to the 1990's. That being the transfer of Christian Vieri from Lazio to Inter Milan in 1999 (£32.000.000) which makes ninth place on the list. Ten years later Real Madrid paid more than double that amount for Cristiano Ronaldo (£80.000.000) which still stands as the most expensive transfer of all time. Take that into account that football has reached new heights in terms of marketing and popularity worldwide the last decade, it's still a huge difference between the two transfers in terms of money spent. Much is down to the financial crisis happening, but much is also down to investing in football. Football has become an investment, or playtoys, for rich moguls and companies. A new way of marketing themselves, earning a new face, and win fans by pumping their club full of money. Much like how an Olympic athlete would win medals if his/her coach would pump him/her full with an performance enhancement drug such as anabolic steroids.

 

Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Roman Abrahamovich

The Russian oil-oligarch Roman Abrahamovich is by many considered the inventor of such free spending and wild spending. When he bought Chelsea Football Club from Ken Bates in June 2003 it meant a monumental change in football forever. In the summer of 2004, Chelsea smashed transfer record upon transfer record as they paid an astonishing £153.000.000 for 14 players. Among them were world-renowned superstars such as Argentine hitman Hernán Crespo, Real Madrid's defensive engine Claude Makélélé and Irish winger Damien Duff. Players Chelsea-fans could only dream of getting before Abrahmovich came into the picture. As manager Claudio Ranieri could not capitalize on his new recruits, Chelsea ended their season as runners up to champions Arsenal, and Ranieri was replaced by the refreshing, flamboyant Champions League-winner José Mourinho. The Portugese manager delivered, however, back-to-back Premier League-trophies for the London club in his first two seasons. Both trophies coming after Abrahamovich had opened his wallet and paid £30.000.000 for Ukranian hero-to-zero Andrei Shevchenko, £24.000.000 for Ivorian striker Didier Drogba and £24.400.000 for Ghanenian midfielder Michael Essien among others. You can safely say Chelsea bought their way to the top, now finishing within the top three every year in the Premier League and by having turned themselves into one of the most attractive teams in Europe. Chelsea even finished second in the Champions League in 2008 after losing to Manchester United in a penalty shoot-out. If you told a Chelsea-supporter in January 2003 that in five years his team would have a side to bring the world's elite to their knees, he/her would've probably laughed at you.


The success of Chelsea has since worked as inspiration for other money-moguls. In recent history, we have examples such as Manchester City, Málaga, Paris St.Germain and Anzhi Makhachkala who all have been subject to new owners with bottomless pockets and a revolutionary vision on how they want to "shake up the world of football". Their means, however, are one that is very dangerous for football. They lure big-name players to their clubs, promise them a hefty wage-lift and a promise that their side will be one of the best in the world in time. Manchester City must be said to have overtaken Chelsea in terms of reckless spending and pumping their club full of big-money players. When the Abu Dhabi Group, owned by Saudi Arabian prince Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, bought City in late 2009 they promised the club that they wouldn't spare any means in re-creating City's reputation and re-take control of the footballing city that is Manchester. Into their fourth season at Eastlands, they've purchased players for a collected fee of an astonishing £492.450.000. A wide range of world class players have entered the doors at Etihad Stadium (previously known as City of Manchester Stadium until the Abu Dhabi Group renamed the stadium before the 2011/2012-season), the latest to be added to that group is Samir Nasri from Arsenal. Regarded as a team that could've been forced with relegation in 2009, City have now gone from complete financial chaos, with fears of losing out on playing in the Premier League to title candidates and Champions League qualification in 2011. That is an astonishing change to a football side regarded as "the little brother" in Manchester for so many years.

"The Blue Revolution" - Manchester City

The new-found money in football is one of many pros and cons. The biggest debate is whetever this provides players with a sense of greed and money-driven intentons when they sign contracts with teams. Players used to sign for teams because of their hunger for success and wanting trophies, but now their intentions seemed to have changed. Players sign contracts because of the money offered to them. That kills the romantic feeling that was in football. Players no longer sign because of their passion for football, or their love of the game, but to be able to seal themselves financially. Don't get me wrong, football players do have families to take care of and, like you and me, they want the best deals possible in the job they're active in. The fact of the matter is still that the financial aspect overshadows the footballing aspects, and that will hurt the game in the end. When players think about money, earning more, getting more and having more, football players will go from being inspirational and, almost God-like, to mercenaries, greedy business men and money grabbing whores who offer their services to the highest bidder. That takes away the innocence and the beauty of football. As Diego Maradona said after his testimonial game in 2001 in front of a stacked "La Bombonera"; "Football is the most beautiful and the most holesome sport in the world; no one doubts that." Well, Diego.. A lot has happened since you waved good bye to football as an active player.

 Javier Pastore to Paris St. Germain - would it have happened without PSG's new-found money?

Even though the money may lead a less romantic mindset in terms of transfers and the future of football, it does promise us one thing; competition. Gone are the days when certain teams always stayed on top and some always on the bottom. In Spain you now have Málaga who have found themselves new owners who are willing to spend what is neccesary in order to catch up with Real Madrid and Barcelona who have ruled Spanish football, as well as European football, for decades. In England, Manchester City have been re-rised and there's now a question of "when", not "if", they will push through, break the glass ceiling and win the English league. In that sense, football is entering a new era where the little teams finally have the chance to overthrow the giants. If there's anything exciting from it all, it is just that. The power serge of World football could, in the near future, see a drastical change. A revolutionary change is maybe what football need. New colors, new traditions and new superpowers. The question does, however, remain whetever the means are the right ones. But is this the only way smaller teams, such as Málaga and PSG, can wrestle with the big boys? Is this the only way World football can be shaken up? As of right now, the answer seems to be yes. The romantic relationship football fans have to the game and to their teams may fade away as the smell, the looks and the value of cold, hard cash have reached the core of football. Because, at the end of the day, money talks, people mumble.