Mmasekepe Matsebane
Football
has really come a long way and just like in the times of the great Pele and the
unstoppable Maradona, new exciting players emerge every new season.
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| The Best: It was at AC Milan and PSG where Silva made a name for himself and won fans from all around the world. Whether a move to Barcelona will do his career good remains a huge mystery. |
But,
unlike in the golden years, the beautiful game has now become a big business,
with clubs like Olympic Lyon listed in stock exchanges.
It may
not be everyone’s worry, but looking at how football has evolved, top clubs are
reducing fantastic players from world beaters to ordinary individuals.
One
wonders the point that the writer is trying to bring to the fore.
Recent
transfers around the world are reducing football and leagues to one team
league, if not two teams.
Players,
who are snapped, hoping to be part of history breaking, or rather history
making teams, tend to lose their class at this top class and that is not
because of the competition at certain clubs, but because of the number of stars
in one team.
The
prospect of Barcelona signing Thiago Silva, when they have already signed
Neymar to team up with Lionel Messi looks good on paper, but how it will pen
out is not foreseeable.
Many
might have reduced Johan Cruyf for a mad man when he advised Barca to get rid
of Messi after they god Messi, but when one studies it, you are bound to agree
with Cruyf.
It was
at big clubs like AC Milan and Paris St Germain where Silva flourished, but
imagine him at Barcelona, he will not be seen anyone.
It is
the same for Neymar and Messi, one will have to live in another’s shadow, but
it is quite evident that both love being the face of their teams.
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| Two Of The Best: Neymar will team with Messi in the upcoming season for Barcelona. Who will get the secondary role? |
Real
Madrid has been one team that has tried the influx of stars in the form of
their Galacticos, but that did not work and the players’ egos would not let it.
It is
the same as Real Madrid hoping to snatch Gareth Bale while they have Cristiano
Ronaldo.
Again,
the prospect of both playing for the same team is a mouthwatering one, but who
will live in the other’s shadow?
The
problem with living under someone’s shadow is that the one who has to accommodate
the other tends to fade with time.
Barcelona knows this quiet well as they, at
one stage, had the brilliant Ronaldinho and Messi at in one team, but that did
not work, and as a result, the decorated Brazilian had to leave.
Think
Arsenal during the Thierry Henry era. They were a great team and he was the
driving force, but that was not good for Emmanuel Adebayor.
As
soon as Henry left, Adebayor was a favourite.
At
some point, a certain Javier Mascherano was a force, but that would soon change
as soon as he moved to Barcelona.
Excuse
the writer for this is not an attack on Barcelona, but just showing that
certain players can reach greatness when they are the biggest stars in the
team.
Of
course, Alesandro Del Piero was in the team, but the biggest player during that
era was none other than Pavel Nedved, he had room to show it.
You must be thinking the same way, or not.
When
Roberto Baggio was unstoppable, he was the only mean machine at the Old Lady.
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| You Aint Messi-ng With Me: It was in games like this, with great opponents like Messi that the world realised just how gifted Thiago Silva is. |
There
were quality players at Barcelona when Rivaldo was best on the world. Players
like Patrick Kluivert, Phillip Cocu and Luis Figo were part of that team.
No one
expected Kaka to drop so quick and as things stand, he didn’t drop because of
lack of game time.
He was
playing after he made the switch to Madrid, but as soon as other big stars
came, he star began to tumble.
The
point here is that, when players know that the spotlight is solely on them,
they tend to give it their best to live up to their billing.
But
imagine the Barcelona of next season.
Silva,
Neymar, Iniesta and Messi?
Of
course it looks good and there is doubt that all the players will get regular
game time, but that will not be good for their careers.
If
Silva decides to move from PSG to Barcelona, he will lose his title as the best
defender in world football.
The
monopoly in world football over players has to end as it does not only kill the
competition between teams, but also kills talents and it doesn’t matter if one
is getting game time or not.
Views
are my own, but if you disagree, you can always follow me on twitter
@De_Sports_Guru.
