Elites Monopoly Over Great Players A Threat To Football Gobally

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.

 

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.

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.

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.