The world of sport is such a finely tuned machine that it takes very little to throw a spanner in the works or upset the apple cart. Professional sportsmen are no different, one day your flavour of the month the next you’re a forgotten soul, devoid of public attention.

 

This can happen so quickly that unless you spot the warning signs early on, by the time you do it’s too late. I’ve just finished watching an interview with Sunderland’s manager Roy Keane. During the interview with the ever stout faced Keane the main issue which stood out for me was when Roy was asked about players wanting to leave the club or not happy at the club. Roy insisted that if they have to move on then he will move them on. The talk was in general about how loyal players are to a club but when the club decided they are surplus to requirements then its show them the door time.

 

Now a few weeks ago I was out in town with my woman in one of Newcastle’s finer establishments, and NO, before you ask it wasn’t in the Big Market! Anyway a footballer who will remain anonymous was in there and I must admit I didn’t recognise him at first. If it had been Denman then no worries I would have spotted him blindfolded, handed him a friendly sugar cube handshake and slapped him down the neck. However this wasn’t the case as I’m lead to believe footballers don’t like this sort of treatment, more fool them I say. When I did realise who it was I started pulling his leg about a couple of things and to be fair he was very jovial  and in good spirits, (or at least full of them) anyway as I was talking to him another lad realised who I was talking too and joined in with the piss taking festivities.

 

Now this player was telling me, a total stranger how he couldn’t wait to get away from the club and how much he hated it and it was just about the money for him and the sooner the better another club came for him he was gone. My initial thought were, you F*&^ing wish mate, but then I thought about this the next day and figured how bad that statement was. Now my problem with this is as follows, “your prepared to take the clubs money while no one else is interested but when you get a whiff or think I'm bigger than the club you’re playing for the dummy is spat out. You see money is fine, but when you loose your focus on what you are trying to achieve and let the money aspect dictate your loyalty then you may very well be in trouble.

 

Now I see it this way, when your playing for a club and your injured the club pays your medical bills get you fit again as their loyalty is shown to you through still paying your wages and making you fit and healthy again. Maybe its just me however in my opinion until you leave a club then you should have the up most loyalty to that club and not talk to strangers in bars about business otherwise you may find yourself working in a club rather than playing for one. So maybe Roy was just trying to black and white the situation, maybe he has already sat a few players down for a chat.

 

Just to update you with my horse racing activities, I managed to grab the chance to check out the last couple of races at Ayr on Monday and decided Bourse (2.75) 7/4 at 17:00 was a cracking lay and to good to miss, he managed to come 3rd  by 2 lengths happy days.

I did have a look at a few other races but decided that a smash and grab quick lay profit was enough for me so decided to walk away with a smile on my face and money in my account.

 

Ross