Has top level football finally disapeared up its own arsehole?

[SwindonTartanArmy]

Following on from Steven "I'm a self-centered cunt" Irelands revellations ( http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/news/Stephen-Ireland-exclusive-I-will-NEVER-play-for-arrogant-Trapattoni-even-if-Ireland-make-the-2010-World-Cup-article182069.html ), I came accross this article:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2009/oct/07/belgium-world-cup-qualifying


What is going on in the heads of these cocks?

[Doore]

Can anyone briefly summarise?  I'm at work (in body, not in spirit) and all the sports pages are blocked.

[SwindonTartanArmy]

here is just some of it.... 

....set-up so infected with ill-feeling that the entire medical staff resigned too, but not before offering a damning diagnosis of a generation of players that seems more blinged-up than golden. "I won't make any comment on the sporting performances since that is not my remit," said Marc Goossens, who had been the national team doctor for 26 years. "But the mentality of some of the players is deplorable ... we got fed up with the many intolerable things that made it impossible for us to do our jobs ... they are pseudo-stars ... with the sick attitude of childish snobs."



Throughout this campaign stories seeped out about players asking to be declared injured so they could skip training and go carousing instead; of players refusing to travel unless allowed to carry their gear in Gucci manbags; of a fight in a nightclub after the 5-0 defeat in Spain; of high jinks in a nightclub a few hours before the 2-1 defeat in Bosnia-Herzegovina; of substitutes refusing to play; and of an experienced player being dropped after turning up for a match without any boots. "The players don't know what the top level is," groaned Vercauteren after his resignation. "I tried to tell them what it means to be a professional but they don't want to listen. I picked them and they abandoned me."

Another of the country's full-backs, AZ Alkmaar's Sébastien Pocognoli, was chided by Vercauteren for storming home after being withdrawn from a training match because the manager wanted to practise playing with 10 men so that the team would not be perturbed by red cards. "I'm not a bad apple," complained Pocognoli after press criticism. "There are players with plenty of caps who are protected in Flanders and think they can get away with anything."

[Rich Pullen]

A friend of mine was once in a bar in Torquay when the Plymouth Argyle team turned up.

I can't remember what led to the comment but the the direct quote was "don't you know who I am? I'm Tony Capaldi."

[Summerof69]

If they were any good, they might have justiification in being complete and utter tossers, but they are playing for Belgium, who are shite, obviously like all the players attitudes.

[leefer]

Good post Tartan...lets be honest its been going on for a few years now...ime a big fan of Scholes but he stopped playing for England because in his words ive been played out of position....he wouldve got a shed load more caps...Bellamys been  messing about for years and Giggs to a degree.
Now i know these cases could be seen as prolonging there careers by not playing for the country but in my eyes it shows what calibre of player you are getting..............John Terry would play on one leg for England,thats who i want in my team...Sutton a few years back had a big sulk if i remember rightly.....International footy is pants now and i for one dont get a buzz like i used to when England plays.........i read alot of player Autobiographys and its not like they arnt payed good dosh....there on at least 12 Grande a match......the point being thats probably a tenth of Irelands weekly wages at Man City!
So in answer to your headline its a sad yes.......and it is sad because international football used to be what every player strived for.

[Doore]

Its a bit disappointing but not surprising.  The fact that its not surprising is actually the saddest thing of all.

[Doore]

Oh, and thanks for the summary, Tartan.

[SwindonTartanArmy]

I think this is the worst one...

players refusing to travel unless allowed to carry their gear in Gucci manbags

I mean, ffs!

[oxford_fan]

I don't know if I believe that Daily Mirror bollocks, Steven Ireland seems like a decent bloke to me (though I know nothing about him.) Did you know he only has one pair of football boots?

[Boeta]

agree with of, ireland comes across well to me. hes not a robot and thinks that trapattoni should have more courteous and show a bit of respect. seems fair enough to me. hes a very different character to most footballers, but for me in a good way, i find him pretty refreshing

[jonny72]

Maybe I missed something, but what have Belgium got to do with top level football?

They're shit aren't they?

[Samdy Gray]

Stephen Ireland is just as bad as the rest of those overpaid prima-donna's.

http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/news/532998/Round-the-Bentley-Manchester-City-star-Stephen-Ireland-buys-girl-flash-motor.html

[iffy]

agree with of, ireland comes across well to me. hes not a robot and thinks that trapattoni should have more courteous and show a bit of respect. seems fair enough to me. hes a very different character to most footballers, but for me in a good way, i find him pretty refreshing

Ireland is 23. He's won nothing and done nothing in the game. Without his natural talents for football he'd be labouring, doing what he was told by his boss and being grateful for it.

Trappatoni is 70, played in the World Cup and won league titles in four different countries.

In any other walk of life, Trapattoni would tell Ireland what to do and he'd shut up and do it. In almost any other sport, top sportsman would take any indignity for the honour of representing their country.

If there's a lack of respect anywhere, it's from Ireland. Not only to Trapattoni, but to his countrymen, who look to talented men to give their best.

[stfctownenda]

Ireland is 23. He's won nothing and done nothing in the game. Without his natural talents for football he'd be labouring, doing what he was told by his boss and being grateful for it.

Trappatoni is 70, played in the World Cup and won league titles in four different countries.

In any other walk of life, Trapattoni would tell Ireland what to do and he'd shut up and do it. In almost any other sport, top sportsman would take any indignity for the honour of representing their country.

If there's a lack of respect anywhere, it's from Ireland. Not only to Trapattoni, but to his countrymen, who look to talented men to give their best.

Great post Iffy.