The love of money the root of all evil?

[LewPaper]

Probably not but certainly once money is injected into a sport it then slowly spreads its influence like germs in a petri dish destroying its very nature.

What started out as a football club representing, supported and staffed by its locals playing other football clubs comprised of similar stock has now become a multi-national conglomerate as far removed from sport as ballet is to open origami.

The ball was made of leather, an inflated bladder kept in place by laces, the hair was short-back-and-sides, the boots heavy and cumbersome but it brought supporters of both sides together in their collective love of the game. The rivalry was friendly and good natured, the winning was important, but not all-important. That was when it was a sport.

Today we have footballers earning more in a week than players of a bygone era earned in a life time. Players are bought and sold like gladiators for millions of pounds. Mutual respect has given way to greed, their position in the league crucial as even greater rewards beckon for the next season.

Football isn't the only patient ridden with this virus; rugby and cricket have been tempted by increased wealth and are following suit.

The need for perfection has resulted in a desperate search for players of a high caliber wherever they come from. No longer is it a prerequirement to live in the town the club represents, nor the same country. This importation has smothered any likelihood of any young footballer improving his skills and slowly nudging ever nearer to the club he's always supported.

These imports come here and maintain their strangle-hold on the game much the same as vegetation multiplying on the surface of a pond denying any air or sunlight to the life further below the surface.

Individually they grow old and retire, their names change but any vacancy is filled by their compatriots and so the suffocation of home-grown

[terambulan]

meant to say 'not' seasonal

[LewPaper]

No chakka, I thought you wouldn't. All wind and no gusts, just as I thought. Perhaps you'd care to re-read the question's title then the very first two words following. I've every respect for those who agree with me as well as those who don't but the little people who argue just to be argumentative and disparaging I've little time for and even less respect.