What motivates footballers?

[daftpunk92]

I’m probably right in thinking that a lot of modern (and historical) political/social rhetoric revolves around the idea that people are motivated by money, profit, materialistic accumulation, etc. I don’t necessarily disagree with that, but one thing I can never get my head around is footballers, and even more so footballers who become managers when they retire.

From childhood or early adolescence, they dedicate their entire lives to becoming professional footballers. They follow extremely strict diet regimes, can’t really drink or experiment with drugs like lots of teenagers and young adults do. Also, from what I’ve seen, most of them seem to settle down in long term relationships and have children at relatively young ages.

I believe the average premier league premier yearly salary is around £2.5 million, though for bigger players it’s around £5-7million per year. These guys make more in a year than most people could ever dream of seeing in their lifetime. Surely for these players, 3-5 years of a salary like that could see you absolutely set for life, with a comfortable and luxurious lifestyle.

My question is - what is it that keeps them dedicated to doing it for so long, without faltering, usually into their mid/late thirties? Even more so the ones that become managers which seems to be a ridiculously stressful and intensive job. Surely it isn’t the money, because they already have s*loads of that.

Is it the rush of winning? The validation that having thousands of people cheering for you once a week, and millions more watching you live at home? The power and the pride of wins, trophies and league domination? Or is it something else I’m missing?

So just to confirm, unlike the rest of the working population, you don’t think footballers should be allowed to switch employers?

That’s a odd position to hold. And if they don’t meet your exacting moral standards, they’re mercenaries? That’s an aggressive analogy.

Love of football is the foundation for it all.

Cristiano Ronaldo, for example, has that AND always wanted to be the best. No player has been as dedicated to healthy living in order to prolong a playing career as he has. The man is insane!

Love of football is the thing. Explains why those like Gerrard go into management as volatile as that is.

They don't need the money, so love of the game.

The £900,000 a week salary helps too I'm sure.

Some do it for the money, some for the love of the game and for some it's a bit of both.

To get to the level of professional footballer they have usually already had to practise, practise, practise way more than their peers. Stay in on a weekend to avoid temptation of alcohol etc when all their mates are going out and sometimes move away from home at a relatively young age.

Gary Neville and David Beckham have talked about the type of discipline they had to work towards and I'm sure others have too. The people that have made it are already motivated beyond belief and are aware that they are talented and will probably have experienced the crowds and the cheering on at youth level.

Despite some of the awful stories that have come out in recent years, there is generally a more serious approach to safeguarding and the days of Gazza or even George Best are hopefully gone in the sense of young people suddenly being given lots of money, adulation and therefore likely to develop addiction problems. Of course this still happens in some cases.

I find the love of football fascinating. I know so many men (and increasingly women) who will get up with a hangover on a Sunday or get home from work on a miserable evening and go and kick a ball about as well!

There was definitely a change in attitude towards drinking etc in the 00s the older players did have a heavy drinking culture but those who came through later really needed to delicate themselves to football in order to get to the top.

George Best, Gazza etc were of their time