Sad Day

KID A wrote: Toulon have built a massive money making brand. And are now winning the trophies to boot. I say fair play to them. They are self sufficient, which is a bit of a difference to Saracens and Man City. If one day those 2 are self sufficient then fair play. Professional sport takes money to make money.

Whatever next ????

You'll have Governing bodies paying touring sides to come & play friendly international matches !

Oh wait ..... !

dr_martinov wrote: As I am a pretty cynical sort, and just out of interest, when have things ever been any different?

I suppose players have always chased the glory, even in the amateur era. However, it wasn't as cut-throat in those days. Players would turn out for their local side and refuse to move to the glamour sides (not always, obviously).

Players like Billy James and Ray Gilles were mostly loyal to Aberavon (although James did end up at Swansea), Gwyn Evans at Maesteg (although Bateman joined Neath) and many others were loyal to Ebbw Vale, Newbridge, Cross Keys etc.
But there have always been the likes of Tommy David and Barry John leaving for glamour sides.

The same is true in football with players like Steve Bull at Wolves.

It just gladdens the heart to see players like Gerrard and Giggs/Scholes - although it helps they weren't Stockport or Tranmere players!

My original point, though, is the buying of success on such a scale that you end up mopping up players just to stop the opposition from having them. Toulon can call on Wilkinson, Giteau or Michelak at OH. Man City, and others, merely ship them out on loan.

With the money available in modern sports, the rich get richer etc. There are few sports which demonstrate this more than F1. Hell, even darts is big bucks these days!

Top posting. Too many to thank.

the game needs strong regulations and strong regulators , just as the economy at large needs them. The trouble is who regulates the regulators? who limits them getting too wasteful , too self serving and too powerful? Its like the movie casino , where everyone is watching everyone and the eye in the sky is watching them all (the cameras) and still millions were being smuggled back to the old boys in little italy.....sadly we dont have an ace rothstein character running the ship

Got to disagree with you on Liverpool here. Just had a quick look at soccer base that shows the transfers for teams going back seasons . The last 3 years Liverpool spent between 35-40 per season, that's on average 6-7 players per year. Average around 6.5-7 million per man which is very little in the big scheme. Biggest spend was 97 million in 09-10 but they recouped 73.1 in sale of players too. John Henry realises what lfc means to the fans, hence redeveloping of a field to 58,500 within 2 years but he also reduced 300 million of debt. There aren't many clubs in the premiership run properly now, rather than a rich mans plaything.