Do footballers deserve the money they get paid?

LeJosh · 6 Dec 2010 at 13:28

Freefaller said:
I think what needs to be differentiated is "earning" and "deserving" - I think a footballer does neither for their salary, but I guess it could be argued that they do "earn" some of it by being a representative for the sport and an idol for many young people and perhaps even a figurehead (*shudders*.

Which is what I said.

Freefaller · 6 Dec 2010 at 13:38

Hatter The Mad said:
You can't differentiate it because one is quantifiable and the other isn't, it is emotional and subject to prejudices.

In a free market, people deserve the money they earn. It is as simple as that.

Our free market (and I do mean our - it is OUR fault that celebrities are celebrities and are worth so much) determines what money certain roles and the people who fill them deserve and subsequently earn.

I agree with the sentiment and the world that we live in of free markets and earning whatever people want to pay us.

And I know we can't compare directly across industries and what's worth and isn't worth.

I just find it sad, and odd that someone who albeit has to have had a lot of skill to get to where they are for some reason seem to get paid so much for it. It just seems a bit mad to me that a sportsman can earn so much.

I am NOT saying it should be capped as that would bring with it a whole world of issues. I'm not saying and haven't said their salaries should be reduced, all I've been saying as my absolute astonishment at their salaries for who/what they are.

In private industry people can pay whatever they want, it doesn't stop me thinking it's obscene.

Just for the record, I'm not taking away that footballers (as much contempt as I have for them) have a lot of skill and are undoubtedly the best that have been discovered to date.

LeJosh said:
Which is what I said.

Yes. Am I not allowed to agree with you?

LeJosh · 6 Dec 2010 at 13:41

I can't recall the purpose of my post to be honest.

Just that no one picked up on it! :mad:

Participant · 6 Dec 2010 at 13:48

Basher said:
Since when has financial compensation had anything to do with intelligence?

Which is what I said in the post of mine that you quoted :confused:

:

Robbie G said:
...intelligence is not and never has been, the only measure of someone's value.

drunkenmaster · 6 Dec 2010 at 14:08

Robbie G said:
Paying them £250k pa wouldn't solve this problem though, which seems to be that people more intelligent than them are earning less money than them.

Take a maths professor earning £45k pa at Cambridge. 'Only' paying a footballer a salary of £250k would leave you with exactly the same issue, which is that thickies are earning mega-bucks for kicing a bag of wind around some grass whilst someone genuinely contributing to society is on relative peanuts. It begs the question...what level of pay is trully acceptable to everyone? There is no such thing. There is no level of pay that's universally acceptable, so don't even bother trying to find it.

They are also celebrities don't forget, yet I don't hear people complaining about pop star salaries. It's somehow become acceptable for rock bands like The Rolling Stones to earn obscene amounts of money for playing rock music yet when a footballer, also a professional in the entertainment industry, earns large amounts also, people that hate football and love rock music only have a problem with the one they don't relate to. You could argue that music is more important but to some people, nothing is more important than their football club.

I partly agree with the sentiment that footballers do nothing important, but since when was salary related to value to society? Such an approach might be reasonable but for the fact that intelligence is not and never has been, the only measure of someone's value.

Yet one footballer in a single year will pay more tax than 98% of the population would pay in a life time, therefore, by being entertaining, and drawing in crowds, they are generating money no one else can, and well over half this money goes towards building schools, building roads, building hospitals, and yes, PAYING that lecturer to teach.

People are so freaking obtuse its a joke. The tax contribution of footballers is what helps keep the education system going, and the NHS afloat, or lets cap their wages, keep the advertising and tv money from entering the country with wage and "tv caps" which would be literally impossible, and then deprive the NHS, and education sector billions in tax a year, well done, you just screwed that lecturer out of a job, woo, that really was a genuine contribution to society.

izzop · 6 Dec 2010 at 14:26

Pestilence said:
No. No they don't.

I reckon that about sums the thread up.

Von Smallhausen · 6 Dec 2010 at 14:40

JBuk said:
But surely those footballers are contributing in the form of entertainment for the masses?

They are and I see your point JB but it's how much they are paid that i would question.

Rooney stamped his feet and spat his dummy out a while back and was rewarded with a contract in excess of 200 grand a week. It's a lot of money for one person.

I think it's a nice notion that because people are doing a brave job or looking after the sick, elderley , etc etc they should be paid well but in reality they're just doing a job.

A footballer is only doing a job as well ?

JBuk · 6 Dec 2010 at 16:37

Von Smallhausen said:
They are and I see your point JB but it's how much they are paid that i would question.

Rooney stamped his feet and spat his dummy out a while back and was rewarded with a contract in excess of 200 grand a week. It's a lot of money for one person.

A footballer is only doing a job as well ?

It is a lot of money but these days football is all about the star players and the revenue they generate for the club (company), I think it's only fair that they get a big slice of the takings, I'll admit I am jealous of the amount they earn but I don't begrudge them it.

Yeah they're only doing a job but like I said they bring in massive amounts of revenue, other occupations such as the medical profession can very pay well too in the private sector and no one is forcing people to stick to the lower paid employers, if they're not very talented at their job and struggle to climb the ladder in their profession then it's a shame but it's the same for football and mediocre footballers tend to be in the lower divisions on a lot lower wages

monkentage · 6 Dec 2010 at 16:43

In any other industry if the workers were taking as large a percentage of their firm's revenue as footballers do people would declare it a victory for the workers but because it is football it is obscene.

JBuk · 6 Dec 2010 at 16:45

monkentage said:
In any other industry if the workers were taking as large a percentage of their firm's revenue as footballers do people would declare it a victory for the workers but because it is football it is obscene.

In lots of other industries some workers are taking a huge percentage of the revenue.

davidansell · 6 Dec 2010 at 16:50

Lmao, footballs **** me off they do not deserve the 50-250k a week at all, Hospital works and soldiers do however, they do what really counts not some stupid GAME which does not really affect anybody at all..

Basher · 6 Dec 2010 at 16:55

davidansell said:
Lmao, footballs **** me off they do not deserve the 50-250k a week at all, Hospital works and soldiers do however, they do what really counts not some stupid GAME which does not really affect anybody at all..

Perhaps, but no one is going to pay £50k a week to a nurse because they're easier to replace.

sparklebox · 6 Dec 2010 at 23:59

I personally don't think they deserve it IMHO x

Eddietop · 7 Dec 2010 at 00:11

Do top bankers deserve the bonuses they get?
Unless you know of a better system than capitalism, this is the way the world works. There is no point picking on a partiular profession.

"andy" · 7 Dec 2010 at 00:14

Von Smallhausen said:
A footballer is only doing a job as well ?

a job that a tiny tiny percentage of the worlds population can do and a job that is in huge demand

bloodline76 · 7 Dec 2010 at 03:08

Jokester said:
As long as there is sufficient paying punters to pay the clubs and associated businesses the obscene amount of money that they do then yes, they deserve it. Simple economics at the end of the day.

Agreed. If they didn't get the money then it would just be one big fat cat getting the money. So would he deserve it?

Actors get paid £20m+ per movie because they attract paying customers/sponsors to watch them perform. The same happens with footballers. People pay to see them entertain (Or not with some clubs lol) us.

bloodline76 · 7 Dec 2010 at 03:21

Bear said:
Yes but only being able to have a career that lasts about 20 years at most, what is a person to do after that if as you say, they cant string a sentance together ?

I think it is a bit ignorant to say all footballers are thick. There are plenty of thick people that sit on the dole and collect money for doing nothing. At least these people make the effort to succeed in an area that they are good at.

Do Bankers earn deserve their bonuses? Do MPs earn their money? Sounds more like a football haters forum :rolleyes:

Xavier · 7 Dec 2010 at 03:32

Why does everyone say bankers/lawyers/actors earn that therefore it's OK? No one deserves that kind of money.

^Perhaps it's because they're just playing a game? If eSports players got £200k a week for playing World of Warcraft I would think it was obscene.

bloodline76 · 7 Dec 2010 at 05:50

drunkenmaster said:
Yet one footballer in a single year will pay more tax than 98% of the population would pay in a life time, therefore, by being entertaining, and drawing in crowds, they are generating money no one else can, and well over half this money goes towards building schools, building roads, building hospitals, and yes, PAYING that lecturer to teach.

People are so freaking obtuse its a joke. The tax contribution of footballers is what helps keep the education system going, and the NHS afloat, or lets cap their wages, keep the advertising and tv money from entering the country with wage and "tv caps" which would be literally impossible, and then deprive the NHS, and education sector billions in tax a year, well done, you just screwed that lecturer out of a job, woo, that really was a genuine contribution to society.

Yes that would be true if they actually payed as much tax on their earnings as you think. :rolleyes:

It is ironic that you use the word obtuse when you yourself aren't aware of how the footballers avoid paying tax much like many other millionaires.

bloodline76 · 7 Dec 2010 at 06:05

Xavier said:
Why does everyone say bankers/lawyers/actors earn that therefore it's OK? No one deserves that kind of money.

^Perhaps it's because they're just playing a game? If eSports players got £200k a week for playing World of Warcraft I would think it was obscene.

It's on par with actors as they are both entertainers of sorts. No one can say they "deserve" it but they draw in the crowds/sponsors and it is only fair that they get a share of that money.

It makes me laugh if I think about them in terms of money as you are really just watching a bunch of rich spoilt milllionaires playing football. But at the end of the day whether you like it or not they are the modern day movie stars.