By Slippery Jim
July 8th 2008 @ 8:20am
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The Olympics expose the superficiality of modern football
According to paragraph one of the Olympic principles contained in the Olympic Charter, “Olympism seeks to create a way of life based on the joy of effort, the educational value of good example and respect for universal fundamental ethical principles.”
The question must be asked, what example, good or otherwise, are Austalia’s star footballers setting in regard to the “joy of effort” in representing Australia and achieving Olympic glory?
Growing up, as a naïve and rather dim child, I had always thought that the Olympics was the be-all and end-all of sports – the pinnacle of elite sporting achievement and prowess.
Perhaps these days the Olympics are better understood as the elite pinnacle of a huge amateur pyramid.
Still, reaching the Olympics is the ultimate goal for many sportspeople, but to represent their country in an Olympic event is a privilege given to very, very few. Most sportspeople would doubtless agree that standing on the Olympic winner’s podium is their ultimate dream.
Seemingly in harmony with this ethos, Australian football legend Harry Kewell recently said of playing in the Olympics football squad: “That’s always been a dream of mine, I have been injured the last two times (Athens 2004 and Sydney 2000).”
However, in virtually the same breath, he qualified the actual priority he gave to this ‘dream’ by saying, “The Olympics are only for two weeks and I’ve got to sort my future out first and if everything goes well then maybe.”
A strange scenario, surely, when Kewell’s lifelong ‘dream’ is easier for him to grasp and take hold of than the remote control for the TV is for most of us, and yet is discarded by him as not actually really too high on the priority list after all compared with the grandiose vision he has of the week-to-week slog of club football in the autumn years of his career.
Later, after Kewell signed for Galatasaray, his priorities became crystal clear: “The Olympics Games depended on whether I had a club or not,” he explained. “Now I do and it’s down to Galatasaray (whether I play). If they want me to go then fair enough, but my first priority is to play for Galatasaray.”
Kewell quickly went on to rule himself out of selection for the Olyroos squad altogether, and even though in the press we were told it was for “the good of the team,” and despite Kewell’s recent huge contribution for Australia in the World Cup Qualification campaign – while out of contract – one can’t help but think that the real reason behind his decision was for the good of the man, rather than his country.
But is playing for a Turkish club, in that most prestigious of world football leagues, the Turkcell Super League, really worth discarding a place in the Australian Olympics squad?
Kewell surely has no fierce loyalty to his brand new club, and how many Aussie kids really go to sleep dreaming of having a Turkcell Super League winners medal around our neck?
Kewell is not the only footballer to raise the ‘Club versus Country’ debate.
Liverpool sparked the debate off again back in August when the club announced in advance that Steven Gerrard would play for Liverpool against Chelsea with an injury, but would be pulled out of the England match against Germany a few days later.
Sam Allardyce, Viduka’s manager at Newcastle United, had stated in no uncertain terms that he wanted Viduka to rest during last September’s international break.
Nick Carle obviously didn’t get enough rest sitting on the sidelines for the recent World Cup qualifiers, recently taking the option of being left out of the Socceroos latest game against China in Sydney so that he could get back nice and early to his new club for some sack time after a long season.
“I really thought it was probably best to make sure I had my week or two rest,” explained Carle, “I wanted to make sure that I’m ready for next season…so rather than missing some of the pre-season I’d rather miss that [China] game so that I can have my rest time, which is important after such a long season.”
Rest time? Mor
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Midfielder said | July 8th 2008 @ 1:10am | Report comment
Slippery
Aside from a few of the minor sports everything at the Olympics is professional now. On football at the Olympics FIFA was on the verge of withdrawing from the Olympics in the mid 90’s. FIFA were talked into staying the problem the Olympics is on when the European leagues are going, and FIFA have their own world cup for the best and did not want the Olympic saying the Olympic football is bigger than the world cup.
The Olympic did an analysis of the games and determined that just over 50% of the crowd in most games comes from watching the fotball matches and something like 47% of revenue comes from football so if FIFA withdrew the Olympics would collaspe.
FIFA agreed to stay with the U 23 comp, but asked the Olympic (which is close to half made up of FIFA officals) committee to get revenue from a wider base, thus tennis, golf and rugby were brought in to help increase revenue so some of the minor sports could continue to be played.
On HK ………. he was flogged to death by O’Leary, said his body was breaking down and could not get back to play for Australia ……… many said BS ……… at the Knob his body breaks down ……….. was not BS.
IMO a person has the right to get paid for playing sport if you are good enough, if you can find time in a sporting life to play for your country and RISK YES RISK (look at Owen) your career then we should say thank you, when the person says I can’t make it say OK, the better post career media deals will go to those that always put their hand up always has.
IMO playing for your nation is an honour but not at the expense of your career.
jimidon said | July 8th 2008 @ 5:29am | Report comment
To Slippery Jim: the olympics are not considered to be fifa dates therfore clubs are under no obligation to release players over 23 years to play. that is why it is not up to HK whether he plays in the olympics and why it depended on whether he had signed for a new club. If you were CEO of Galataseray would you release him?
Matt said | July 8th 2008 @ 9:28am | Report comment
The Olympics are over-rated and as a sportsperson, only important to those who participate in a sport with nothing else going on 3 out of every 4 years.
Football, Basketball, Baseball, Tennis, Cycling (Road anyway) – all have Olympic glory a fair way down the list of achievements.
Sure, they might come out like Harry Kewell did initially and promote the Games, but in reality, they could care less.
Regarding Bruce Djite and Nathan Burns missing out on Olyroos selection, don’t be surprised if the decision wasn’t made by Nathan and Bruce themselves.
True Tah said | July 8th 2008 @ 9:46am | Report comment
Midfielder,
one clarification, rugby is not an Olympic sport, and I for one, hope it never becomes one – it cannot be played within a 2 week period, and we have enough issues with bullshit touring sides.
The Olympics should be regarded as the pinnacle in a sport, and I believe this is the case in athletics, swimmining, diving, gymnastics and boxing. It is hard to justify having those sports you mentioned on these grounds, although the economic figures you supplied make it harder to drop these sports – were those figures including the Sydney Olympics, because I don’t know if 50% of attendees at the 2000 Olympics were at soccer events, given that crowds to most sports were sold out.
chris said | July 8th 2008 @ 10:34am | Report comment
To football fans, the olympics dont mean much at all to be honest. I would actually like to see it pulled out all together. The Olympics need football, Football does not need the Olympics. The World Cup is the pinnacle. Just like Wimbledon is in Tennis.
In terms of the biggest sporting event that you touched on above, its undoubtedly the world cup. I read an interesting article a coupel years back comparing the Olympics to the World Cup ie sponsorship, ratings etc etc. The world cup won hands down. The Olympics are number 2 followed by the Euro’s. To all Rugby Fans, yes it is the Euros and not the the rugby world cup
Slippery Jim said | July 8th 2008 @ 11:09am | Report comment
According to the Olympic Charter, established by Pierre de Coubertin, the goal of the Olympic Movement is “to contribute to building a peaceful and better world by educating youth through sport practised without discrimination of any kind and in the Olympic spirit, which requires mutual understanding with a spirit of friendship, solidarity and fair play.”
Is, then, the real role of the Olympics in modern sport to promote development of elite under-23 sportspersons on the world stage? If so, once again Arnold’s selection of the older eligible players could perhaps be called into question as being contrary to the spirit of the games.
Slippery Jim said | July 8th 2008 @ 11:23am | Report comment
Midfielder, I know you are a person with football experience, the point you make about injuries is an important one, Jamie Redknapp had this to say about how playing for England effectively ended his career early due to injuries:
“In fact, playing for England left me with a big price to pay in more ways than one.
After 19 operations in my career, I had to pack it all in at the age of 31. The broken ankle I collected in Euro 96 playing against Scotland resulted in the knee injuries that forced me to give up.
Don’t get me wrong, I am not bitter. It was a great honour, but perhaps I could have still been playing now if it wasn’t for the injuries picked up on England duty.
As a kid, I had represented England at Under 16, 18, 21 and B-team level. It was my dream to represent my country.”
jimbo said | July 8th 2008 @ 12:14pm | Report comment
Another good read Slippery Jim,
I think the Olympics have exposed the not so nice things about all sports and not just football.
Who can calculate how much money and drugs will change hands before, during and after the games and what priorities sportsman are placing on their own personal well being as opposed to their nation’s.
Call me a bit of a traditionalist and a sucker for the national anthem, but I never got to play for my country and would’ve given my right arm (not leg) to do so. These guys are good enough, get asked to and then turn their noses up at it. Gets me riled every time.
Harry, Bruce and Nathan have just as much chance of getting a season ending injury training with mad Turks and Greeks competing for limited first team places as they would’ve playing for Australia at the Olympics.
I bet that all 3 of them (if they stay injury free) will probably sit out the first part of the season for their club on the bench anyway.
sledgeross said | July 8th 2008 @ 4:39pm | Report comment
Midfielder, please stop going on about how Harry was flogegd to death at Leeds by O’leary. I provided the stats previously that Harry actually played less games than Gerrard, Rooney etc in his first 4 seasons in the EPL. SOme blokes are just injury prone, and they are payed quite well to play.
Slippery Jim said | July 9th 2008 @ 11:51am | Report comment
Matt. once does certainly seem to get the impression from sportspersons to support your viewpoint, but I still find it hard to believe that the opportunity to represent your country one of the very largest sporting events on the planet can be viewed as ‘unimportant’.
Playing for a club week in week out is all very well and good, but the Olympics only comes along once every four years and for players like Kewell, the opportunity may never come along again. If it truly was always his dream, he surely would have made sure he was in the squad.
jimbo said | July 9th 2008 @ 12:09pm | Report comment
Messi, Maraschino, Requelme and Ronaldinho are defying their clubs and going to the Olmpics. If its an Olympic dream then live it. Just do it.
Playing in the Olympic football tounament in China would have to be a million times better and more satisfying personally than jogging around some training pitch in the suburbs of Istanbul.
Slippery Jim said | July 9th 2008 @ 12:40pm | Report comment
jimbo, spot on.
PS “Maraschino” eh? I always knew most Liverpool players were fruits