Player loyalty

[James.]

A lot is being written on here about player loyalty. Many people are berating Stearman and Hume for only showing loyalty to their bank account as opposed to the club.

While I can understand people being frustrated when players commit themselves to a club only to seemingly go against their word and leave when a "better" offer comes along there are two problems with this.

Firstly, specific to Leicester, it seems to me it is more to do with the club accepting offers than the players actually requesting that they leave.

Secondly, and most importantly, I would like someone to explain to me what exactly this club has done to DESERVE player loyalty? Mandaric has f**ked us up so much is it really any wonder players do not want to stay. Lack of stability is a catalyst for a disillusioned and discontent squad.

Expecting loyalty and getting angry when this expectation isn't rewarded is naive.

[Daggers]

Oh good - another thread to discuss Hume and Stearman in.

[turkish14]

the club has done f**k all to deserve loyalty but thats not the point.......we the fans deserve loalty from the players for the bag of wank they've been showing us for the last few seasons,throw in our hard earned cash that pays there wages,plus the endless chants of humeeeee despite the fact(and i no he was played out of position) he couldnt score in a brothel yet we still supported him.

[smokey]

Oh good - another thread to discuss Hume and Stearman in.

Can people please get over Stearman and Hume, we have got good money for both!

Hume is the most overated player i know and Stearman was ok but as joined his home town club!!

The only one that i was slightly bothered with was McAuley as we are short in that area because of Kisnorbo but again we got good money!

Whoever in this squad who is not up for a fight the get rid, as long as we bring in winners with a bit of quality we should be ok!!

NO MORE STEAMAN OR HUME THREADS PLEASE!!!

[Houdini Logic]

what has the club done for me over the past few years?

Nothing.

Am i going to go next year?

Sadly - yeah.

That's loyalty.

Loyalty isn't based on what you do/don't do for a person.

[davieG]

Anyone expecting loyalty from players is living in cloud cuckoo land, it doesn't exist and I have my doubts that it ever did, certainly not during my football life.

Granted it appeared to exist but then there wasn't the money about and players pretty much earned the same at every club in fact there used to be a maximum wage. But even during the early days of the post maximum wage players were moving from club to club. During one of Leicester City's golden eras in the 60's there were still plenty of players from all over the country most notably Scotland.

I can remember players like Mclintock, Dougan, Clarke etc moving on and that was when we were a decent team at the highest levels.

Inspite of the massive salaries Football has become a 'normal' job where those employed seek the best terms and conditions for themselves and their families just like the fans do with their employment they also have the added attraction of looking for 'successful' clubs.

Now we may pay a decent salary but as far as success goes, well you know the answer. We are a poisoned chalice not only for managers but players as well.

I see no surprises in players leaving, even crap ones will see greener grasss elsewhere what will be surprising is if we can break this downward spiral we're in and attract anyone half decent, in some respects Mandaric's money has made this more difficult as it places greater emphasis for prospective players on money rather than pure ambition to succeed.

[Neil_LCFC]

Football players & loyalty no longer exists outside of park football. When money is involved loyalty goes out of the window.

[turkish14]

Anyone expecting loyalty from players is living in cloud cuckoo land, it doesn't exist and I have my doubts that it ever did, certainly not during my football life.

Granted it appeared to exist but then there wasn't the money about and players pretty much earned the same at every club in fact there used to be a maximum wage. But even during the early days of the post maximum wage players were moving from club to club. During one of Leicester City's golden eras in the 60's there were still plenty of players from all over the country most notably Scotland.

I can remember players like Mclintock, Dougan, Clarke etc moving on and that was when we were a decent team at the highest levels.

Inspite of the massive salaries Football has become a 'normal' job where those employed seek the best terms and conditions for themselves and their families just like the fans do with their employment they also have the added attraction of looking for 'successful' clubs.

Now we may pay a decent salary but as far as success goes, well you know the answer. We are a poisoned chalice not only for managers but players as well.

I see no surprises in players leaving, even crap ones will see greener grasss elsewhere what will be surprising is if we can break this downward spiral we're in and attract anyone half decent, in some respects Mandaric's money has made this more difficult as it places greater emphasis for prospective players on money rather than pure ambition to succeed.

now your showing your age

yes long gone are the days of muzzy izzet he was a player i would call loyal

[fox123]

If they want to go let em go, these bunch of clowns along with the managers we had last season sent us down, clear out the shite and let's start again

[James.]

This isn't another Stearman and Hume thread.

Ok, so I used them both as examples but I was trying to address the general point of player loyalty and the underlying reasons why this commitment to the club has declined over the last few years.

We are now at a point when the desire to play for the club needs to be instilled into all new signings and any players left over from the current exodus. In my opinion League One is an ideal place to get this loyalty back. No glamour, no frills. And that applies to Pearson as well. He seems like a no nonsense, genuine kind of guy and it his responsibility to offset the negative attitude that pervades through the club from the team up into the stands.

Hume and Stearman have gone. More will follow. It's not about loyalty. I hope one day we get to the stage where we have a reason to berate players for leaving because right now there really isn't one.

[northern fox]

If they want to go let em go, these bunch of clowns along with the managers we had last season sent us down, clear out the shite and let's start again

This is so true why are most people on this site bothered who goes we need people A) who want to be here B)who want to get us back in the championship or premiership the players who were here last season couldn't keep us up along with the manager's help we went down get rid and start a fresh

[davieG]

now your showing your age

yes long gone are the days of muzzy izzet he was a player i would call loyal

Even Muzzy's so called loyalty can be questioned, the fact is that only Middlesbrough were prepared to pay the transfer fee and his high salary but he didn't want to that far North. I suspect that if a 'southern based' club had made the offer he would have been off and to be fair the state we were in the club, not the fans would have been happy to see him go.

[James.]

what has the club done for me over the past few years?

Nothing.

Am i going to go next year?

Sadly - yeah.

That's loyalty.

Loyalty isn't based on what you do/don't do for a person.

Fan loyalty is a moot point in the context of this thread.

This is about understanding the reasons why players don't want to play for the club and accepting that whoever leaves they can't be accused of a lack of loyalty because this club hasn't deserved it.

How do we get the desire back? How do we get to the point where players want to play for the club again?

If we want to be successful these questions have got to be answered.

[davieG]

Fan loyalty is a moot point in the context of this thread.

This is about understanding the reasons why players don't want to play for the club and accepting that whoever leaves they can't be accused of a lack of loyalty because this club hasn't deserved it.

How do we get the desire back? How do we get to the point where players want to play for the club again?

If we want to be successful these questions have got to be answered.

To be successful or show 'real' potential and to pay better wages than comparable clubs.

[demon_dog]

Fully agree with DavieG on this one.

I had a job I thoroughly enjoyed, when approached by another company doing the same line of work though I jumped ship, yes it was for better pay and conditions.

Who wouldn't.

For me it's not about player loyalty so much as players willing to give their all for the team week in, week out.

[smokey]

Even Muzzy's so called loyalty can be questioned, the fact is that only Middlesbrough were prepared to pay the transfer fee and his high salary but he didn't want to that far North. I suspect that if a 'southern based' club had made the offer he would have been off and to be fair the state we were in the club, not the fans would have been happy to see him go.

I agree!! I loved Muzzy but when you are on 30k a week its very easy to be loyal!!

[Daggers]

Ok, so I used them both as examples but I was trying to address the general point of player loyalty and the underlying reasons why this commitment to the club has declined over the last few years.

But peeps are sop bothered about player's loyalty or lack of it so much as the conflict between what they said and did, even if they use the L word.

McCauley hardly raised a mutter when he went in comparison to these two because he hadn't shot his mouth off about how desolate he was for the fans and the club and how he'd break mountains in order to get us back up.

What Stearman and Hume did was egotistical shite - and to see Stearman coming out with the same bollocks to Wolves is funny. As for Hume, weasel words from his agent simply don't cut it. This isn't about loyalty, it's about respect and honour - and the two who walked out yesterday have none.

I wish McCauley all the best, as anyone else due to leave soon, but not Stearman and Hume.

[markbsac]

i saw iain humes text messages to my mate whos also a mate of humes....hume was quite happy to stay....the club sold him due to the fact we got 1.2 million for him,he came back from his hols in canada expecting to be wearing our shirt next season.....the club sold him for proffit.....

he also said the club dont seem to care who plays for them as long as there cheap !

[Daggers]

i saw iain humes text messages to my mate whos also a mate of humes....hume was quite happy to stay....the club sold him due to the fact we got 1.2 million for him,he came back from his hols in canada expecting to be wearing our shirt next season.....the club sold him for proffit.....

he also said the club dont seem to care who plays for them as long as there cheap !

Bollocks.

No one put a gun to his head demanding he signed for them. His agent has already admitted that the club informed him of a number of offers for him that they checked out - this was as much his decision to go as it was the club's to sell him.

[markbsac]

Bollocks.

No one put a gun to his head demanding he signed for them. His agent has already admitted that the club informed him of a number of offers for him that they checked out - this was as much his decision to go as it was the club's to sell him.

fair enough mate im just telling you all what he put in his text message...prob to save face as he knows his mate will tell us all.....so who do we believe.!!!!!! i think club and players both tell big lies.

[davieG]

Fully agree with DavieG on this one.

I had a job I thoroughly enjoyed, when approached by another company doing the same line of work though I jumped ship, yes it was for better pay and conditions.

Who wouldn't.

For me it's not about player loyalty so much as players willing to give their all for the team week in, week out.

If they give their all while they are here, perform to the best of their ability, improve in their capabilities and then because of this get a better offer from a more successful club, one with better prospects, one with a more stable situation then they go with my blessing and even my hope that they go on to further success. I'd even be proud to say we made him what he is today, we gave him his first chance etc.

[Daggers]

i think club and players both tell big lies.

I don't doubt it for a second

[Corky]

If they give their all while they are here, perform to the best of their ability, improve in their capabilities and then because of this get a better offer from a more successful club, one with better prospects, one with a more stable situation then they go with my blessing and even my hope that they go on to further success. I'd even be proud to say we made him what he is today, we gave him his first chance etc.

Heskey is a prime example of this, and to a lesser extent Joachim.

[Houdini Logic]

Fan loyalty is a moot point in the context of this thread.

This is about understanding the reasons why players don't want to play for the club and accepting that whoever leaves they can't be accused of a lack of loyalty because this club hasn't deserved it.

How do we get the desire back? How do we get to the point where players want to play for the club again?

If we want to be successful these questions have got to be answered.

I think you're missing the point.

That was one example of loyalty, i could take this out of a football context if you'd prefer?

I'm saying that if you have to buy loyalty - it was never loyalty in the first place

[Houdini Logic]

And what's all this talk about jobs?

Of course people would change their job for better prospects, but who's saying that we are 'loyal' to our jobs (i'm certainly not loyal to my job, even though i like it)?

Loyalty (loi' l-tē)

A feeling or attitude of devoted attachment and affection