Everybody loves a club legend.
Gerrard at the Kop.
Giggs by the Stretford End.
Henry at Highbury.
These are players who have created history, defied the odds and made fans of us all. Above all however, they are players who have shown unfathomable commitment to the badges they so proudly wore.
As a fan, nothing is more reassuring than a player showing love for their club, especially through highs, and lows. It resonates with fans, as they see a shared emotion between themselves and those on the pitch. They share the pure elation as Totti drives the ball home from 40 yards. They share devastation as Puyol sees Barca concede in stoppage time. They share a lifetime of effort and investment into a club, and they know it to be true – because they are loyal.
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But in days when transfer records are short-lived and money talks to many a man, should fans too begin to surrender to fact such legends are becoming a rare commodity?
Perhaps.
Particularly when so many are proving it right. Zlatan Ibrahimovich, Nicklas Anelka, Ashley Cole, Samir Nasri, Robin van Persie and Samuel Eto’o, just to name a few. These are players that have moved between jerseys on the promise of fame and fortune, often leaving a sour taste in the mouth of supporters as they scorned those left behind.
Yet some take it even further. In 2010, former Tottenham Hotspur defender Benoit Assou-Ekotto openly admitted that football was no more than a job to him. The left-back often spoke of the hypocrisy of other players’ public attitudes who also shared his views. Ekotto made the point that football provided him with an opportunity for a better life despite the fact it was not his passion.
Though such honesty can be refreshing, many would argue that passion is a key ingredient in football.
And indeed the concept of passion almost requires a degree of loyalty.
So it is no surprise that some of football’s most passionate players are also the most loyal.
And few are more loyal than Tony Adams. A quintessential one-club man, Adams has repeatedly expressed his love for Arsenal. His footballing philosophy also starkly contrasts that of Assou-Ekotto’s, with the defender most famously being quoted saying, “play for the name on the front of the shirt, and they’ll remember the name on the back”. Clearly his desire for love and respect outweighed any other promise put towards him, especially considering the fact that Sir Alex Ferguson once told him he was a Manchester United player in the wrong shirt.
Tony Adams: “Play for the name on the front of the shirt and they will remember the name on the back.”
— Football Quotes (@FootballQuote_) August 29, 2013
Yet finding such a player, who also has the talent to back it up, can often be difficult. Hence many fans are residing to the fact that players can still invest in a club even if they do not spend their entire career in one place.
Crystal Palace’s Argentinian goalkeeper Julian Speroni is just one example. Having barely made an appearance for the south London club in his first few years at Selhurst Park, Speroni then went on to win Palace’s Player of the Year four times in 10 seasons with the Eagles, as he firmly established himself as their number one. And although not strictly a one-club man, Speroni’s attitude has made him a fan favourite at both Palace and former club Dundee alike.
You can see how loved he is by both sets of fans in this testimonial match here.
However, as romantic as it may seem to think our beloved football teams will be filled with such inspiring recruits, the real world beckons. Players are people. And like any person, money, and a desire to achieve, can drive us forward. Of course there are people who are just plain greedy, but every story needs a villain.
There are always those who will leave.
Perhaps all we can do to thank them for their time, is wish them good luck, and hope, that they show passion wherever they are.
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