Soccer players rich but stressed--no, really???

Found this interesting b/c it was a survey done in Italy. Anyone have any comments or other insights?

Soccer players rich but stressed, survey shows
Fri Jul 8,11:26 AM ET


ROME (Reuters) - In the popular imagination they are rich, drive fast cars, date beautiful women and are hero-worshipped every weekend.


So it comes as a surprise to learn that Italy's soccer players are an unhappy lot -- if, that is, you believe the results of a survey carried out by Italian research institute Eta Meta and published in La Gazzetta dello Sport Friday.

The survey was based on interviews with 124 professional players, the vast majority of whom play in Italy's top two divisions, uncovered a hidden world of worry.

Almost two thirds said they were stressed out by their job, citing the pressure to perform and fear of injury as the biggest causes of anxiety.

Far from facing up to their demons, 22 percent reacted to stress by withdrawing from the world. A third questioned admitted to taking out their frustrations on their loved ones.

One in 10 felt they did not have any real friends.

As for burying their heads in a newspaper, nearly one in five blamed the "continual criticism that arrives from the media" for getting them overwrought in the first place.

It's true, most of the players playing for the top teams at under constant presure by the media, most the news printed by the media is not soccer related, who is dating, who were seen at which parties, all the gossips galore, player too playing in the small league always worry about their career as most of them are'nt specialised in anything other than soccer, and as we all know soccer has a short career span, maybe only 10% or even less, could continue their career in soccer after their playing days are over, it's sad but true, thats why we are seeing so many Merceneries in soccer, each one for himself, make as much as you can.

I agree the life of a top footballer cannot be that easy.Yes they make a lot of money but they cannot live the kind of life we do.They cannot even just go shopping with the family as they will either be hero worshipped or abused!In the press every move on the park is analysed not to mention what they may be"up to" off the park
Some would say it is a small price to pay but we can all suffer stress including football players.Having said that I would have loved to be a pro sportsperson!

i'll take that life any day.

Originally Posted by Southernsun

i'll take that life any day.

Be careful what you wish for...

While I tend to agree that players have the best life, fast cars, beautiful women, and the adoration of millions, the stresses inherent to these benefits are immense, and we would be callous in the extreme, to think that those wonderful trappings do not come without a price.

I would first like us to consider the sacrifice, dedication, and focus that it takes to succeed in football at the highest level. Many days are spent in training, both alone, and in the company of peers, sometimes in a formal clun or team structure. Not to mention the economic and physical hardships, say of a Rivaldo, who travelled 11 miles, often on foot, everyday, one way, so as to get to training...he couldnt afford bus fare...

Let us then look beyond this, keeping however, these travails in mind, to their climb up the ladder of recognition. Very few footballers get to a Real Madrid, Milan, or Man U senior team from the youth programmes of these clubs. Those that do, are the exception, and usually are exeptional players, such as Beckham (exeptional if only insofar as his wages are concerned) and Raul. Many live out relatively mediocre careers, playing for a Siena, or a Chievo...earning well, but no where near what the stars make.

So now they have "arrived"..they are playing for a big club, and all of a sudden, a boy from the hinterlands of Europe, Brazil, or conversely the slums of these places, now has 30 paparazzi following his every move. The press reports his every indescretion, and as sweet as the rhapsody of 30,000 voices chanting your name can be, imagine if those 30,000 are berating you about your "excessive" night life...or failure to score in 3 games...

Then, we consider that their earning power, though high, is short-lived, so they are forced to sell their image, and to leave one club for another in order to maintain a lifestyle to which they have become accustomed, knowing all too well what will happen if they dont invest their earnings properly, once they get one knee injury too many.

Until you have lived it, or have first hand experience of a situation, it is unfair to say that those persons have it easy, and that life is all sunshine and roses.

As the famous saying goes: Walk a mile in my shoes...

You're kidding, right?

Originally Posted by Warro Bantan

I would first like us to consider the sacrifice, dedication, and focus that it takes to succeed in football at the highest level. Many days are spent in training, both alone, and in the company of peers, sometimes in a formal clun or team structure. Not to mention the economic and physical hardships, say of a Rivaldo, who travelled 11 miles, often on foot, everyday, one way, so as to get to training...he couldnt afford bus fare...

When you're young, the training comes from love of the game, not some scheme of making millions and millions. If you don't have a genuine love for the game, you wont succeed either (or, very, very seldom anyway).

The fact that Rivaldo (and many other with him b t w) had to travel long to practice and play matches, is true, but they might have had to do that even for a regular job, or for going to school. I'd venture a guess that most players haven't had to do this and not in Europe anyway.

Let us then look beyond this, keeping however, these travails in mind, to their climb up the ladder of recognition. Very few footballers get to a Real Madrid, Milan, or Man U senior team from the youth programmes of these clubs. Those that do, are the exception, and usually are exeptional players, such as Beckham (exeptional if only insofar as his wages are concerned) and Raul.

What's this got to do with anything?

Many live out relatively mediocre careers, playing for a Siena, or a Chievo...earning well, but no where near what the stars make.

Of course, but they hardly have to put up with the same pressure as the big names either. And they also make more money than 99 % of the worlds population, so I wouldn't exactly call their careers "mediocre".

So now they have "arrived"..they are playing for a big club, and all of a sudden, a boy from the hinterlands of Europe, Brazil, or conversely the slums of these places, now has 30 paparazzi following his every move. The press reports his every indescretion, and as sweet as the rhapsody of 30,000 voices chanting your name can be, imagine if those 30,000 are berating you about your "excessive" night life...or failure to score in 3 games...

Well, everyone knows this (unfortunately) comes with the trade. This is no more strange than that a surgeon will have to cope with people dying on him...

Then, we consider that their earning power, though high, is short-lived, so they are forced to sell their image, and to leave one club for another in order to maintain a lifestyle to which they have become accustomed, knowing all too well what will happen if they dont invest their earnings properly, once they get one knee injury too many.

Boohoo! Should we feel sorry for the players changing clubs to drive up their allready higher than high salary? Please stop kidding!

Until you have lived it, or have first hand experience of a situation, it is unfair to say that those persons have it easy, and that life is all sunshine and roses.

Of course their lives aren't all sunshine and roses, that's what life is about. If you don't have bad days, you don't appreciate the good ones. But to claim that they live a hard life and that we in any way should feel sorry for them, is rubbish in my book! Please take into consideration that they are free to leave this life whenever they want to and take on the life of anyone of the almost 6 billion people on earth that will never every come close to even a percent of their life. Isn't it strange how no-one does?

As the famous saying goes: Walk a mile in my shoes...

Gladely!

Poor Cassano. Not only is he a "professional" football player - so he must be stressed by the usual things - but he is also ever so fugly to top it all off

But anyways, its known that the fans and media especially in Italy are quite harsh when it comes to football. Its part and parcel of the game.

Originally Posted by 10

You're kidding, right?

No, I am serious. Until you become a pro footballer, it is always easier to look from the outside and criticise.

When you're young, the training comes from love of the game, not some scheme of making millions and millions. If you don't have a genuine love for the game, you wont succeed either (or, very, very seldom anyway).

This my friend, is true, but I argue that you need more than "a genuine love", you need a drive, a desire, that somehow "love" isnt an adjective that conveys the depth of the drive that is necessary to succeed.

The fact that Rivaldo (and many other with him b t w) had to travel long to practice and play matches, is true, but they might have had to do that even for a regular job, or for going to school. I'd venture a guess that most players haven't had to do this and not in Europe anyway.

"Most" is a most unfortunate adjective...few is much more appropriate....Europe, my pal, isnt the world, and I beg to state that there are more players in the "rest of the world" than there are in Europe, and many many are below the poverty line...I openly admit that Europe is where most want to get to, and in doing so, the barefoot boy from Senegal, or the boy escaping the gangs in the Brazilian ghettos of Rio, will walk a thousand miles if necessary, as football represents for them, an escape from their oppressive surroundings.

What's this got to do with anything?

Well the fact that most of the players at West Ham, or Siena wanted to play for Man U or for Juve, but for whatever reason, they never achieved a goal which for them was just as important as owning a house is for some of us.

Of course, but they hardly have to put up with the same pressure as the big names either. And they also make more money than 99 % of the worlds population, so I wouldn't exactly call their careers "mediocre".

Making money is cruical for most people, and for a career that is usually less than 10 years on average, one should ensure that they make as much as they can...

Well, everyone knows this (unfortunately) comes with the trade. This is no more strange than that a surgeon will have to cope with people dying on him...

Until you have lived in the shadow of the press, you wont know how harrowing it must be...and trust me, as the son of a surgeon, the pain, the sense of failure, hits just as hard each and every time a patient dies under your scalpel.

Boohoo! Should we feel sorry for the players changing clubs to drive up their allready higher than high salary? Please stop kidding!

No Mr Cynical, we should instead understand why a 30 year old opts to leave his club to go earn a few extra bucks to ensure he has a pension. After his playing days are over, thats it, unless he has the desire/penchant for coaching...

Of course their lives aren't all sunshine and roses, that's what life is about. If you don't have bad days, you don't appreciate the good ones. But to claim that they live a hard life and that we in any way should feel sorry for them, is rubbish in my book! Please take into consideration that they are free to leave this life whenever they want to and take on the life of anyone of the almost 6 billion people on earth that will never every come close to even a percent of their life. Isn't it strange how no-one does?

Unless I am dyslexic, (and I know I cant spell for sh*T) I havent seen where I have stated that we should feel sorry for them...I only wanted to play devil´s advocate, and to ask us to look at the other side of the coin...it is always easy to say: Look at Abramovich...he is a billionaire...but would you do all that he had to, in order to gain his wealth?

Many would say "YES" until they realised how he actually aquired his wealth..but to leave that analogy...and return to the meat of the matter...

How about playing in pain? How about worrying that the broken knee you sustained could result in you walking with a limp for the rest of your life? What about injuries like that which happened to Sheva, which, had it occured a few centimetres differently, could have killed him?

I work a desk job, 9-5, and the only worry I have going to work, is if some mad man will crash into me...while I sit at my desk, all I worry about is making target....

Not about the millions of fans watching my every move, not about this crazy italian (read Materazzi) trying to break my leg...not about the paparazzi bothering my wife and children, making their lives unbearable...

Gladely!

after the first few steps...
Ouch...after the first day....