Is a modern player’s wages really that out of the ordinary?

Like actors, a footballers’ value fluctuates based on form or what clubs they have or do play for, or the equivalent of what films an actor has recently starred in. The problem, however, isn’t necessarily the amount a player receives for his services, but the length of time he is contractually obliged to perform. It doesn’t make sense that a footballer can maintain such exorbitant wages when the quality of their performances alter month by month. It is common for a player to demand a pay increase following even a handful of good performances, but they are never quick to accept a wage reduction for poor form.

This point came to my attention last weekend when the Argentinian striker, Franco di Santo, scored his first Premier League goal in 18 months, a 90th minute consolation in Wigan’s 4-2 defeat by Sunderland. This is di Santo’s third full year in English football and he has now recorded a goal ratio of one every year-and-a-half, having failed to find the net for Chelsea, but did score once on loan at Blackburn – a header in a 3-2 victory against Burnley in October 2009. Ordinarily, I don’t think it’s fair to evaluate the worth of a striker based purely on goal-scoring, seeing as there are several other important aspects to the trade, but di Santo’s record represents a disgraceful return for a forward who contributes very little in other departments too. The Wigan number 7 definitely takes home a healthy sum considering his incompetence at the job he makes his living from, and in fact was denied a loan move to Feyenord before he joined the Latics last summer because the Dutch club couldn’t even afford a percentage of his wages.

The wage structure in England, despite several incongruities, is probably a lot closer to being fair than not. The best players are entrusted with the most confidence and are subsequently offered the most money for the longest time. A journey down the Premier League table, and even further down the football league ladder, demonstrates that the lower the quality of player, the less he will be earning for a reduced amount of time, which in theory is completely logical. In practice, this may be harming the room for lesser clubs to expand and improve, but isn’t different from the principles evident in any other branch of the entertainment industry, from working on Hollyoaks to working in Hollywood.

The article was written by Josh Sheridan for FootballFancast.com. Make sure to check out the latest news, blogs and podcasts at FFC – ed.

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