I want to ask you lot this because as a football fan myself i feel prices of players have inflated over the years. For example on the final transfer day Manchester city put in an offer for Berbatov which was 30 million and the fact that most of them get paid more than what most people earn in a year. I think this is an insult to the working men and women who are actually doing something for society. For example a doctor. please post your views so i can see for myself how many people agree with me. thanks

I agree whole heartedly! And is why I watch rugby as it involves real men.........

It's the same in all MAJOR professional sports (rugby is for wannabe hobos). American football, European soccer, Basketball, Baseball - they get paid (indirectly, of course) money that is generated from people watching them. Bigger the sport, Bigger the payoff.

only a derbynil county fan could ruin a decent thread before it was started by calling football- soccer

I agree that the top footballers are too overpaid. A top footballers weeks wages is the same as someones yearly wages, who may have a very difficult job.

It also gives those clubs without the money no chance of ever competing with the rich teams. Scotland is a great example of this, with the Old Firm clearly dominating. Last team to win the league outside the OF was Aberdeen - in 1984.
The OF have all the money, and no other SPL club has a chance to win the league.

It also annoys me about how greedy some footballers are with money. Cristiano Ronaldo talking about slavery because he can't get a move to earn more money - just plain greed. Football is meant to be about playing for a club you love, not money. It's a real shame now, teams now dominate others more than ever.

I think all salarys should be capped then the leagues would be more competitive and the greedy players can go abroad out of the way.

In the National (Ice) Hockey League (Canada/USA), teams have a salary cap, so they can only play players who's wages all add up to a certain number. This makes the league very competitive, and has continuous excitement, as it is very rare to see the same team win the playoffs two years in a row.

If this was added to football (wages depending on the quality of the league), this could be a great addition, as dominant teams may find it harder to keep winning. Makes it better for the fans, and may cut down on the greedy players moving to bigger clubs.

It's a sad day when footballers get paid more than the likes of Doctors and Surgeons, people who are saving lives. Getting paid ridiculous amounts of money to kick a ball around a football pitch is a disgrace. It's time they were all given a huge pay cut and it's time that wages were capped. There, I've had my rant now.

I agree, i remember reading that Real Madrid were offering 100 MILLION POUNDS, for 1 player.

Imagine what that could do to a third world country...

I am !

Unbelievble..

You know what of Rugby? I suggest you research something before commenting.

I've drank with a few of the Tigers players - met many and most have been nothing but nice decent chaps. The sport itself is a hard sport played by men who accept that. They're gentlemen as soon as the full time whistle goes. When have you ever seen a rugby player argue with the ref??

What is a hobo anyway? :-S

hobo is an american word for the homeless i think.

On the contrary i think rugby players are less like hobos than their football counterparts!

It's just the business that they are in.

It's just the way the sport has gone due to the rise in popularity of the European football in the Far East, the Sky coverage and even the internet. Club's are investing in everyway.

The new fad that the richest in the world by clubs as a pet project is booming it though, expect it to get worse.

I don't understand why people are bitter about, creating some excitement in the media and because the Premiership is now the best league in the world (god i hate admitting that, because it's full of foreigners - makes me feel a bit better if i add that) we are seeing the world's best players at close quarters. Not point feeling bitter about it.

I also think that that rule for how many forign players is a good idea, because at the moment the premiership is more of a world league than an English one! No wonder England as a country are so bad in championships because the managers of these clubs look for better talent abroad. so there are less English talent comming through the academies.

FA have selected Premiership in front of the national team in that respect.

I'd say for the better imo.

Can't lay the blame at that. England nationally are not a football super power, now or historically. Germany have been to 13 finals, England just 1 and it was in England.

Be grateful that foreigners want to come and play in England.

Edited at 18:40 Tue 2/09/08 (BST)

Thats not the point though. What i was trying to say is that more and more players that come out of the clubs academies are forign. But i suppose some forigners do brighten up the game of football.

As egotistical says, it's full of foreigners. This is the main reason why all the British National teams will never win the world cup or the euros. I know I have changed the subject but it's time the 3 foreigners per team rule was in place. Too many players from our own country are having to fester in the lower leagues (and no disrespect meant to any lower league team) to get a 1st team place. It would make the leagues a lot more competitive and would also improve home grown talent.

My sentiment exactly. You wanna know why rugby players don't gob off? Cause they're punished for doing so. Football make a rod for their own backs by acting like idiots on and off the pitch. If people like Wayne Rooney was a role model for any of my children I'd be worried.

Nothing can be done about the money in football. However I do agree that capping players wages will help prevent alot of things. Less foreign players, fans would have to pay less for tickets. More money could then be put into developing talent in the UK rather than buying everyone else's!

I dread the day rugby turns like footy. However I do feel they have the common sense not to.

I have recently been to both rugby matches and football matches and i've noticed how much the prices vary. I think this is one of the other reasons for why football has gone mad. Who agrees?

I'd agree. Prices for away tickets to Parkhead and Ibrox are terrible, and Parkhead has a restricted view for most away fans. Even the stewards tell people "Sit where you like", when people have paid extra for unrestricted view.

It's like 20-25 quid in those two stadiums. I got into Tynecastle (Hearts) for 14 quid, and it's a great stadium with an excellent view.

Some football prices are just way too high now, some fans can't afford it, other fans don't even bother.