Diego Forlan writes a weekly column for The National, appearing each Friday. The former Manchester United, Inter Milan and Atletico Madrid striker has been the top scorer in Europe twice and won the Golden Boot at the 2010 World Cup. He currently plays in Japan for Cerezo Osaka. Forlan’s column is written with the assistance of European football correspondent Andy Mitten.
Raheem Sterling's reluctance to sign a new contract is causing problems for Liverpool fans. I understand why the huge sums of money being offered annoy people, but players have pushed for the best deals since money came into football. The problem is that money and passion don't mix.
The passionate fans, pumped full of adrenalin, think they own their club and, by extension, the players because they play for their club. They don’t. It is the club who “own” the player, and only while he is under contract. Players should get the best deals for themselves whenever they can. Football is a relatively short career.
When I speak to fans one on one away from the stadium they understand this, but inside the stadium, with all that power in the crowd? There’s little reasoning. Can you imagine a referee trying to reason with them? No chance.
It’s never quite so straight forward but let me give you some examples from my career. Firstly, if I was supposed to play only because of my love of football and loyalty to one team then I would have never left Uruguay. My father was a star at Penarol and I could have followed in his footsteps and played for the team I loved and grew up supporting. It was my choice to move abroad. I wouldn’t have missed out on countless birthdays and important family occasions if I had stayed.
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But was I wrong to want to play at the highest level? To get the best contracts so that I could help my family and friends who supported me before I became a player? The people who will want to know me long after I’ve retired and the fans have stopped singing my name? The world doesn’t owe you a living. I made one.
Fans want it both ways. I understand that. Football is a massive release from everyday life for them. They don’t go to psychologists, they go to the football stadium and vent their feelings and see things from their own perspective, but what about the player’s viewpoint?
A player has to do what is right for him. There were no Manchester United fans protesting when I left their club in 2005. I wasn't one of their most important players, so I moved on, worked really hard, got my breaks and my career took off.
In 2007, Atletico Madrid offered me a big contract and Villarreal were happy to accept a high transfer fee for me. They didn't have the sort of money to compete with the likes of Atletico. So should I have stayed at Villarreal? No, that was my choice to move on. I'd been professional, I'd served them well, I'd scored lots of goals for the club.
By 2009, I was getting interest from some of the world’s biggest clubs. Real Madrid made contact, Barcelona too, three times. Manchester City also got in touch but I couldn’t have gone there because of my love for United.
So what would you have done if Madrid or Barca came in for you and offered you more money? What would you do if a rival company offered to double your wages if you joined them tomorrow? Isn’t it the way of the world that the money would have some influence? Those huge clubs came in for me when I was at my peak and I was deeply flattered.
But two things happened. One, Real Madrid and Atletico made a pact that they wouldn’t sell their best players to each other. It probably suited both clubs and helped keep peace in the city. That pact has stood, so even when Madrid were keen on my teammate and fellow striker Sergio Aguero, nothing happened.
And two, Atletico decided that they really wanted me to stay and gave me an improved contract. Did I sign it? Of course I did! I was happy at the club so I stayed and I’d like to think that I repaid them by scoring lots more goals, including two for them in the 2010 Europa League final. Good business for both sides, right?
Two years later, the club decided that I was earning too much money. They wanted me to leave, but I was under contract, a contract they had given to me because they felt they could afford it at the time.
So the rules changed and they felt that they could sell me and get some money. People at the club changed towards me. I went from being most wanted to unwanted and I ended up leaving in 2011.
Most footballers will have been in this situation at some point. Sterling is in demand and he should do what’s right for him and his family, because next season his career could be over, or because he could be in a position where nobody wants him.
Diego’s game of the week.
The Manchester derby has changed a lot since I played in it. City have a much better record now: they have won six of the last seven in the league, and they have won some trophies, too.
United fans used to joke that their neighbours won nothing. Not now.
City’s current form is poor and they are behind United in the Premier League table, but I still think they have better players than my former team. But with respect to Manuel Pellegrini, who was my manager at Villarreal, and my old strike partner Aguero, though, I hope that United win. But I think it will be tough.
Even though the game is at Old Trafford, even though City are now behind United in the table, I still think City will be favourites because there will be less pressure on them away from home. After the recent criticism, their players will be keen to prove they are not finished just yet.
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