Not sure if this had been done already but the new Swans manager has made some revealing comments on a side of the game us fans are usually kept in the dark about.
"It's just a bonus. For me, match-fixing is somebody pays someone to lose a game," he said.
"In Spain where there's one or two matches left in a season we always talked about the suitcases.
"But the suitcases is to win - I don't see anything bad about that.
"I think we have to define very well what is match-fixing because there's different levels, I think."
Obviously he's implying it's only an incentive but surely a rival team should have no impact on another game.. is this just the tip of a big, ugly iceberg he's trying to uncover with these statements?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/mobile/football/19667219
Laudrup lifts the lid
posted on 22/9/12
Teams in spain will offer cash incentives to a team with nothing but pride to play for. For example if Malaga are playing for 4th and are up against mid-table sociedad with 2 games to go and atletico are also chasing 4th, atletico will offer a cash bonus for them to bust a gut to win instead of going through the motions and thinking about their summer holidays. Nothing wrong with that IMO
posted on 22/9/12
Maybe if we had done it with fulop vs the gooners....
posted on 22/9/12
Interesting stuff Lion-el I guess it's just a sign of the times that players care more about money than personal achievement.
The question I'm really asking in the OP though is where do they draw the line.. I hope it is as innocent as it sounds but I'm not sure I can believe it.
posted on 22/9/12
I know what you are saying in regards to pride vs money but how many of us have gone into work a few days before going on holiday and coasted through the day?
posted on 22/9/12
Day before holiday?? What about Friday afternoons and hungover Mondays?
posted on 22/9/12
Good point bales.
It happens in the premier league anyway: as soon as city beat united towards the end of last season you could have bet your house on Webb taking charge of newcastle vs city and Sunderland vs man united to try and swing it back into fergie's favour
posted on 22/9/12
Yeah it's hard not to notice these things sometimes. I think a lot of the perceived bias is down to players and fans influencing the referee.. anything else is speculation. Interesting though
posted on 22/9/12
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posted on 22/9/12
Cos they need the money?
posted on 25/2/13
most Spanish clubs need the extra cash injection. It's not just bonuses for the players.