Hargreaves the traitor and souless City

First of all, I must admit I thought the Hargreaves to City rumours yesterday that have now come to fruition were a wind up. But having had time to digest my feelings and the thoughts of others I have the following comments.

1. Hargreaves has every right to seek a new club after United effectively said thanks but no thanks. However, the City deal has no class on many levels. Unfortunately this deal epitimises the modern footballer and in my opinion brings in to question - yet again - my own love for the game football. I have followed United all my life and was fortunate enough - through my Grandad - to have been educated in United's history from Duncan Edwards and the Busby babes, through Best, Charlton and Law, through the baron years, to the advent of the Premier League and these treasured years Sir Alex has delivered. But what we see more and more now is these well paid professionals who are essentially out for what's best for them, who have no respect for the fans of these much loved institutions who pay them. Hargreaves is free to go where he likes and United didn't want him any more but to go to City, the supposed biggest rivals of United, when United have paid his wages and medical fees for the last three years is out of order and I don't wish him all the best. Because what these footballers lose track of is it's not just about Sir Alex and the United board, it's about the fans. The fans who supported Owen through all his injuries, who wanted him to come back and wear a United shirt and still did right up until he left. What fools we were. And in a way I suppose it's good he did go because yet again we see the modern footballer for what they are - self motivated individuals chasing the next big pay packet.

2. From a City perspective I actually feel sorry for them and would be interested to seek a balanced Man City fans view. The deal has absolutely no class at all. Yes, it's annoyed many United fans but I doubt that annoyance is motivated by anything much more than what I have detailed in point one - a valid argument I feel. What I fail to understand is how City expect to ever have any depth when they persist with shallow signings and policies. United have history, Liverpool have history and we are both fortunate to have managers at the helm who will go down as legends. Not every team is as fortunate but they still retain class. In this instance I can only speak of Everton because that's where my comparison is moving. But under no circumstances would Liverpool or the fans entertain or welcome an Everton reject just to get one over their neighbours. Say, Tim Cahill spent the next three years injured and Everton decided to let him go, there is just no way Liverpool would sign him. And if they did the Liverpool fans wouldn't swallow it. Why? Because they care about their club and the rivalries and passion they have for their club mean that shallow signings like that wouldn't sit right. Of course with City that's different and the fans are very much in the hands of the billionaire owners who are playing games with those fans clubs. What's sad is that the fans buy in to it though. At the same time showing their lack of soul.

3. The final observation is where football is in general. I feel fortunate to support a club that has money, history and success and wonder about fans of clubs like Villa, Everton etc who have to put up season on season with players using their club as a vehicle. I know this has happened for years but never has it been more prevelant. We all support these clubs, invest our hard earned money in paying for Sky subscriptions, going to the games, buying the shirt, when the reality is we are just making the players, board etc richer. And do they care about us? The simple answer is no. Football is about money and there is no time for sentiment when money is involved. Rooney is a prime example at the club I support and I'm not naieve enough to not realise that this time last year he was a Hargreaves in waiting, holding out club to ransom. Now we cheer his goals and United's success but fans like me don't cheer as loud. We know what football is and where it is going but still we watch. Why? Because we are passionate about this game, we grew up watching football in the eighties when it was still a working mans game and the players played for the fans and we hope those days will come back. They won't though. Not while the money men run the game and make average players who can't get in the first team millionaire's. I remember United losing a game last season and a mate textng me after the final whistle something along the lines of, " Gutted after that defeat. Wonder if the eleven multi millionaires wearing the shirt feel as bad?" They don't. And why should they? Personally I'd love the money to fall out of the game, for all these merecenaries to be left earning a realistic wage and to actually have to earn their living and respect those who pay them.