Naughty footballers

[mum_I'm_hungry]

Hi :wave: I have a novel coming out in January that is based around a naughty footballer (drugs, alcohol, sex... you know the drill!) who gets an unwanted gentlemanly type makeover. In the lead up I'll be writing a few pieces for the papers and was wondering if anyone had anything to say about the whole naughty football player phenomenon.

Do you have any insights into why they have so much trouble with drugs, alcohol, sex etc.? Do you have any questions you'd ask them about these things if you had them cornered? Do you believe that it's all due to self-esteem, or something else, like club mentality etc.?

I think it's a bit sad to see all these men who are obviously so talented losing their careers to addiction of one kind or another and would love to hear what you think about it...

[shed]

Well I dunno if this is relevent but you just reminded me of something funny that happened when I was young (and skinny and cute and went to nightclubs).

I was standing there minding my own business and a certain quite-well-known AFL player winked at me from a few metres away. I half-smiled back, I was waiting for my friends and not really interested.

Anyway, he gestured to me to come over to him. I just shook my head and then he comes over and said "lets go".

I went "where" and he goes "to my room".

I go "Is it usually that easy for you?" and he goes "Yeah" and I go "geez, no wonder you're such an @rsehole".

-------------------------

Well, that was my little football story :laughing:

[mum_I'm_hungry]

:eek: :laughing: From my background research so far, though, it's pretty true to form!

[shed]

Yeah, he was in the papers for being a naughty boy a few years later.

I was really really shocked...not.

[Scout]

Alli - I have lots of views on this matter but I would have to write you an essay....actually make that a thesis!

[mum_I'm_hungry]

He he. I love a good rant!

[Scout]

He he. I love a good rant!

Ooooh, not a rant at all. I'm a very serious sports lover. I would love to put forward my ideas to you but I don't think that my way of illustrating my points on some issues would be PC on Bub Hub.:laughing:

[Mamaduke]

Yeah, he was in the papers for being a naughty boy a few years later.

I was really really shocked...not.

If you don't say anything I'll know his initials are WC...:detective:

[mysonroger]

they get into trouble because they're over paid, have too much time on their hands , obviously don't have enough training in discipline, they're young....and i think the clubs need to do something about it. mentoring, for example.

having said that, their world is just a reflection of the greater community. and i have always admitted, if i had heaps of money at a young age with no children to look after, i'd be off my head too.

there was a show on the ABC , or SBS, about this exact issue just last week. maybe you could google it.

[mum_I'm_hungry]

Thanks so much for the heads up, mysonroger. Have just downloaded the show from the ABC website. I did the research for this novel about two years ago, so am now re-researching in readiness for discussing it with the media. The problems don't seem to have gone away, unfortunately. There's even more to talk about than before, it would seem.

Not sure what you mean, Scout, but we find out he's really a good guy in the end, if that makes any difference! :thumbsup:

[Funkychicken]

If you were to look at the population in general, you will find that footballers aren't any more or less prone to the problems of addiction than any other "blokes".
Unfortunately though, because they are in the public eye, we "see" what they are doing up close and personal. This type of behaviour goes on in every town, city and country around the world.

The part I struggle with is the public fascination with it all. These football players are human before they are football players and human beings will make mistakes (I am not condoning this).
For any person who is dealing with getting clean and/or sober, it is imperative that they have privacy in which to do so. Remaining anonymous at the level of press, radio and film is a key element in being successful at it and if that means going AWOL for a time, then that should be respected, not questioned.

For any regular Joe getting clean or sober is the hardest thing they will ever do and to have to do this with the judgemental eyes of the world upon them only makes it that much harder.

[BoyCrazy]

just thought id share my encounter with a footy player..

my encounter was with a well-known NRL player (also well-known ladies man/into drugs as well)

back in the nite club days a group of us girls were out and met up with some footy players, we were pretty stoked because they were famous etc etc) but this one football player in particular would keep trying to hit on us, and not just one of us, he wanted all 4 of us!! at the same time!! hahaha...needless to say that never happened, but we all had a good laff about it~!

i think alot of what is going on (ie drug use, women, etc) has alot to do with egos etc...i mean cmon, your young, male, in your prime, women love you, everyone loves you, youve got lots of money..i dunno..i can see how it can happen, but i also believe if you wanna represent your town/state/country in sport, you need to also be prepared for what can happen (ie the media pressure etc) if you stuff up!

[Mrs Potts]

The big problem, IMO, is that these boys ('cause that's really what many of them are) are thrust into the limelight with no life experience, having previously never been in a position of responsibilty, getting paid a fortune, put on a pedestal by so many people, and having all the people around you protect you and cover up for you when you do something wrong.

These boys rarely have to take responsibility for their own actions, so why wouldn't you run amok?

I know this kind of behaviour is nothing new, and certainly not uncommon in "the real world". But the guys at your local nightclub don't have thousands of young fans looking up to them. This is the thing I have a problem with.
These players have so many kids who idolise them, want to grow up to be just like them. Is that what you want your kids to aspire to? These players know they are in a privileged position, yet flaunt it at every opportunity with no regard at all for the kids who look up to them.

It's time the 'establishment' put more importance on player behaviour and responsibility. Of course, that will never happen because the only thing that matters is having the winning team, regardless of the destruction the players leave in their wake.

[BoyCrazy]

The big problem, IMO, is that these boys ('cause that's really what many of them are) are thrust into the limelight with no life experience, having previously never been in a position of responsibilty, getting paid a fortune, put on a pedestal by so many people, and having all the people around you protect you and cover up for you when you do something wrong.

These boys rarely have to take responsibility for their own actions, so why wouldn't you run amok?

I know this kind of behaviour is nothing new, and certainly not uncommon in "the real world". But the guys at your local nightclub don't have thousands of young fans looking up to them. This is the thing I have a problem with.
These players have so many kids who idolise them, want to grow up to be just like them. Is that what you want your kids to aspire to? These players know they are in a privileged position, yet flaunt it at every opportunity with no regard at all for the kids who look up to them.

It's time the 'establishment' put more importance on player behaviour and responsibility. Of course, that will never happen because the only thing that matters is having the winning team, regardless of the destruction the players leave in their wake.


well said...

IMO, EVERY sport should adopt a NO DRUGS POLICY!!

not this 3 strikes and your out ****!

-oh and they should test every player on a random day each week, who cares about the cost, they can obviously afford it!

[mum_I'm_hungry]

If you were to look at the population in general, you will find that footballers aren't any more or less prone to the problems of addiction than any other "blokes".

Hmmm. I'm not sure about this. I would hazard a guess that they are, but will have to look at some stats.

One of the theories that I have read up on is that they encounter a lot of their problems because of something called 'group-think' (a psychology term) where a kind of group mentality takes over. Other theories out there are ones based simply on low self-esteem and poor education (including the general public thinking they are not too bright when this isn't necessarily the case and their reluctance to continue education because it can sometimes be seen as 'not the done thing').

There's a guy in Melbourne, a kind of life coach, who is often hired by the clubs to do sort of 'life makeovers' for want of a better term and he has some interesting ideas on their inner workings.

Poops. Must run off on holidays now... late already!

[Scout]

One of the theories that I have read up on is that they encounter a lot of their problems because of something called 'group-think' (a psychology term) where a kind of group mentality takes over. Other theories out there are ones based simply on low self-esteem and poor education (including the general public thinking they are not too bright when this isn't necessarily the case and their reluctance to continue education because it can sometimes be seen as 'not the done thing').


Now you are going somewhere. Group think would definitely be an issue. The "God Complex" would also be another - most likely an issue with a few footballers and a quick-texting cricket player.

[FarmerBlog]

Now you are going somewhere. Group think would definitely be an issue. The "God Complex" would also be another - most likely an issue with a few footballers and a quick-texting cricket player.

I would agree with Scout,

They are mostly young guys who have been training all their lives to play at the top level and when they get there they have alot of money and time.

I think what also can make it worse is that they tend to live in a shared house, so then they all go on.

I think that what might help is if they do what the western bulldogs do and offer the younger guys a career outside of football.

Well thats my two cents :thumbsup:

[Noah_and_Elijah]

Anyway, he gestured to me to come over to him. I just shook my head and then he comes over and said "lets go".

I went "where" and he goes "to my room".

I go "Is it usually that easy for you?" and he goes "Yeah" and I go "geez, no wonder you're such an @rsehole"

That situation is almost identical to what happened to me with a certain well known Australian swimmer. He is now married but I hope his wife knows what she got herself into. :rolleyes: