Loyalty in Football?

Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink is being chased by QPR to take over their Championship, 12th place club. The chequebooks are opened and the pens are at the ready to sign him away from Burton Albion.

Fair enough, but JFH raised up Burton Albion from League Two last season and today has the club leading League One by two points. One would assume that they will most likely be in the Championship come September. Am I the only one unsettled by him deserting the team he represents to take on another club who are in the same league his Albion team should be in come August? Is he part of the greed league of managers, or has loyalty and "finishing a job you started" gone out of fashion? If so, when did it happen and does his possible desertion of Burton at this point in the season seem somewhat crass and tasteless?

Also, what happened to the expression, "You finish the job you started!" I haven't heard it lately around football, or most sports for that matter.

With QPR's debt reported to be around £177m, one can be excused for wondering when the 'you know what' will hit the fan. Would it be a good move for JFH? They surely would have had someone in place by now if it wasn't for the debt and the associated problems, or are there other factors causing the delay of an appointment? - view external link

The talks have now started according to the BBC. - view external link

It's a two way street IMO. Players and managers may not show much loyalty, but clubs don't show much to them either. How often do we see clubs chopping and changing managers on the season? Players get injured or have a bad run of form and they're sold off, loaned out or benched. We get worked up about people moving onto bigger clubs and big paydays, but how many of you (myself included) wouldn't leave your current job for a promotion and higher salary? I think 90% of people would unless you are currently running your own business and have a sentimental tie to it.

If football is treated like a business - always trying to expand global footprint, worry about "marketability" and brand more than product and experience, hire CEOs to run it etc - then the individual actors within it will treat it like a business.

I know to most of us fans, it's not a business at all. It's a passion, a lifestyle, religion and culture. It used to be feasible to take a team from the fourth division to t

You are absolutely right, Mich. However, if JFH gets a big pay rise, could it all come tumbling down if the consequences of the debts start to bite?

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Originally Posted by Woking88

You are absolutely right, Mich. However, if JFH gets a big pay rise, could it all come tumbling down if the consequences of the debts start to bite?

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I wouldn't touch the job. Even outside of the debt, look at their past few managers. Mark Hughes and Paolo Sousa ended up better after they were fired from QPR. But others have really harmed their careers by going there

I won't knock Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink for wanting to further his career and making the step up to a higher league. The QPR job is one that could make or break him in the short term. It could also provide a stepping stone for jobs at an even higher level.

Its alright Eve, I've put my armour on - pun intended.

Loyalty belongs to to a bygone age when "knights of old .... etc". It has ABSOLUTELY no place in the MODERN game.

Football is a BUSINESS. It happens to involve a number of the public (punters), who are normally supporters. Some of which pay good money to pay to see the team "play football".
The supporters pay good hard earned money to pay for the inflated salaries and egos of those who "run" their club in whatever manner they see fit and players who decide if they think that they should put i a performance on the day they are picked to turn out by the manager.

I KNOW I am a Cynical Old B*stard (COB), but so what if JFH joins QPR, so what in 4 months he's a "failure". He gets paid off, his bank account swells and evrybody except the punter is "happy"

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Originally Posted by Wolfiebill

Its alright Eve, I've put my armour on - pun intended.

Loyalty belongs to to a bygone age when "knights of old .... etc". It has ABSOLUTELY no place in the MODERN game.

Football is a BUSINESS. It happens to involve a number of the public (punters), who are normally supporters. Some of which pay good money to pay to see the team "play football".
The supporters pay good hard earned money to pay for the inflated salaries and egos of those who "run" their club in whatever manner they see fit and players who decide if they think that they should put i a performance on the day they are picked to turn out by the manager.

I KNOW I am a Cynical Old B*stard (COB), but so what if JFH joins QPR, so what in 4 months he's a "failure". He gets paid off, his bank account swells and evrybody except the punter is "happy"

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Dunno what the opening sentence was about Dave but the rest unfortunately (as far as us punters are concerned)

Sorry Dave, it was "tongue in cheek" and those things dont come accross well in bloggs...........