“I want Champions League football.” This is an expression we are hearing from an increasing number of premiership football players. With Clint Dempsey of Fulham being the latest to utter this catchphrase (or the latest player I have read about doing so anyway), it has made me wonder just why more and more players are stating this intention. Of course, the attraction of the Champions League is obvious. It is the chance for a player to play in (arguably) the biggest club competition in the world and to test themselves against some of the best players in the sport. However, my argument is this; why does a player feel it is their right to play in this competition when they have not necessarily earned it?
Allow me to clarify that statement. You see, I understand that many players in the modern game are ambitious and have a desire to win trophies and honours at the highest level. I cannot fault them for that. Also, some footballers believe that by playing in these sorts of competitions and for more successful clubs that they will be more likely to secure or maintain a place in their national squad. That’s somewhat understandable. However, I question why some players feel that European football is owed to them. Why do they move on rather than staying loyal to the club they are with and helping to secure Champions League football for that club?
Perhaps the prime example of this recently is Fernando Torres’ move from Liverpool to Chelsea in January. The Spaniard cited that wish for Champions League football as one of his main reasons behind the move.
On the one hand, you can see why he made the switch; Torres had been at Liverpool for three and a half seasons and never won a trophy with the club. He had experienced the Champions League with the Reds in past seasons but with LFC clearly being a club in a transitional period at the beginning of the 2010-2011 season, it was not looking promising for a return to the top four.
However, from September 2010 to January 2011, Torres looked disillusioned and out of form. Perhaps if he was at his best or putting in one hundred percent of his effort then Torres could have helped Liverpool out of their slump. It is not as though he was the one shining light in an otherwise poor team. Torres was, in fact, one of the poorer players during this period. So why, if he was so desperate for Champions League football and trophy wins, did Torres not put in more effort to help Liverpool achieve that target instead of moving to a different club who had just about secured European football already without the Spaniard’s help?