How do players view football rivalries?

Richard J

Jesurun Rak Sakyi is the latest example of a player crossing a rivalry divide and potentially having positive feelings about both clubs.

Away from Charlton. Why is Pat Jennings loved by both Arsenal and Spurs fans and Sol Campbell a pariah at White Hart Lane? Denis Law's last action at Old Trafford was to score against United for City which symbolically sent them down. Yet he now has a statue there. 

With Palace we  have Mark Bright and John Salako.Indeed Salako even scored for us against his beloved Eagles whereas Brighty seemed to have a genuine love for us despite the fact he works for Palace. Jonny Williams tasted playoff success at both clubs.On a negative point Joe Lesley , Sullay Kaikai and Pape Souare's less than impressive displays for us probably got magnified because they were former Nigel's?

In terms of Millwall we recently saw both sets of fans celebrate the life of Phil Walker and Harry Cripps and Eamon Dunphy both played a role in our promotion in 1974/75.

I find it interesting that some players can transend the rivalries in a way fans can't.

Gribbo

https://youtu.be/9o0rAvZtM7w

ForeverAddickted

Doubt they care in the slightest... If they're diehard fans then they might have feelings about it.

But it is just a job for them

se9addick

Unless they are fans of the team they play for, or have become closely associated with the club due to long service, I doubt they really care about rivalries. 

We want them to, because we like to project our emotions onto them, but the vast, vast majority will see a derby as just another match*.

*this might be slightly different if it’s some hugely significant derby match, like Istanbul or the Old Firm, but Charlton v Palace/Millwall probably doesn’t mean that much to someone from miles away. 

ElfsborgAddick

ForeverAddickted said:

Doubt they care in the slightest... If they're diehard fans then they might have feelings about it.

But it is just a job for them

In a nutshell.

Weegie Addick

Chatted with Rhoys Wiggins at a sponsors’ dinner the year of promotion. He mentioned he’d come through the Palace Academy so I replied like the gaffer (Chris Powell) then. He was genuinely surprised - SCP had kept that hushed up and was not chuffed that I’d let his secret out! 

So some are sensitive to it more than you might think. 

AFKABartram

Players don’t give a shit about stuff like this., they just pay lip service to it.

 Not do I to be fair, unless it’s someone who you just ‘properly associate’ with a rival club (like Neil Harris).

Never thought twice about taking a player from Palace. 

Chunes

I think they do get caught up in the atmosphere on derby day, if it's a big one. 

Cafc43v3r

This summer saw two players born in Leeds Royal Informary sign for a Manchester club.  The up roar was non existent.

If they had signed for United, not City, it would have been more. Would they have given a fuck?  Not if all other things were equal.  Remember what Man United's captain did to one of their dads?

I was at the game, I am sure lots of other posters were to, when Alan Smith kissed the badge and was carried round the pitch.  He signed for Manchester United weeks later.

Unless your moving from Rangers to Celtic (last happed when?  Mo Johnson didnt even move direct), or Liverpool to Man United (last direct transfer was in the 1950s IIRC) It doesn't matter. 

Unless you want a pigs head?  🐖  It's a nothing in the grand steam of things.  How many players have played for AC and Inter, Barca and Real?

If you refuse to play for Charlton or Palace because you support the other one your an idiot.  And if you don't agree don't tell me tell Ryan Inniss.

charltonbob

I believe that when Stevie Brown left Charlton he was linked to a move to shithurst, when asked about it he said he "would never play for that lot".

charltonbob

I also heard that Jorge Costa fucking hates millwall.

Big William

Chunes said:

I think they do get caught up in the atmosphere on derby day, if it's a big one. 

Very much so - seen many an Arsenal v Spurs game for example and a collection of Frenchmen/ Africans /Dutchmen/Germans/Koreans and so on kicking the crap out of each other. Very few of them were born anywhere near Seven Sisters Road I suspect.

Garrymanilow

ForeverAddickted said:

Doubt they care in the slightest... If they're diehard fans then they might have feelings about it.

But it is just a job for them

Jamie Carragher grew up a big Everton fan but became Mr Liverpool. I think fandom is one thing but once faced with the reality of the game as a career everything changes for players

cafcfan1990

Garrymanilow said:

ForeverAddickted said:

Doubt they care in the slightest... If they're diehard fans then they might have feelings about it.

But it is just a job for them

Jamie Carragher grew up a big Everton fan but became Mr Liverpool. I think fandom is one thing but once faced with the reality of the game as a career everything changes for players

I think that's just odd though. He grew up watching Everton with his dad and is now genuinely, by his own admission, a Liverpool fan. It's not just that he played for them, he genuinely switched sides. 

Mendonca In Asdas

It’s all about the amount of coin for players these days, they’ll kiss the badge, make love hearts at the camera if they score a goal, as long as there getting a decent wedge and are happy it’s a career to them at the end of the day.

 I think the new lad will give his all to us, because he’ll want to go back to Palace with his head held high, thinking he’s done well here, or it’s all just one big conspiracy theory, and he’s here to send us down the toilet! 

LenGlover

charltonbob said:

I believe that when Stevie Brown left Charlton he was linked to a move to shithurst, when asked about it he said he "would never play for that lot".

As a Brighton lad he has (had) two reasons.

Chris_from_Sidcup

Players generally don't care unless they're fans of the club. For example you'd never have seen Gerrard signing for Man Utd. Or the likes of Gary Neville going to Liverpool.

But if they're not fans then they don't care. Perfect example last summer was Steven Berghuis who was captain of Feyenoord signing for Ajax. The 2 sides hate each other to the point away fans are banned at their games because of crowd trouble.

He received tons of death threats, had to involve the police and Feyenoord fans even displayed a banner which had 3 names on it. The first 2 were names of people shot dead in Amsterdam, the 3rd name was Berghuis. 

He would've known all this, but he still signed.

ForeverAddickted

Chris_from_Sidcup said:

Players generally don't care unless they're fans of the club. For example you'd never have seen Gerrard signing for Man Utd. Or the likes of Gary Neville going to Liverpool.

But if they're not fans then they don't care. Perfect example last summer was Steven Berghuis who was captain of Feyenoord signing for Ajax. The 2 sides hate each other to the point away fans are banned at their games because of crowd trouble.

He received tons of death threats, had to involve the police and Feyenoord fans even displayed a banner which had 3 names on it. The first 2 were names of people shot dead in Amsterdam, the 3rd name was Berghuis. 

He would've known all this, but he still signed.

Wow... I know our own house still needs to get in order in terms of trouble caused by Football fans - But we really are tame still, compared to a lot countries 

killerandflash

The reality for is that while you may support a team as a youngster, if that side don't want you but the hated rivals do, you're not going to give up the chance of a football career because of it. Alternatively, you may join another club's academy simply because you or your parents think it's better or that you stand a better chance of breaking through.

Johnnie Jackson is an Arsenal fan, but came through the Spurs academy for example. Robert Lee was a West Ham fan, but it was us who gave him his break.

Keith Peacock is a Charlton legend, but Gavin despite growing up in Bexley joined the QPR academy.

Cafc43v3r

cafcfan1990 said:

Garrymanilow said:

ForeverAddickted said:

Doubt they care in the slightest... If they're diehard fans then they might have feelings about it.

But it is just a job for them

Jamie Carragher grew up a big Everton fan but became Mr Liverpool. I think fandom is one thing but once faced with the reality of the game as a career everything changes for players

I think that's just odd though. He grew up watching Everton with his dad and is now genuinely, by his own admission, a Liverpool fan. It's not just that he played for them, he genuinely switched sides. 

I think it would very difficult to play at a club like Liverpool for 20 odd years and not become a fan tbh.

Cafc43v3r

https://youtu.be/CJBQ57o-vsA

blackpool72

Years ago it was alleged that when playing for England the Liverpool and Man Utd players never mixed off the pitch. 
So if true they felt a true rivalry. 

AndyG

Really interesting question. I think it depends on what stage the player is at in his career to a big extent, along with their background. For example I dont think a player like Ian Wright would ever have left Arsenal for Spurs as he understood the feelings around it, or Kaine the other way, however a younger player looking to develop his career or someone from abroad may not consider it such a big issue

Cafc43v3r

AndyG said:

Really interesting question. I think it depends on what stage the player is at in his career to a big extent, along with their background. For example I dont think a player like Ian Wright would ever have left Arsenal for Spurs as he understood the feelings around it, or Kaine the other way, however a younger player looking to develop his career or someone from abroad may not consider it such a big issue

Kane already left arsenal once....

redman

Garrymanilow said:

ForeverAddickted said:

Doubt they care in the slightest... If they're diehard fans then they might have feelings about it.

But it is just a job for them

Jamie Carragher grew up a big Everton fan but became Mr Liverpool. I think fandom is one thing but once faced with the reality of the game as a career everything changes for players

He came through the Liverpool academy which he signed for at 10 so slightly different from your emphasis.

AndyG

Cafc43v3r said:

AndyG said:

Really interesting question. I think it depends on what stage the player is at in his career to a big extent, along with their background. For example I dont think a player like Ian Wright would ever have left Arsenal for Spurs as he understood the feelings around it, or Kaine the other way, however a younger player looking to develop his career or someone from abroad may not consider it such a big issue

Kane already left arsenal once....

How old was he ? you think any amount of money could get him there now ?

Cafc43v3r

blackpool72 said:

Years ago it was alleged that when playing for England the Liverpool and Man Utd players never mixed off the pitch. 
So if true they felt a true rivalry. 

That was Fergie stringing them along.  

SELR_addicks

AndyG said:

Cafc43v3r said:

AndyG said:

Really interesting question. I think it depends on what stage the player is at in his career to a big extent, along with their background. For example I dont think a player like Ian Wright would ever have left Arsenal for Spurs as he understood the feelings around it, or Kaine the other way, however a younger player looking to develop his career or someone from abroad may not consider it such a big issue

Kane already left arsenal once....

How old was he ? you think any amount of money could get him there now ?

If Arsenal were in Man City's position Kane would be desperate to sign for them. 

Players care 100000000x more about trophies and personal achievements in their careers than 'rivalries'.