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As Samuel Eto'o finishes up a transfer to Anzhi that will reportedly pay him more than €400,000 a week, 24-year-old Sporting Gijon defender Javi Poves has coincidentally announced that he's taking a moral stand and quitting the game.
From the Telegraph:
"The more you know about football the more you realise it is all about money, that it is rotten and this takes away your enthusiasm," Poves told Spanish daily ABC's website (www.abc.es) on Wednesday.
"What point is there is earning 800 or 1000 euros if you know that you are obtaining it through the suffering of many people."
Daily El Pais reported that Poves refused to allow the club to pay him via a bank transfer, he said so the banks could not speculate with his money, and that he returned the keys to a car that had been provided to players by sponsors.
That's certainly a noble gesture. And one that has been praised as people in Spain protest high unemployment, debt and corruption. But if you're wondering why you've never heard of Poves, it's because he actually played for Sporting Gijon's B team in the Spanish third division. So when he says he wants to go back to school and to "offer his help socially," the fact that he was having a hard time cracking the first team might have made his decision a little easier. Regardless, Javi doesn't want you to start putting his face on T-shirts for this. He also warns of an ominous future..."What point is there is earning 800 or 1000 euros if you know that you are obtaining it through the suffering of many people."
Daily El Pais reported that Poves refused to allow the club to pay him via a bank transfer, he said so the banks could not speculate with his money, and that he returned the keys to a car that had been provided to players by sponsors.
"I don't want Javi Poves to become an icon, I am just one more and I fight against inequality," he added.
"I want everyone to be equal and that we all unite and stop arguing over trivial matters and try to move forward. As it stands the world is preparing to destroy itself."
Interesting choice to refer to himself in the third person while attempting to downplay his actions, but Javi Poves thinks that the real icons of football should do more to help others."I want everyone to be equal and that we all unite and stop arguing over trivial matters and try to move forward. As it stands the world is preparing to destroy itself."
"There are certain personalities at a world level, Pele, Ronaldinho, (Lionel) Messi who are ambassadors for UNICEF and who on the face of it are very good, but they could do much more" he added.
"These people have such influence they should involve themselves in a much more direct way."
Well, if Leo Messi decides to follow Poves' lead and quit football in order to involve himself in a more direct way, football fans might make sure that it's Poves doing the suffering."These people have such influence they should involve themselves in a much more direct way."
Photo: Paco Parees/El Pais