Who gives a damn? Once fans see
exciting football and are well entertained, then business is good. But star players
are put under so much pressure to deliver spectacular performance each time they
play - that isn't an easy task at all.
It's the odds of the game. Fans
expectations keep rising higher and higher, even beyond human capabilities; so players
go the extra mile to deliver. But no one would ever tell you what these world class
players do behind the scene to be on top of their game.
Football managers understand that
star players make the business move, so they either connive with them or be silent
about many things.
You cannot take it away from them;
star players are reason fans thrum the stadium each time, asking for more. So it
matters a lot to protect the secret of the business. For instance, you dare not
say something like Cristiano Ronaldo dope or Lionel Messi employs Voodoo in his
play. You dare not say it even if it is true. You dare not or you would be blacklisted
in football business. But see, the truth must be told somehow.
1. Doping: No player would ever tell you that he uses performance enhancement
drugs or regimen to boost his play. But if you are an insider you would have known
by now that most players take some stuff either, Marijuana, Cocaine or Café tin
substances before any game.
In some instance, doping is encouraged
at team level. The team doctors are mandated to prescribe specially prepared performance
enhancement regimen that would be difficult to detect by test. The regimen will
then be administered on each player of the team.
Some players once went publicly
to accuse Arsene Wenger, Arsenal FC England, of forcing them to dope. I would rather
say many in the football world frowned at Michael Schumacher, former German goal
keeper, when he said that during his time, the German national team players dope.
2. Evoking Spiritual Power: No player would ever tell you that he employs
some kind of spiritual powers to boost his play. But indeed, most of them do.
A player evokes such powers either
to protect himself or to receive abilities for supernatural performance. Roberto
Bargio, former Italian star player, had several declared publicly that he used Voodoo
to play football.
It more of a tradition in South
America and Africa; that players regularly consult with Prophets/ Priests of some
deity. Many of the players from these areas donate heavily to religious bodies and
have many Clergymen on their pay roll.
