What Price Loyalty?

By: wan | August 3rd, 2008

Things are certainly getting hotter in the footballing world that is Real Betis even for this one-week old fan.

Just last night, a 3-1 win for Betis represented their fourth consecutive victory on the trot and these statistics are certainly not something any Betis fan would be used to.

What would be of more interest to any Betis fan out there is the fact that the team that played last night was as close as you can get to the first team that will take the field on opening day.

I promise that I will do an in-depth analysis into the players, the team formation as well as tactics for Betis in the upcoming week. But for now, I would like to focus on a subject that is close to my heart.

One name was conspicuous from its absence from the first team sheet and if you had said Edu, you would have been right on the mark. The whispers in the background are suggesting that the Brazilian has been ostracised by management because of the recent spat over his contract renewal. It appeared that ex-president Manuel Lopera has rejected Edu’s asking terms for his new contract and has convinced the new owners to do likewise. The difference? 500,000 euros a year. To Edu’s credit, he has not pouted or went crying to the media about any mistreatment or even issue of slavery.

I don’t want to go into the issues of whether Edu is worth that kind of money (and can think of more occupations that would warrant that kind of pay in society). Instead, what I want to talk about is the issue of loyalty.

Imagine a situation – a young footballer discovers he has skills and managed to crave out a living as a professional footballer. Being 18-19 years old, he would probably not be very well paid and is probably offered a 2-3 year deal.

He breaks into the first team and proves himself to be a very good player. Soon, European clubs come knocking on his door, offering to take him to a more competitive and enriching environment. He signs for a club after some consideration. As he is still young and probably an unknown talent, they would have offered him a 4-year deal at a reasonable rate, thinking he still has room to grow.

He plays in a different league and soon proves himself to be a crucial part of the first team. In fact, he is so good he becomes a star and soon there are rumours that the top clubs are looking at him. This time, he decides to move after another club makes him an offer especially since his club got relegated.

He comes into his new team and makes an immediate impact. He scores plenty of goals and got his team into the Champions League. His current team would come to him wanting to tie him down to a longer deal. They appeal to his affection and loyalty, saying that as a terrace hero and as a key personnel, he should set a good example. They promise to make it worth his while and to make it up to him. Touched, he signs on for four more years perhaps at a rate lower than what he could have gotten elsewhere.

Now a 29-30 year old, the player is looking for some security and some reward for his loyalty. Suddenly the club turns to him and say he is getting old and does not warrant a pay rise cos from then on, his form and fitness is bound to decline. In fact, they would not mind if he manages to find himself another club. Imagine his shock and sense of betrayal; after all these years of service and making compromises, suddenly he is told he is no longer needed.

Now imagine if you were Edu – how would you feel? Edu was the only reason to watch Betis since the days when Joaquin and Assuncao left, the one bright ray of sunshine in otherwise dismal dark days. It is huge disappointment and sadness that I am feeling right now to be honest, all the more when they are leaving him out for non-footballing reasons.

If I could, I would have made up the difference just to keep Edu in the green-and-white. I wonder if there are any other Betis fans out there who feel the same way that I do. There’s nothing much that I can do right now then to pray and hope that they keep the one player more than anyone else who has personified Real Betis to me.

And if this is really going to be his last season, then I am going to enjoy every single moment of watching him glide past defenders and head towards goal like he always manage to do.

Edu, I am going to miss you…