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Chelsea Comment: Michael Ballack Ushers In New Era Of Sense And Responsibility
New cut-price contract a good move for both club and player...
| Bet: | Returns: | Chelsea £12.50 | Draw £52.00 | Birmingham £90.00 |
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| Bet: | Returns: | Chelsea £12.50 | Draw £48.00 | Birmingham £90.00 |
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| Bet: | Returns: | Chelsea £13.00 | Draw £50.00 | Birmingham £110.00 |
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| Bet: | Returns: | Chelsea £12.90 | Draw £55.00 | Birmingham £95.00 |
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| Bet: | Returns: | Chelsea £12.50 | Draw £50.00 | Birmingham £98.00 |
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Mar 10, 2010 3:57:00 PM
By Alex Dimond
They say you learn more about a man in adversity than you ever can in success.
The jury might still be out on how John Terry has responded to his recent publicity but it cannot be doubted that the general public have a better idea of his character now than they ever did when he was lifting trophies with Chelsea.
In contrast, team-mate Michael Ballack has been offered a new contract extension that will keep him at the club until the summer of 2011, with an option for both club and player to agree to extend that by another year.
Interestingly, and perhaps controversially, the deal will see the German midfielder’s wage more than halved. But even more interestingly, Ballack looks likely to agree to it.
Back in 2006, Ballack signed for the club on a free transfer after a successful career at Bayern Munich, and agreed a £121,000-a-week contract that made him the highest paid player at the club.
The move came at the zenith of Roman Abramovich’s ownership, where the twin factors of insatiable Champions League ambition and the Russian's vast wealth perfectly aligned to net certain lucky players (Andriy Shevchenko being another) huge paydays.
But now, four years on, the increasingly pragmatic Abramovich - via current club chief executive Ron Gourlay - wants the club to attain self-sufficiency and that means a pay-cut for the previously handsomely rewarded 34-year-old midfielder.
The deal on offer will reportedly see Ballack earn £60,000-a-week, with that rising to £80,000 if he plays 20 games in a season (he has played 24 of 28 league matches this term). And Ballack is about to bulk the traditional view that says footballers are all about the money by gladly agreeing to it.
“It’s about what both sides want. We’ll sit down together soon and there’s no pressure,” Ballack revealed to The Times in an interview late last year.
“I like the club and I like London, and it would be perfect if I could stay.”
If Chelsea give him certain reassurances that they will exercise their option to extend his contract through to 2012 (Ballack wants to retire after that year’s European Championships) then he will have little hesitation about agreeing to the deal.
“You have to use London,” he said. “It’s really good for everything. It’s an amazing possibility to play for such a big club and live in such a city."
And, having failed to win either the Premier League or Champions League since arriving at Stamford Bridge, the German still has a hunger to achieve something great with the club.
“You don’t step back and have less motivation when you get older, the opposite is true," he said.
“You become more focused, more professional in terms of things like looking after your body and more determined because you can see all the younger players coming up, looking for your place.”
Both Nicolas Anelka and Joe Cole - the club’s other players with pressing contract issues - have been offered similar deals, and both have responded to recent offers with a mixture of shock and outrage that (presumably) would have team-mate Ashley Cole nodding his head approvingly.
News broke on Tuesday that the Blues have re-opened constructive negotiations with Anelka over a new deal, and it will be interesting to see whether the notoriously greedy player is pressured by his club to adopt a similar stance to Ballack.
Because, despite his age, the 30-year-old is arguably in a stronger negotiating position than Cole. The club are notably short of world-class strikers (Drogba is the only other, with Salomon Kalou, Daniel Sturridge and Fabio Borini still developing) and as such the club cannot really afford to let him leave.
Gourlay and Abramovich might want to be fiscally responsible, but both they and everyone else at the club recognise that £10 million over two years for an established squad member (with a respectable goalscoring record) will be more cost-effective than the £20-30m transfer fee needed to ensnare a signing of equal talent.
Cole, on the other hand, is in a tougher quandary. The 28-year-old plays in a position where Chelsea already have an enviable amount of depth (Nemanja Matic and Gael Kakuta, both highly rated by the Chelsea management, have barely played this season) and his performances this campaign really haven’t warranted the rumoured £120,000-a-week (a £40,000 hike) he is demanding.
After the money thrown at Terry, Alex and Salomon Kalou late last year it is tempting for Cole, Anelka and Ballack to view their modest offers as a slight on their ability and importance. But in reality, considering the changing economic landscape around football these days, the club are simply working to a different financial model.
Ballack, to his credit, has recognised and accepted that fact - doing what is best for his family rather than his bank balance. With his first child on the way, Cole now has to evaluate the same factors.
Ballack believes that considering his family’s needs will give Cole greater perspective and help him make a better choice.
“It comes with age. When you’re young it’s football, football, football,” Ballack reflected.
“Then you get a family, kids come into things and you find you have a broader view of life. You get your inspiration from many different places.”
That choice might still be to leave the club. Carlo Ancelotti is showing no signs of entrusting Cole with more first-team responsibility, and with his England career waning the chance to re-establish himself elsewhere - and, in the process, pick up the wage he wants - might indeed be the best thing for him and his young family.
As a player he is a risk-taker, a mercurial talent, and rolling the dice at a crucial stage in his career might prove the most effective course of action.
Ballack is much more of a pragmatist (being German probably helps in that respect), but he believes transferring his playing approach to his off-field decisions has served him well in what has been a stellar career.
“For me, football it this level is about making the right decisions on the pitch,” he notes.
“You can’t do it all the time, of course, but if you make the right decisions nearly every time you will usually win the game. That’s what I’ve found, anyway.”
If Ballack signs his new contract, it will have the feel of yet another right decision. The deal will free up valuable funds for the club that can be redirected towards new signings (or towards achieving that magical self-sufficiency target) and, equally importantly, the deal will establish a precedent for diminishing wages as other aging Chelsea stars reach negotiations (Terry, Lampard, Drogba will all find the precedent affecting negotiations in future seasons).
Both moves will aid the long-term stability of the club, ensuring vital resources can be re-distributed to the future of the club, rather than being hoarded by former star players who are past their peak.
Back in the summer of 2006, Ballack’s signing was yet another reinforcement of Roman Abramovich’s ability and willingness to throw around all the money he believed was required to guarantee success.
Five years on, the same player's modest contract renewal should firmly usher Chelsea into a new era of fiscal sense and responsibility.
The jury might still be out on how John Terry has responded to his recent publicity but it cannot be doubted that the general public have a better idea of his character now than they ever did when he was lifting trophies with Chelsea.
In contrast, team-mate Michael Ballack has been offered a new contract extension that will keep him at the club until the summer of 2011, with an option for both club and player to agree to extend that by another year.
Interestingly, and perhaps controversially, the deal will see the German midfielder’s wage more than halved. But even more interestingly, Ballack looks likely to agree to it.
Back in 2006, Ballack signed for the club on a free transfer after a successful career at Bayern Munich, and agreed a £121,000-a-week contract that made him the highest paid player at the club.
The move came at the zenith of Roman Abramovich’s ownership, where the twin factors of insatiable Champions League ambition and the Russian's vast wealth perfectly aligned to net certain lucky players (Andriy Shevchenko being another) huge paydays.
But now, four years on, the increasingly pragmatic Abramovich - via current club chief executive Ron Gourlay - wants the club to attain self-sufficiency and that means a pay-cut for the previously handsomely rewarded 34-year-old midfielder.
The deal on offer will reportedly see Ballack earn £60,000-a-week, with that rising to £80,000 if he plays 20 games in a season (he has played 24 of 28 league matches this term). And Ballack is about to bulk the traditional view that says footballers are all about the money by gladly agreeing to it.
“It’s about what both sides want. We’ll sit down together soon and there’s no pressure,” Ballack revealed to The Times in an interview late last year.
“I like the club and I like London, and it would be perfect if I could stay.”
Will to win | Ballack wants trophies at Chelsea
If Chelsea give him certain reassurances that they will exercise their option to extend his contract through to 2012 (Ballack wants to retire after that year’s European Championships) then he will have little hesitation about agreeing to the deal.
“You have to use London,” he said. “It’s really good for everything. It’s an amazing possibility to play for such a big club and live in such a city."
And, having failed to win either the Premier League or Champions League since arriving at Stamford Bridge, the German still has a hunger to achieve something great with the club.
“You don’t step back and have less motivation when you get older, the opposite is true," he said.
“You become more focused, more professional in terms of things like looking after your body and more determined because you can see all the younger players coming up, looking for your place.”
Both Nicolas Anelka and Joe Cole - the club’s other players with pressing contract issues - have been offered similar deals, and both have responded to recent offers with a mixture of shock and outrage that (presumably) would have team-mate Ashley Cole nodding his head approvingly.
News broke on Tuesday that the Blues have re-opened constructive negotiations with Anelka over a new deal, and it will be interesting to see whether the notoriously greedy player is pressured by his club to adopt a similar stance to Ballack.
Because, despite his age, the 30-year-old is arguably in a stronger negotiating position than Cole. The club are notably short of world-class strikers (Drogba is the only other, with Salomon Kalou, Daniel Sturridge and Fabio Borini still developing) and as such the club cannot really afford to let him leave.
Gourlay and Abramovich might want to be fiscally responsible, but both they and everyone else at the club recognise that £10 million over two years for an established squad member (with a respectable goalscoring record) will be more cost-effective than the £20-30m transfer fee needed to ensnare a signing of equal talent.
Cole, on the other hand, is in a tougher quandary. The 28-year-old plays in a position where Chelsea already have an enviable amount of depth (Nemanja Matic and Gael Kakuta, both highly rated by the Chelsea management, have barely played this season) and his performances this campaign really haven’t warranted the rumoured £120,000-a-week (a £40,000 hike) he is demanding.
Negotiate this | Will Joe Cole get a new better deal?
After the money thrown at Terry, Alex and Salomon Kalou late last year it is tempting for Cole, Anelka and Ballack to view their modest offers as a slight on their ability and importance. But in reality, considering the changing economic landscape around football these days, the club are simply working to a different financial model.
Ballack, to his credit, has recognised and accepted that fact - doing what is best for his family rather than his bank balance. With his first child on the way, Cole now has to evaluate the same factors.
Ballack believes that considering his family’s needs will give Cole greater perspective and help him make a better choice.
“It comes with age. When you’re young it’s football, football, football,” Ballack reflected.
“Then you get a family, kids come into things and you find you have a broader view of life. You get your inspiration from many different places.”
That choice might still be to leave the club. Carlo Ancelotti is showing no signs of entrusting Cole with more first-team responsibility, and with his England career waning the chance to re-establish himself elsewhere - and, in the process, pick up the wage he wants - might indeed be the best thing for him and his young family.
As a player he is a risk-taker, a mercurial talent, and rolling the dice at a crucial stage in his career might prove the most effective course of action.
Ballack is much more of a pragmatist (being German probably helps in that respect), but he believes transferring his playing approach to his off-field decisions has served him well in what has been a stellar career.
“For me, football it this level is about making the right decisions on the pitch,” he notes.
“You can’t do it all the time, of course, but if you make the right decisions nearly every time you will usually win the game. That’s what I’ve found, anyway.”
If Ballack signs his new contract, it will have the feel of yet another right decision. The deal will free up valuable funds for the club that can be redirected towards new signings (or towards achieving that magical self-sufficiency target) and, equally importantly, the deal will establish a precedent for diminishing wages as other aging Chelsea stars reach negotiations (Terry, Lampard, Drogba will all find the precedent affecting negotiations in future seasons).
Both moves will aid the long-term stability of the club, ensuring vital resources can be re-distributed to the future of the club, rather than being hoarded by former star players who are past their peak.
Trust me | Will Ballack's precedent influence Anelka?
Back in the summer of 2006, Ballack’s signing was yet another reinforcement of Roman Abramovich’s ability and willingness to throw around all the money he believed was required to guarantee success.
Five years on, the same player's modest contract renewal should firmly usher Chelsea into a new era of fiscal sense and responsibility.
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2/15/12
And with that, we're going to call it a night, folks.
We've had two tremendous matches today, so lets hope the intensity keeps up in the next clashes!
Until next time, this is LIVE commentator Stephen Crawford signing off.
From everyone here at Goal.com, thanks for joining us!
We've had two tremendous matches today, so lets hope the intensity keeps up in the next clashes!
Until next time, this is LIVE commentator Stephen Crawford signing off.
From everyone here at Goal.com, thanks for joining us!
2/15/12
All this focus on the Arsenal and Milan game should not take away from another cracker earlier tonight between Zenit and Benfica. The Russians came from a goal down to lead 2-1 in the closing minutes before Oscar Cardozo levelled things for Benfica, but it wasn't over there as Roman Shirokov won the game for Zenit in the 88th minute.
Here's the thoughts of Benfica coach Jorge Jesus, who felt his side deserved a point from the game.
Here's the thoughts of Benfica coach Jorge Jesus, who felt his side deserved a point from the game.
2/15/12
Arsenal keeper Wojciech Szczesny bemoaned his side's luck tonight but refused to give up. Here's some of his quotes:
"They were the better team on the night and that's the story of the day.
"We have to keep fighting, pick ourselves up, get the confidence back and challenge in the other competitions and in the second leg of this tie too.
"They punished us on every occasion; they scored some quality goals and they deserved to win."
Full story HERE
"They were the better team on the night and that's the story of the day.
"We have to keep fighting, pick ourselves up, get the confidence back and challenge in the other competitions and in the second leg of this tie too.
"They punished us on every occasion; they scored some quality goals and they deserved to win."
Full story HERE
2/15/12
Another Milan player who was willing to share his thoughts after the match was Mark van Bommel, who has urged caution ahead of the second leg in London.
“The score made it look like it was an easy game, but it certainly wasn't.
(Strange... it looked pretty easy from where I was sitting, but hey.)
“I do not think it's over yet. I remember a clash between Milan and Deportivo la Coruna when Milan was also ahead by four goals, and in the end Deportivo eliminated Milan.
“I went into the Arsenal dressing room after the match to speak to Robin van Persie. I had agreed with him to swap shirts – my sons are big fans of his and he brought two for them. They will be delighted.
Van Bommel went on to talk about a possible move to PSV in the future, but was quick to point out his terms for the move.
“I've spoken with PSV, but we don't have an agreement yet. The club has to decide what they want.
“If Louis van Gaal turns out to be the new coach, I won't go.”
“The score made it look like it was an easy game, but it certainly wasn't.
(Strange... it looked pretty easy from where I was sitting, but hey.)
“I do not think it's over yet. I remember a clash between Milan and Deportivo la Coruna when Milan was also ahead by four goals, and in the end Deportivo eliminated Milan.
“I went into the Arsenal dressing room after the match to speak to Robin van Persie. I had agreed with him to swap shirts – my sons are big fans of his and he brought two for them. They will be delighted.
Van Bommel went on to talk about a possible move to PSV in the future, but was quick to point out his terms for the move.
“I've spoken with PSV, but we don't have an agreement yet. The club has to decide what they want.
“If Louis van Gaal turns out to be the new coach, I won't go.”
2/15/12
Next up is the Milan maestro Clarence Seedorf. He only managed 12 minutes on the pitch, but watching from the sidelines he was delighted at how his team mates had dominated the game.
"Tonight everything went in the right direction and we did a very good match. You don't start a match thinking to win 4-0, but at the end i think we deserved it coz we played very well."
"Tonight everything went in the right direction and we did a very good match. You don't start a match thinking to win 4-0, but at the end i think we deserved it coz we played very well."
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