Relax? Get A Grip Gullit

Ruud Gullit sat on the Match Of The Day 2 sofa this weekend and spoke about Alexis Sanchez and the hamstring injury he suffered at Norwich City in a 1-1 draw this weekend. His comments were ridiculous, and it is not the first time a former professional, pundit or manager has said something similar.

The facts are that the Chile international felt him hamstring slightly according to his boss Arsene Wenger in Arsenal’s 3-0 win over Dinamo Zagreb in the week. The actual words used were ‘a little hamstring alarm‘. Before kick off on Sunday though, Wenger checked in with Sanchez and his medical team and the player himself felt he was okay to play. He went on to injure his hamstring in the match, and Arsenal are now awaiting tests to see how severe the issue is.

For me, footballers are overpaid, overprotected and completely molly-coddled, especially at the highest end of the professional game. They get paid an awful lot of money. Trust me when I say that it is a rarity that a footballer, especially going in to his prime, will ever play at 100% fitness. Injuries over the years will eventually catch up with them, and yes, they need to be managed but you must also realise that it is an occupational hazard, and anyone at any time can pick up an knock or an injury. If you keep resting players until they are fully fit you would be playing the kids every week!

Until the time comes where an injury is serious enough for a player to be left out to recover as it may cause permanent and long lasting damage should they play on, they should have the strength of mind and character to get on with it.

These overpaid men are being paid to play the game, we should in my opinion expect 100% and more. I mean, think back to the days where football was played without substitutes. How did they cope?

A ‘little hamstring alarm‘ is not enough to keep a player out of an always important Premier league fixture, and I am sure these ‘alarms‘ are felt more often than we realise as fans.

This is what the former Dutch international and Chelsea manager Ruud Gullit said on the programme:

I think I heard Arsene Wenger before the game already say that Sanchez may have some tight muscles. He should have said to him, stay in London and relax a little bit.

Firstly, if Sanchez had have been left out he should be there supporting his teammates. I find it ridiculous that players left out are not always made to travel to the match. I mean, maybe I am a bit old fashioned in this regard but these footballers do get let off lightly.

Secondly, RELAX? I tell you what, these guys train most days for just four or five hours and then play football for a living at the weekend. That is a relax. Their life is a relax compared to most. Do not ever tell me, a viewer who works fifty hours a week some weeks to pay my bills that any footballer needs to relax.

In fairness to Sanchez, he wanted to play. Good on him, but I am sure if it were up to Gullit he would have been sipping champagne sat on his backside.

I am glad I got that off my chest. This week’s round up of the action starts at Villa Park …

Aston Villa 2 Watford 3 – Alan Hutton scored his third Premier League own goal in this game as Watford moved up to eleventh. Aston Villa, who have not won since opening day, are in for the toughest battle they have ever had to stay in the top flight. Five points after fourteen games is the worst points total managed by any Premier League club at this stage of a season.

Bournemouth 3 Everton 3 – An epic battle on the south coast ended with two stoppage time goals and plenty of chances for both teams. The Toffee’s have hit some fine form this season. Their only defeats have come against top four sides Manchester City, Manchester United and Arsenal.

Crystal Palace 5 Newcastle United 1 – Alan Pardew left Newcastle last season in ninth position and took over at Palace who were in eighteenth. In the time since that change he has won seventeen games with the Selhurst Park club. Newcastle have won just five times in the same period. This result was never in doubt.

Manchester City 3 Southampton 1 – 28.4 years is the average age of the City squad. Only West Brom and Stoke have an older average. Age is showing to have no bearing on their season though as they go back to the top with this win.

Sunderland 2 Stoke City 0 – Allardyce will keep this Sunderland team up. Let me know if you fancy a wager on that one. They had not won a single game this season until his arrival in October. They are on three now and out of the relegation zone.

Leicester City 1 Manchester United 1 – Jamie Vardy scored in his eleventh consecutive game. A new Premier League record. A real rags to riches story for the former Stocksbridge Park Steels striker.

Tottenham Hotspur 0 Chelsea 0 – Bore draw. Hopefully you were out doing something other than watching this on Sunday! Chelsea remain in the bottom half.

West Ham United 1 West Bromwich Albion 1 – The Baggies picked up a point in what could well be their last trip to the Boleyn Ground. In the last three top flight games they have managed no more than 40% possession, yet have taken four points.

Liverpool 1 Swansea City 0 – Swansea failed to register a single shot on target as the pressure mounts on Garry Monk.

Norwich City 1 Arsenal 1 – Not a bad point for the Canaries. Arsenal are without a win in three after winning the previous five before that. A blip maybe?

Premier League Table