Money, money, money-Was Barry right?

Rafa Benitez’s comments regarding Gareth Barry and the circus surrounding Eastland’s created a stir this week. Benitez was far from impressed after Barry completed his move to Man City, despite Liverpool’s well known pursuit for him last year. Barry reasoned his desire for Champions league football for his move from a club where he was a hero for the past 12 years. Although the cynics among us, including Mr ‘these are the facts’ Benitez, can look to his 5 figure salary that he was offered as a possible reason.

Is that unfair on Barry? A respected individual within the game of football, a player who was a modern day legend at the Villa. You would think he is a player who puts football first, a player who money doesn’t mean much to. But did Barry let himself down, and the thousands that supported him over the past 12 years when he moved to the riches of City, for ‘a new challenge’.

At Liverpool he could of had Champions league football; which would have provided him with opportunities and experiences that will improve his ability as a player. He would have played in front of an highly demanding crowd which would have further improved these. Benitez’s level of pursuit in him last year shows how much he thought of him, which at the end came to the demise of his relationship with Xabi Alonso.

He had already broken in the England team, and what better to cement his place by linking up with his international colleague, Steven Gerrard at club level. The understanding those two would have developed would have helped at the World Cup.

It is this desire for money that fans, hit by the current economic crisis, have huge anger towards. Selling Barry a year later cost Aston Villa 6 million pounds by rejecting Liverpool’s £18 million bid last summer (a year later they remained 6^th, with only 2 more points), and keeping a player who didn’t want to be there. When Barry left he received a golden handshake of 2 million pounds in loyalty bonuses (maybe that is why he was reluctant to hand in a transfer request last summer), and signed a £130,000 a week contract with City.

So was Man City a better move than Liverpool? Barry’s camp will say that leading up to the World Cup it is crucial that he plays regularly, at Liverpool he wasn’t guaranteed that. Also, is the challenge of taking Manchester City into the Champion’s League more than trying to take Liverpool to the Premier league title? It is exciting times at Eastlands, but with their constant inability to attract major players, how easy would it be to take them the next step up? How long will it be before Man city take over one of the big four? 2-3 years? By then Barry will be into his 30’s, and past his best, and probably transfer listed, his position taken up by the latest hotshot who will probably be attracted by half a million pounds a week contract( Such is the ridiculous going on’s in football at the moment). So Barry may actually never play in the Champions League…..

I guess the attraction for playing at Liverpool, cheered by the Kop, the special European nights, the glorious history; the ambitious future wasn’t worth 40,000 less in wages a week.

My annoyance isn’t that he said no to Liverpool. My frustration is directed towards the hideous changes in the game of football, where players no longer move for ‘football reasons’. Ok, money is important in life, but is there really a difference between 90,000 a week or 130,000 a week? Some would argue just to walk past that historic trophy cabinet everyday is worth 40,000 a week; mind you it takes a week to walk around. Maybe there was another reason, he realised he didn’t have the bottle to face the huge expectations expected at Liverpool, maybe he was scared of being another Robbie Keane, so perhaps he has to commended for being honest to himself.