One club players of modern day football

“ Loyalty is the pledge of truth to oneself and others. “ Ada Velez-Boardley

Breaking news of today was that 33 year old Real Madrid midfielder Guti (José María Gutiérrez Hernández) has signed for Turkish outfit Besiktas, after being with the Los Blancos for 24 years. Though the deal isn`t officially confirmed yet, for some time it has been widely publicized that the passionate vice-captain had little or no choice in the matter. He is not alone of course as legendary captain Raul (Raúl González, 33) is also set to leave the club after 16 years of service.

I cannot help but feel sad for Guti, as in my mind I have always pictured him retiring from football from the very club where he spent this entire carreer and where he has given blood and sweat and was admired by millions. To me he was the image of a typical one club-man, the kind who dedicates his entire life to the team, to fsupporters, to the beautiful game.The sort of player that no amount of cash could possibly buy and would always be regarded as untouchable, and when times are really hard and everything else fails, fans can always take solace in one sure thing: at least we`ll always have HIM. Well not anymore, you don`t.

The phenomenon that is a player who spends literally a lifetime at one club is quickly dying out in modern day football. Some might argue that the likes of Guti is just simply too old and not good enough, so unless he is happy to spend the rest of his playing years on the bench he is better off going elsewhere. Is that so? I wonder if Real Madrid`s fans feel the same way about losing not one but two of their most influential servants, but especially the one who is their own. I still cannot hide my surprise and disappointment that this is coming from such a historical club as Madrid, the most successful of all European giants. Sure if it was Manchester City, people would be easily accepting this as some sort of norm - unfortunately I might add. Yes, money can buy players of any age,nationality and quality, but it will never buy loyalty. Money can buy the likes of Nicholas Anelka, Christiano Ronaldo or Ashely Cole, but you can always guarantee that should a better offer come in their way, they`ll all be kissing a different badge in a different stadium within a realtively short amount of time.

So Guti will not go down in footballing history as one the highest regarded one club men, but we still have a good selection of these kind of players to look at, and they can only serve as great examples for any generation no matter what your game is or who you support.

If anyone had the chance to read some of my articles or anyone who knows me actually would be able to testify that I am not a great fan of English football or the Premier League as a matter of fact. But it would be ignorant from my part not to acknowledge the achievements of some of the most loyal, talented and honourable players who have dedicated their life to the one and only club of their choice.

Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes (1991 – present) is hugely respected and is truly inspirational. Any player at the age of 35, who is in such a great form both physically and mentally, can only commend admiration. To remain nearly indispensable at an offensive position for a club like United is unprecedented. It is impossible to say anything negative about this insanely private “pocket-rocket”, that is Paul Scholes. Of course he is in good company: teammate and good friend Ryan Giggs (1990 - present) has been with the club for over 20 years and in his case I even tend to forget that he did actually play for Manchester City for a while....

Other players worthy to mention:

Liverpool pair Jamie Carragher (1990 – present) and Steven Gerrard (1987 – present) have notched up well over a 1000 appearances between the two of them and are still going strong. Well, for now anyway. I have no doubts that Carragher is going nowhere but should Gerrard decide to switch alliances, Liverpool football club could possibly and quiet simply fall apart.

And the odd example from the past:

My personal favourite is Matt Le Tissier (1985 – 2002), Mr. Southampton himself. Le Tiss was talented beyond imagination, but also had that very appealing casual attitude about him, that won so many fans over. He pretty much has carried Southampton on his shoulders for years and is still very much involved with his beloved club. In his book he admits that sometimes he has wondered whether he made a mistake by turning down offers to join one of the big guns of World football. True, he could have won more trophies but he would`ve never been remembered the way he is today.

Such is the high turnover of both English and foreign players at Premier League clubs that pretty soon it will be impossible to idenfity anyone who is willing to spend decades at one club and also would be an exceptional footbaling talent,with a role model personality, like the above mentioned players are.

Well this one is easy, isn`t is. Watching this year`s World Cup final between Barcelona and the Netherlands just confirmed what we already knew: home grown talents are not only the sure way to national success but also can achieve the much coveted sustainability at club level.

In Real Madrid`s case there seems to be a price that they put on achieving success. Last summer`s crazy spending didn`t prove to be enough to win an actual trophy, so they are upping the ante, and will keep on spending until that trophy finally arrives at the Bernabeu, because the club firmly believes that it eventually will happen. Even, if in the process of getting there, they would go as low as selling the vice-captain and the captain of the team: Guti and Raul. (Raul, sometimes regarded as Real Madrid itself, technically though he isn`t a one club man as he played most of his youth career at city rivals Athletico Madrid.)

What a different story that is in Barcelona. Puyol (1993 - present), Xavi Hernández (1991 - present), Víctor Valdés (1992 - present) and Iniesta, (1996 - present) all home grown talents and one can bet that this lot will never leave the club where they have already achieved everything. One can also be 100% sure that little Leo Messi (2000 - present) will also remain with the Catalan giants until such times come that he cannot play any longer.

Nobody out there can question that these players are the huge driving force behind success for both club and country. Most teams are lucky to have one or two players in the squad who are willing to play for the club forever. Very soon Barcelona will have 11 of them.

This listing could not be complete without mentioning the ultimate one club man of modern day football: Paolo Maldini. The extraordinary Italian defender has spent 32 years in total (25 years as a senior player) with the Rossoneri and is the greatest testament to fitness, loyalty and general love of the beautiful game. He had the best example to follow though, none else than legendary Milan captain Franco Baresi (1977-1997). Maldini became synonymous with the Milan jersey and it would`ve been unthinkable that anyone, at any stage would`ve forced him into retirement. The decision was entirely left to him, and the great man has eventually parted from his beloved club in 2009. If there ever was a player that no amount of money could buy, that is him.

Of course the Maldini family`s love affair with Milan is far from over as both of Maldini`s sons are already signed for the club, and his retired number 3 shirt would only ever come out again if one of them gets selected for the senior team.

Milan isn`t the only Italian club with great traditions to produce fantastic captains for both club and country. Francesco Totti (1989- present) of Roma has reached immortality with the Giallorossi, and “Il capitano fantastico” -widely regarded as the best footballer of his generation- is far from finished at the age of 33, exactly the same age as of those Madrid-rejects Guti and Raul.

Obviously there are many more great players who could be added onto this list, but unfortunatley sooner or later the list will get shorter and shorter unless something is done about it.

In today`s money obsessed world is it too much to ask from any one player to snub the cash and stay on and perform, or to expect from football`s giants not to sell themselves short by getting rid of their longest serving footballers but improve the team from within? Sometimes it scares me to think what the beautiful game will be like in 10 years time....I`m hoping for the best anyway.