Susan: Mark, don’t you think that football is just about money these days?
Mark: Oh, come on, Susan. There are hundreds of footballers who play it for fun.
Susan: Well, I’m not sure. That’s what it was like when we were in college. Do you remember the trainers you bought for the match of the season? You paid for them with your pocket money! Can you imagine it nowadays? And footballers played for the same team for years. Nowadays a player gets a better contract with another club and he’s ready to leave the following week! They don’t care about their club at all!
Mark: But it’s good for the sport. Competition motivates players to train hard and do their best. There’s another problem, though. People and the media are only interested in star players so the best teams get millions of dollars from sponsors, much more than other clubs. It’s not fair…
Susan: Why? If you are a better manager or doctor, you usually earn more… Why should it be different in football?
Mark: Well, the result is that top clubs have the best coaches, best equipment and all the talented young players end up playing for them. So they get better and better and the weaker clubs don’t have a chance …
Susan: You see, I’m right, it’s all about money. I don’t know, perhaps I should watch swimming competitions instead of football matches…
Mark: You must be joking! Swimming is boring! And the problem is the same in all sports disciplines.