Club-Country Controversy

This weekend, Club Football will give way to National Team to play their friendly matches and to allow the national team chances to try with new plays, or to experiment with new 'winning formula'. Club Football comes to a week-long rest as winter is approaching the european country. Some players who have been omitted by the national coach, or who have not been selected, and also for those who are age-ing and would needed some rest, these break would be welcome, especially by those who are playing the most beautiful game on earth in The English Premier League, as there will not be any winter break like any other european leagues, so a rest is much needed.

But the national call would be something dreaded by the club manager. Players who earn their wages from the clubs often come back from national duty with new found injuries, or career threatening injuries if the player was really unlucky enough. Sometime when the club needed their inspirational player for the upcoming fixture but have to feel good letting the player sit out the match because of injury ACQUIRED from international tie.

So a controversy has arise from this. Club manager dreaded letting go their player, espcially their star player, the talisman to the team. But the national coach needed these player desperately as the team results decide the coach fate and the coach earn a living by coaching the national team. And the expectation from people in the country on the team to perform is so high and intense, especially for a team like England which is managed by Mr. Fabulous Capello, who has really been going on fine with England so far, transformation takes place when he is at work, credit to you Fabio!

But he faces the similar situation like France Coach with Mr. Arsene Wenger over releasing player for national duty. Same issues. As club coach finds it difficult to release star players for purposeless and meaningless friendly tie. But Mr. Fabio is stern, and is firm. He ordered Steven Gerrard to report to national team camp despite liverpool club doctor claimed Stevie G is injured and unable to play. Capello insisted and ordered Gerrard to report in 'even if you are not going to play, and you must prove you are injured'.

My concern is, this may be a good way for the coach to deal with clubs who try to be smarter than national coaches, but is this good for the players? Like Steven Gerrard saga now, he has been unlucky with national team involvment having missed out on major tournament like World Cup 2002 and Euro 2000, he should have had the burning desire to play for the country like every english player wished to. What is more, with the 'can Frank-Stevie partnership synergize issue still being discussed intensely, no one would be more desperate to come out and prove a point than these 2 players, at least i assumed so. But Capello's order has rather like he has no trust over the player committment, than over the club's accountability.

However, the governing body, like FIFA and UEFA for this matter with european country, should come out with a better solution to work over this country-club row over players right.
It is true that the player play for the club and get their wages from club, but it is rather true that the club profits come from the player performances that get them results too, so there should be a mutual benefit existing here, and player should be looked and treated not like employee hence.
It is somehow true that the player should serve their country should they be called to service their country, but it is also true that the player have the right to choose what his priority would be. All these would not have had a better guidelines and solutions to this controversy, but the players hold the very vital decision, it should be up to them, to be, or not to be; to play, or not to play.