Mismatches sometimes happen in football, even after hours of scouting and careful player analysis. It could be due to undetected injuries, a clash of playing styles, inability to adapt to other tactics, toxic contracts or tensed relationship with other players or the manager. As footballers’ careers are short, in cases of a mismatch, they will usually seek a move away from the club, or have their contracts mutually terminated so the players can move on and resume their careers elsewhere.
However, some footballers may choose to stay on and see out the remaining of their contracts, even at the stake of suffering indignity or having their future prospect and international career jeopardised. One player comes to mind was Winston Bogarde and his ill-fated move to Chelsea.
Born in 1970, Winston Bogarde began his football career at one of the smaller Dutch clubs. He joined Ajax in 1994 as a 24-year-old winger-turned-defender. The goals he used to score dried up, but Bogarde would develop into a physically strong and powerful player well-known for his defensive skills. At Ajax, he won two league titles and a Champions League trophy, although he did not participate in the final.
In 1997, Bogarde signed for AC Milan, joining his compatriots and former teammates Patrick Kluivert and Edgar Davids. But a chance to show his skills in the Italian Serie A ended almost as soon as it started. The manager Arrigo Sacchi was sacked just after Bogarde joined the club, and new coach Fabio Capello was not particularly interested in players’ overly enthusiastic comments in his team tactics and training setups. The outspoken Bogarde lasted barely a season before AC Milan shipped him off to Barcelona.
At Barcelona, Bogarde demonstrated his worth as he helped the Spanish giant secured two La Liga titles and a Copa del Rey. After two-and-a-half season, Chelsea came knocking on the door. Lured by a large contract offer and a challenge to play in the Premier League, Bogarde signed for Chelsea in 2000. At age 30, his experience and strength should allow him to play at the highest level for another many more years.
But the same thing happened again – an abrupt change of managers, arguments on the training ground. Bogarde’s fiery temperament did not help the situation either. Chelsea’s new gaffer Claudio Ranieri could not handle the big guy and soon relegated him to the reserve team. Without even a squad number, Bogarde was ordered to train with the youth club, the ultimate humiliation for a well-established professional player.
With a reported £40,000 weekly salary, the club had to look for ways to cut their loss. But Bogarde never considered the mutual premature termination of his luxurious contract. Not someone who could easily be submitted, he rather swallowed the bitter pill than being forced out of the door. His value plunged greatly, but none of this mattered as it was obvious no other clubs would take him anyway.
So Bogarde bided his time and counted down his remaining days at Chelsea, while maintaining his fitness in the training sessions with the young players. Days and weeks turned into months and years, and finally, in May 2004, his four-year contract ran out. He had won his battle against the club, fulling receiving his paycheck of millions of dollars.
Overall, Bogarde only appeared in nine games in all competitions for Chelsea. Going down as one of Chelsea’s, or even the Premier League’s, worst ever signings, Bogarde probably would not care much about this tainted legacy. After all, it is not difficult to understand that his poor and difficult upbringing had made him cherish money more than anything in life. A year later, without any clubs, Bogarde retired from football and moved on to pursue his other interests.
There are numerous similar cases in football today. Gareth Bale insisted in staying on with Real Madrid, even though the love between them seemed have faded long ago. Few clubs could afford his huge contract anyway. On the other hand, Brazilian winger William was willing to terminate his big Arsenal contract and forgo tens of millions of dollars in order to continue his passion in football at another club on a much smaller paycheck.
It is certainly difficult to say who’s right or wrong. A contract is, after all, a binding agreement between the clubs and players, and should be respected by both parties.
“Why should I throw fifteen million euro away when it is already mine? At the moment I signed it was in fact my money, my contract. Both sides agreed wholeheartedly. I could go elsewhere to play for less, but you have to understand my history to understand I would never do that. I used to be poor as a kid, did not have anything to spend or something to play with. This world is about money, so when you are offered those millions you take them. Few people will ever earn so many. I am one of the few fortunates who do. I may be one of the worst buys in the history of the Premiership, but I don’t care.” – Winston Bogarde
05.09.2021
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