Biggest Traitors in Football History

Loyalty is a dubious word in the world of football.

When a player transfers to a club in the same league, there's always the possibility of
friction and slight bad feeling. Often when the two teams then face each other, fans of the previous club boo their old boy, but generally get bored after a while. Then there are the transfers that incense fans for years, betrayals that they never get over. Even then there are the players that do it not once, but twice!

Here I look at some of the biggest traitorous players in football history:


William Gallas:

A player that has played for all big clubs in London and is one of, if not the biggest traitor in European football.

Chelsea manager Claudio Ranieri bought Gallas from Marseille in 2001 for £6.2 million.
Once playing for Chelsea, Gallas was used in a deal to bring Ashley Cole to Stamford Bridge, and so he went to North London and joined Arsenal in 2006.

Gallas, a combustible character, lost the captaincy to Kolo Touré following his bizarre post-match sulk at Birmingham in February 2008. He ended up kicking lumps out of the advertising boards and sitting on the pitch in protest (right) after Arsenal drew with Birmingham, in a match that would ultimately end their title dreams.

In 2010 contract talks with Arsenal broke down when the Gunners felt that the contractual demands made by Gallas were unreasonable and not made in good faith.
It was reported that such demands included an £80,000 a week pay cheque, which Arsenal couldn't afford to pay him. As a result the Frenchman decided it would be a good move to join fierce rivals Tottenham Hotspur managed at the time by Harry Redknapp.


Robin van Persie:

The Gunners' hero was smashing in the goals in his first great season in his 8 years at Arsenal after spending most of the first 7 years on the injury list.
This was a big part of the reason Arsenal fans were incensed when the Dutchman decided to join rivals Manchester United in 2012, after the North London club had stood by him in his injury plagued years.

The striker joined up with Manchester United for an initial £22.5 million with an additional £1.5 million to follow if United won a Premier League or Champions League title within the next four years. In his first season he fired United to their 20th Premier League title, scoring 26 league goals in the process, further aggravating Arsenal's fans.


Roberto Baggio: 

The former Italian forward made an unforgivable switch back in 1990 - from Fiorentina to Juventus.
Back then he was sold for €10m - a world-record fee at the time - but soon after the transfer, there were full scale riots on the streets of Florence where fifty people were injured.
Baggio replied to his fans, saying: "I was compelled to accept the transfer."

When Baggio played for Juventus against Fiorentina on 7 April 1991, he refused to take a penalty, and when substituted he picked up a Fiorentina scarf (right) thrown onto the field by fans and kissed it, a gesture which, although was appreciated by his former Fiorentina fans, caused outrage amongst the Juventus supporters.
Baggio claimed: "Deep in my heart I am always purple," the colour of Fiorentina.


Sol Campbell:

When playing for Tottenham Hotspur, Sol Campbell earned himself a reputation as a great footballer. After almost a decade with Tottenham, Sol Campbell became one of the most hated men in the club’s history when he left for Arsenal in 2001.

Campbell was labelled 'Judas' by the Spurs fans, and rightly so. The England international defender was looking to play European football which was fair enough, with several top continental clubs expressing an interest. Tottenham offered him a new contract which would have made him the club's highest paid player ever, but after months of negotiations and several public assurances that he would stay at Spurs,

Arsenal proceeded to sign him on a free transfer. This left Spurs fans feeling angry and betrayed after losing a top player for nothing to their biggest rivals.
Campbell had previously stated in an interview with Spurs Monthly magazine that he would never play for Arsenal.

Campbell went onto became a part of Arsenal's 'Invincibles' team of 2003/04 and scored in the 2006 Champions League final against Barcelona.


Emmanuel Adebayor: 

The controversial striker really doesn't help himself when it comes to his popularity. After scoring 30 goals in a season for Arsenal, he demanded that his wages were doubled. When they were, he proceeded to underperform and then jumped ship for a big money move to Manchester City in 2009. 

Booed and jeered hugely by the Arsenal fans throughout his first encounter with the Gunners since his move, he scored a goal and ran the length of the pitch to slide in front of the Arsenal fans (right) in his famously idiotic, yet brilliant celebration.
To ensure Arsenal fans would despise him even further, the Togo international then joined North London rivals Spurs in 2011, showing a shocking lack of loyalty to the club that brought him to English football.


Luis Figo:

The Portuguese man was hugely popular at Barcelona before making his controversial switch across the El Classico to rivals Real Madrid in 2000. This caused uproar in the Barcelona fan base, with the some Barcelona fans showing their anger at his traitorous transfer by throwing a pig's head at him when he played in his first El Classico lining up for Madrid. He played for five years at both clubs, although fans of the Catalans only remember their anger at his departure.


Ashley Cole: 

Whether he was tapped-up or not will never really be proved, but the left-back was branded 'Cashley' by angry Arsenal fans after his move from North London to rivals Chelsea in 2006. He was said to be "trembling with anger" when Arsenal offered him a mere £55k per week, so he decided to jump ship to earn £90k per week at London rivals Chelsea. His wage increased to £120,000 a week when he signed a new contract in September 2009.
To be fair, his move did pay off, both in terms of trophies won, and his bank balance.

Never one to be out of the limelight Cole (right) married Cheryl Tweedy in 2006 in a flamboyant wedding ceremony, before her split from the philandering footballer and their subsequent divorce in 2010.


Cesc Fabregas:

Another former Arsenal player, Cesc Fabregas returned to the Premier League this summer after a three-year spell with Barcelona, but decided on a move to the Gunners’ London rivals Chelsea, rather than returning to the Emirates Stadium.

Fabregas had spent eight years at Arsenal between 2003 and 2011, so his move to Chelsea left many 'Gooners' feeling gutted.


Kenny Miller:

If there's one rivalry that can rival the intensity of El Clasico between Real Madrid and Barcelona, it's the Old Firm derby between Rangers and Celtic.

Given the rich political history behind the rivalry, that goes back well over 100 years, most players know that that is one rivalry you do not want to mess with.

The Scot crossed one of the biggest rivalry's in European football when he betrayed Rangers and joined fierce rivals Celtic in 2006. But this was not the end of his treachery, after spells in English football with Wolves and Derby, he then incredibly made the move back to Rangers in 2008.

He then left Rangers again in 2011 to play abroad, before re-signing for the blue half of Glasgow for a third time in June 2014 - to top off what was a shocking lack of loyalty.


Roanaldo:

Without a doubt Ronaldo was of the greatest footballers of all time, but he showed a complete lack of loyalty to any of his clubs.

Although, unlike some of the aforementioned men, he never transferred directly from one rival to another, he is the only player to have represented both Real Madrid and Barcelona, and Inter and AC Milan. The fact he was ridiculously good for all four clubs meant he was never victimised as much as most may have been.

The last move of his career is probably what puts him at number one; after training with Flamengo whilst recovering from knee surgery in 2009, he turned down a new contract offer to go play for arch rivals Corinthians.


Mario Götze and Robert Lewandowski:

Götze, the German World Cup winning midfielder joined Borussia Dortmund at the age of eight and made his Bundesliga debut on 21 November 2009. After spending four seasons at Dortmund, winning two Bundesliga titles and playing in a UEFA Champions League final he moved to arch rivals Bayern Munich in the summer of 2013, after the German champions activated his release clause of €37 million.

Lewandowski, the Polish international joined Borussia Dortmund in the summer of 2010. Having played in the same successful Dortmund team as Götze, Lewandowski followed his former team-mate to Bayern Munich just a year later, leaving Dortmund fans' and boss Jürgen Klopp angry and frustrated feeling Bayern Munich is that school house bully who buys from other German clubs.

Jürgen Klopp put all his efforts in making them the most talented striker and midfielder and then they just left. The way the move happened is what hurts the fans the most. Although, there is no one denying the fact that they both helped Borussia Dortmund win the Bundesliga and reach the Champions league final, the fact remains that they were still indebted to the club and the fans for making them the players they are today.

Borussia Dortmund's much sort after attacking midfielder Marco Reus - former team-mate of both of Götze and Lewandowski has this message for them both and FC Bayern Munich --------------------------->








From what it seems money rules football and it seems that the fundamental thumb rule is show the players some money and all loyalty will be tossed aside. The very essence of loyalty and playing for the club seems lost now.

The Biggest Football Boot Sponsorship Deals & which boots the stars wear!

Football boot sponsorship deals provide lucrative ‘additional’ income to those at the top of the game. Becoming the face of a brand’s footwear also opens up other avenues for big name players, such as money-spinning contracts in other associated domains such as clothing, men’s grooming, television and billboard advertising as well as promotional events.

Here I take a look at which football superstars earn the most for sporting a particular brand's boot.
These are the Biggest Football Boot Sponsorship Deals in the game today – read it and weep!

Wayne Rooney (Manchester United) - Nike - £1 million per season

At £1m a season, Wayne Rooney has one of the biggest deals with arguably the biggest sports brand on the planet. Despite the controversial England striker having a far from squeaky-clean image, the Manchester United star is the face of the Nike T90 Laser IV boot. Only last April he lost his £600,000 a year endorsement with Coca-Cola after a foul-mouthed outburst was seen by millions on television, as he screamed the F-word into a camera after scoring a dramatic hat-trick against West Ham. Despite this Nike have stood by their man and Rooney is relied upon by the company to shift their boots by the bucket-load!

The Nike T90 Laser IV (above) has been designed to offer ultimate precision and power. Its adaptive shot shield technology is divided into 'Power' and 'Swerve' zones. The upper region, or the strike zone, is designed to flex naturally with the fit as you contact the ball while giving you some added power. The lower region, or swerve zone, features fins that are strategically positioned and sized to allow for closer feel on the ball while supplying added bend when you need it. Both zones are designed to flex naturally with ball contact, allowing natural movement of the foot.

Visit the Nike Football Bootroom

Sergio Agüero (Manchester City) – Puma – £1.25 million per season

Since landing in Manchester from Madrid in the summer of 2011 Agüero became an instant hit in the English Premier League, scoring goals regularly and helping Manchester City to win the Premier League title in May in dramatic fashion, scoring the winning goal in the final minute on the last day of the season. Last September Aguero became a landmark signing for Puma’s rapidly expanding stable of football stars, on a massive four-season deal, after persuading him to quit Nike. The Argentine international will become a 'central' figure in Puma's forthcoming global marketing campaigns over the coming years, wearing Puma's line of football boots for a long-term period, beginning with the Speed v1.11.

The Speed v1.11 boot (above) does exactly what it was designed to do when on the pitch, that is, it makes you quicker. However, speed isn’t the only advantage you gain by wearing a pair of these. There is a noticeable increase in power during shooting, which is made possible by the large lace cover. This piece of fabric helps focus all the strength and speed of the player into the centre of the ball, allowing for maximum shot power. The lace cover is held down by an elastic strap and a TriHook fastener to ensure a snug fit. The curved instep of the shoe also helps for a curved shot from both long and close range - an ideal factor for any striker.

Visit the Puma Football Bootroom

Lionel Messi (Barcelona) – adidas – £2 million per season

The best player in the world is only fourth on this list – how does that work? Thankfully for adidas, the contract with the two-time FIFA Balon D'or winner arranged his football boots deal back in March 2006, before his ascent to mega-superstardom, so adidas have been paying relatively little to have Messi in their wildly-popular adidas F50 adiZero range.

The adidas F50 adiZero miCoach boot (above) has taken footwear in the sport to a new level. Last November it was revealed that the Barcelona superstar had spent months developing the world’s first intelligent football boot with manufacturers adidas. It records player-specific data with an innovative miCoach Speed Cell chip placed in the cavity of the outsole. The boots – which store data including: speed, average speed, maximum speed, number of sprints, distance, distance at high intensity levels and active time for up to seven hours after a match or training – transmit on-pitch information to tablets, PCs and Macs using a wireless link.

Visit the adidas Football Bootroom

Cesc Fabregas (Barcelona) – Puma – £3.2 million per season 

Another one of big-spending Puma's massive recent signings is Barcelona midfielder Cesc Fabregas, who has has turned his back on Nike in order to sign a lucrative £16 million boot deal with sportswear giant Puma. After rigorous testing, Fabregas decided last September that he will be sporting the brand-new Puma PowerCat 1.12 boots (below). The 25-year-old former Arsenal captain put pen to paper on a five-year contract and Fabregas will be the flagship player for the PowerCats. As a result the midfield maestro - a member of Spain's double UEFA European Championship and FIFA World Cup winning team, jumps into the top three on the list of the Biggest Football Boots Sponsorship Deals.

The PowerCat 1.12 features the new PUMA 3D DUO Power Shooting Technology, applied to the kicking area on the inside of the boot. Made from an innovative thermoplastic material with two different degrees of hardness, the boot has the advantage of being both highly responsive with extremely high rebound properties. The newly created PUMA 3D PST DUO technology enables improved grip on the ball through its exposed elements, and instead of absorbing the energy it increases the kicking power of the player. The kicking area employs a soft K-Leather while the lightweight microfiber material in the lateral quarter supports the midfoot and helps to keep the weight of the boot to a minimum.

Visit the Puma Football Bootroom

Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid) – Nike – £5 million per season

Cristiano Ronaldo signed a whopping £20 million deal with Nike and stands to rake in £5 million-a-year. The deal negotiated in 2010 (the same year the first Nike CR Mercurial was launched) instantly rocketed Ronaldo into the upper echelon of sponsored athletes in any sport. As well as the face of their Mercurial line of Football Boots, for their money Nike are also getting a player with power, tricks, a signature style of free-kick and model good-looks. Despite technically being less successful at Madrid than at Manchester United, Nike will be banking on the Portugal international to constantly be challenging for titles with Los Blancos before his contract expires.

The Real Madrid forward is an advocate of Nike's Mercurial range and netted an incredible 53 times last season - including 25 times with his right boot and nine with his left. Designed for global icon Cristiano Ronaldo, the Nike Mercurial range of boots are the pinnacle of one of the most technically advanced, innovatively designed football boots ever created. Ronaldo is the heartbeat of every football boot Nike Mecurial produce.

On 24 February 2010 at a Nike Football event in London, Cristiano Ronaldo launched the second release of the Mecurial Vapour Superfly series.

On 16 March 2011 Nike unveiled the third incarnation of the Superfly series – the Mercurial Vapor Superfly III. The Mercurial Vapor Superfly III received its official on-pitch debut on 19 March 2011, when Cristiano Ronaldo and Mesut Özil played in the Madrid derby.

On 14 April 2011, Nike revealed the Nike CR Mercurial Vapor Superfly III (below), a version of the Mercurial Vapor Superfly III to be worn 'exclusively' by Cristiano Ronaldo. Whilst not featuring any technical updates to the standard Superfly III, the Nike CR Mercurial Vapor Superfly III featured an all-over 'Safari' print, that was designed specifically for Ronaldo, an all-over leopard-skin print in black and white, with contrasting safety-vest orange Nike Branding. The concept being that it set the man and the boot apart from the competition! The major innovation for the Superfly II soccer shoes was the development of the Nike Sense adaptive traction technology. A revolution in boot technology, Nike engineered a boot that combines a unique one-piece upper with a traction configuration sole-plate. Designers created an adaptive stud that can extend and retract by up to 3mm, based on ground conditions and pressure exerted by the player. Next-generation Nike Flywire technology was incorporated into the boot’s streamlined upper to provide a unique lightweight, strong and more dynamic fit.

On March 19, 2012 the Nike Mecurial Vapour VIII boot (below) was released. The special features of the boot is that Nike no longer uses the sense studs and 4 studs for the heel counter now Nike uses a whole new stud design for traction and 2 studs for the heel counter. This implant of the Mercurials do not include a carbon fibre soleplate, but instead uses the fibreglass soleplate Nike has been using for 2 years for the standard Vapors. Nike no longer uses Flywire but uses a thin layer of microfibre that has a suede finish, which is said to be for control. Ronaldo currently wears The Vapor VIII, but it was not designed and marketed exclusively for him. Other players that wear the boot include Juan Mata, Neymar, Andrey Arshavin and Mesut Özil.

Visit the Nike Football Bootroom

David Beckham (LA Galaxy) – adidas – £7 million per season

You just cannot keep this man down. David Beckham will forever by synonymous with Adidas, having signed his first deal with the sportswear manufacturers early on in his playing career. The former England captain still wears adidas predators and has a unique deal in which he gets a cut of every boot sold. Beckham's deal with adidas is the result of some shrewd negotiation by 'team Beckham.'

Currently he can be seen wearing adidas Predator LZ DB (above and below), in a white, pink and black colour combination. The Predator LZ marks the first time that adidas have been able to incorporate so many Predator elements into a single boot, thanks to the new Hypertouch synthetic material used for the upper. Soft rubber ribs on the forefoot vamp use a recessed surface to create a ‘vacuum’ effect for a great first touch. SL Rubber on the instep toe area for a ‘high risk/high reward’ combination of spin and power when striking the ball. Finally rubber ‘Ribs’ on the medial out-step provides a precise ‘second skin’ feel when dribbling. The LZ is also the first adidas Predator to feature miCoach technology, with the latest Predator compatible with the same Speed Cell as the F50 adiZero and adiPure 11pro, thanks to it’s modified SprintFrame design.

The LA Galaxy midfielder pockets a percentage of every pair of Beckham-branded adidas football boots or piece of training apparel he personally endorses.

Given the desirable designs often reserved for these items, it’s no surprise to see Beckham pocketing more than any other footballer with his Football Boots Sponsorship Deal.

Visit the adidas Football Bootroom

# Figures correct up to the end of 2011/12 domestic football season.

Wembley beckons, but who will prevail? - Betting News with Betfred

versus

It is the first domestic cup final of the English season on Sunday and Birmingham City will be out to upset the strongly fancied Arsenal, and give their fans something to really cheer about.

For Blues fans it has been an indifferent season, but the cup competitions have given them cause for enjoyment. Getting to a Wembley final is a major boost for any side, and provides them with some relief from the weekly rigours of a season long battle to avoid relegation, but the football betting market makes them outsiders at 6/1 to win the trophy in 90 minutes, or 11/4 to lift the trophy.

Arsenal fans will see this Carling Cup final as a great chance to end five long years without a trophy – a fact that Manchester United and Chelsea fans laud over them every season.

The loss of Theo Walcott to injury along with serious concerns over the fitness of skipper Cesc Fabregas, sustained in Arsenal's midweek win over Stoke, is without a doubt a massive blow to the Gunners, but there is no doubting their attacking qualities even without them.

It could be a question of what side Arsene Wenger puts out at Wembley, as in recent seasons he has stuck with youth for the Carling Cup.

With so many games coming thick and fast for the Gunners, Wenger could be tempted to rest one or two of his star players, and thus give the Blues a real fighting chance of lifting their first major trophy since the League Cup in 1963. However, Arsenal remain strong 8/15 favourites to prevail.

For Birmingham, goalscoring has been their problem all season, and they brought in the experienced Obafemi Martins on loan during the January transfer window, in an attempt to solve that problem.

But Alex McLeish's trump card at Wembley could be the giant Serbian striker Nikola Zigic, who is 9/1 in the football odds to score the first goal of the game.

It has been well known for years that Arsenal struggle against balls put into the box and with an inexperienced keeper between the sticks then the 6ft 8in striker could pose massive problems.

My Tip of the Weekend:

Birmingham have a real cup pedigree about them this season and they could get one over on an Arsenal side who are facing a hectic schedule. There is a lot of pressure on Wenger and his players to deliver a first trophy since the FA Cup in 2005, and with the Club chasing honours in three other competitions, a combination of fatigue and expectation may well may play a factor on Sunday. A 1-0 win for the Blues priced at 12/1 with Betfred looks a value bet.

Sunday 27th February: Arsenal v Birmingham, kick-off 4pm, live on Sky Sports 1.

By Drew Swainston
(Guest writer from Betfred on behalf of Beer Footy and Birds!)

Toffees Need To Stick It To The Gunners - Betting News with Betfred

versus

Everton have been painfully shy in front of goal all season but are going to need their strikers to be on top form if they are to get all three points against Arsenal on Sunday at Goodison Park.

Arsene Wenger's men are riding high in the league despite losing three games and looking shaky. The defeat against Newcastle showed the continued fragility of goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski and the Gunners rode their luck against Wolves in midweek to earn a win.

Everton have recovered from the early season jitters to climb the Premier League table, and should certainly not be on the end of a 6-1 home thrashing like they were in this fixture last season. However despite home advantage and an improvement in results recently, the Toffees are still the outsiders in the Premier League betting at odds of 12/5 for the win with Betfred compared to the 6/5 on offer for Arsenal to take all three points.

David Moyes earned the manager of the month award for October, but he knows his team could be even higher if his misfiring strikers could score on a more regular basis.

Yakubu and Louis Saha have struggled as Everton have scored only 13 goals so far this season, but now the Toffees fans are hoping that Jermaine Beckford can be the one to fire them up the table.

He has been poor so far, but finally came to life with a brilliant last-minute goal against Bolton in midweek, the type of goal his team-mate Leighton Baines claims he has been doing "quite regularly" in training.

"He has now proved he can be a valuable asset for the club," said the defender.

While one goal does not a goalscoring legend make, it could fill the Everton fans with some optimism - especially as the Arsenal rearguard looks more vulnerable than in recent seasons. Beckford is 8/1 in the football odds to be first goalscorer, so this could be a good option, if the game is stalemate going into the latter stages.

With the right pressure in the correct areas the Blues should be able to cause the Gunners defensive problems, but they will have to be wary as the likes of Fabregas, Wilshire, Walcott, Chamakh and Arshavin could really trouble them on the break

My Tip of the Weekend:

Expect a tight game in which Arsenal will be too strong and take all three points back to London with a 1-0 win, a result which is 6/1 with Betfred.

Sunday 14th November: Everton v Arsenal, kick-off 2pm, Live on Sky Sports 1.

By Drew Swainston
(Guest writer from Betfred on behalf of Beer Footy and Birds!)

Coyle Facing Tricky Task On Return To Bolton - Betting News with Betfred

Cesc Fabregas could return to inspire Arsenal at the weekend and rain all over the parade that is Owen Coyle's first match in charge of Bolton.

The Scottish manager officially took the reins at Bolton earlier this week after the club agreed a compensation package with Burnley, allowing Coyle to return to the club he played for between 1993 and 1995.

It is common that new managers inspire their new teams to victory in their first game in charge, but Coyle's Bolton team faces a tricky home tie against Premier League title chasers Arsenal on Sunday, and so The Trotters are as big as 4/1 with to win the match.

Arsenal are currently in third place in the Premier League and they could be boosted for the trip to the Reebok Stadium by the return of influential midfielder Cesc Fabregas.

The Spanish midfielder has missed the last three games with the hamstring injury which he aggravated in his match-winning substitute appearance against Aston Villa on the 27th December.

He claims to have been working hard to regain his fitness, and is now optimistic of playing a part in the Bolton clash.

Fabregas said: "My hamstring feels 100 per cent now. The snow may have disrupted the football, but it hasn't interrupted my rehab."

Arsenal are well-fancied at 4/7 to ruin Coyle's homecoming party at the Reebok Stadium. Bolton's defensive problems this season could hint at an Arsenal win, but Bolton could raise their game to impress their new manager so 13/5 with Betfred for the match to be drawn may be the best Premier League bet of the weekend.


My Tip Of The Weekend:
A 1-1 draw priced @ 6/1 with Betfred - Sunday 17th January, kick-off at 4pm, live on Sky.

By Drew Swainston
(Guest writer from Betfred on behalf of Beer Footy and Birds!)