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The strange thing about the whole affair is that this involves a club in severe financial difficulties taking its players to a plush, expensive Spanish resort---a place, it has to be remembered, they were asked to leave four years ago when Mr Collymore decided using a fire extinguisher in a bar was a good idea.

Footballers misbehaving away from home isn't unusual. At least half a dozen members of the Scottish World Cup squad 30 years ago were apparently entertained by a single flexible German woman---some of them boast of it to this day. I hope that they were telling the truth about her willingness to participate.

If the problem seems more common just now it's because the press are now more willing to report incidents, that clubs no longer have as much say in the lives of their players, and that huge wages and more time on their hands (training and club-related activities are not as time-consuming as they once were) leaves the players at loss for how to spend their leisure time. Factor in the arrogance level of some footballers, and it's a recipe for disaster. The laddish culture of teams won't have helped either.

If the three charged players are found guilty, they will be jailed; their careers and marriages will almost certainly be over. Hard to feel any sympathy if they did do it.

but then can you trust a german?

As some of the press commentators pointed out, the individuals accused weren't quite the single, 18-y-o thicko egotist kids one might have expected: they are older, married, more senior players.
Which is even more worrying..........

mid life crisis i suppose,lol.

Yeah, mostly guys in their late 20s/early 30s. More like the playing away mentality of the stag party than the ambassador sportsman representing his club and country.

And Steve, just because a person is German doesn't mean they aren't telling the truth, just as being British doesn't mean you can't lie. The Spanish authorities are satisfied with the evidence, which means these women were assaulted---sexually assaulted. For that they deserve sympathy.

sorry carac,that was out of order i suppose,then i get fed up with the irish being the butt of the jokes at times i recall in the early 70s and 80s even all the comedians were slagging them off and as for banning urban guerilla due to IRA bombings thats a flimsy xcuse too.

No worries, Steve.

yeah best to be tackful,thought i was getting better used to be very outspoken yrs ago.

Agree with you Ace. but it would only happen if the player was with one of the top 5 clubs,as they are the only ones able to afford that action.
The other clubs if they sacked the players would have to replace them, and at this stage of the season,which clubs have the cash.
With all the money in football today, look at the clubs balance sheets,most are spending 70 % on players wages,this leaves little for the purchase of new players.
With loan players the agents fee is not limited to 5 % of the players contract and the additional costs can be as high as 30 % of the players income.
This event is a disgrace,no doubt, but it will only be if the Spanish authorities find them guilty that we will start to see clubs taking a harder line.
The clubs can only fine a player two weeks wages, but if I were the Chairman of the club I would sue the players for any additional costs this issue costs the club.That way it would serve notice to other players about repercussions of bad behaviour.