Gretzky

The problem with modern day football is the skyward direction of the player's salary and the TV broadcasting $ of the clubs. It is a chicken and egg dilemma. There is an invisible link between players' salary and TV broadcasting revenue. The problem rises when clubs need to have a certain amount of revenue to keep top players so they can complete in the highest level of competition. The benefit of course, is to get the share revenue from TV channels worldwide. That's why clubs in Wales would kill for an appearance in Champions' Leauge. Even just one match generates a lot of $ for small clubs.

I think this is why we have so many 'cup' games in domestic leagues nowadays. Players are now rated not just on their football skills but 'marketability' as well. Thanks to the David Beckham Effect, the trend has now spread to the club level. Players/Clubs has dollar signs on everything. To be honet, those --- tours for clubs are nothing but a marketing scheme. Increase fan base  results in increase TV $ and merchandise sales...it's all about money. Football is a product. The same can be said for baseball, American football, ice-hockey(of course!), basketball, tennis, rugby, table-tennis, and even volleyball.

There is no way the players will rest now....most pro athletics would actually enter a rigourous training schedule that fills with heavy weight lifting, aerobic and strength conditioning exercises. Personal trainers are hired in the off season and the players actually work even harders than during the season. That's why we have guys like Heinz who 'prefers' to play to stay in shape rather than taking breaks.

It's ultimately down to the choices: more money or more health...for both players and the club, and the ones who can balance the two better, the most likely they will win some silverware.