Giving something back. The nicer side of football

Flying the flag: Essien was in Ghana supporting his foundation

Overpaid, poor role models, on field prima donnas, disenfranchised from reality. These are only a few of the slurs aimed at the modern-day footballer.

The off-the-field antics of the likes of John Terry, Ashley Cole, Wayne Rooney and even youngster Andy Carroll and Jack Wilshere in recent weeks have only fuelled the fire of ill-feeling towards this particular group.

Believe it or not, although there are some bad eggs who continuously profess to have turned a corner (Joey Barton perhaps?) there those who go the extra mile to give something back.

Only this week Michael Essien returned to his hometown in Ghana, Awutu, to help promote his charity, the Michael Essien Foundation.

To date, it has helped fund a water bore hole in the centre of the town, as well as new public toilets.
“It is so good to be home and be able to give something back to my community,” said Essien.

“It is great to be here, where I used to play football, and the amount of people here is really special, it makes me really proud.”

The Ghana international is not alone by any means. Football fans across the land may have been surprised to learn Craig Bellamy opened a school in Sierra Leone earlier this year.

Although the cynics may see these as well-timed PR stunts, the Essien visit coinciding nicely with a three-game ban following a nasty two-footed lunge last week, while the Craig Bellamy Foundation set up to placate those who feel the Welsh international is little more than an angry thug, the pair are demonstrating a more generous and compassionate side to their feisty characters.

But there is plenty that goes on out of the public eye.

“Lots of players are setting up foundations,” said former Liverpool defender Phil Babb, speaking at The Sue Ryder International Cup, a charity event hoping to raise money for its international work.

“There are so many things going on behind the scenes. People don’t always see what’s happening – players are constantly out there giving something back.”

Babb was joined by fellow ex-pros Bob Bolder, Steve Lomas, Kerry Dixon and Steve Claridge in a legends team which faced the tournament’s winners.

Football friends: Getting up close and personal with the legends

Claridge and Dixon regularly feature in tournaments, while Lomas helps out at Children’s Hospice Haven House back in his native Northern Ireland.

Lomas said: “There are a lot of wonderful people involved there.

“Ray Winstone’s a patron and they give valuable support to the families.”

Babb said he and his teammates realise just how privileged they are and he remains grateful for the impact football has had on his life.

The former Republic of Ireland international has played for various Liverpool legends teams over the past seven years, while the club regularly host a Football Aid event.

Indeed, Liverpool as a club, and city, have a rich history of charitable work.

Both Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres have raised money for LUPUS UK, while vice-captain Jamie Carragher has set up his own charity, the 23 Foundation, which hopes to give children on Merseyside a better life.

Across Stanley Park, Everton skipper Phil Neville and his wife Julie are patrons of the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital Charity.

Their daughter Isabella was diagnosed with cerebral palsy when she was just 18 months old and they were told she may never walk.

Despite this setback the couple, in particular Julie, have embarked on a vigorous fund-raising campaign which has seen a celebrity auction, a reception for the appeal at No10 with the Prime Minister, a series of fundraising races and two concerts.

To date, the charity has raised over £20 million.

In June this year, celebrities and some of the biggest names in football joined forces for Soccer Aid, a match held at Old Trafford to raise money to benefit UNICEF projects around the world.

While all of the above barely scratches the surface of charitable work carried out by current and former pros, it remains to be seen whether the football community can shackle the tarnished image created by many of the game’s less than responsible characters.

As long as the fund raising continues, be it in the public eye or behind the scenes, I doubt the game’s true legends will care.

Bolt from the Blue

Monday, Tuesday, Happy Days: Ray enjoying a joke with Ancelotti and Terry

Yesterday evening, Chelsea Football Club announced the shock departure of Ray Wilkins as their assistant manager.

Ray was one minute putting the ground-work in at their Surrey training base in a reserve-team game with Bayern Munich, and the next being told his services were no longer required.

Senior members of the backroom staff are rightly stunned by the decision to part company with such a popular character and this is a travesty not just for Chelsea, but for the football community.

In an age where loyalty is seemingly on the wane in the game, Ray was a breath of fresh air at a club that defines everything bad about the modern game: 1. foreign ownership and 2. debts only manageable by securing ludicrous loans and qualifying for the Champions League season-in season-out.

Ray has been associated with his boyhood club on and off for 37 years and, despite Chelsea’s flirtation with countless foreign managers, he has provided a solid English pillar.

Leader of the pack: A youthful Wilkins was handed the captaincy at just 18

He made 179 appearances for Chelsea, joining them as an apprentice in 1973, and filled in as caretaker manager twice, before assuming his role as assistant manager in 2009.

To sever ties with him is saddening, while the timing sickening.

Why wait 12 games into a season before rendering his services redundant? Surly it would have been preferable for an amicable parting of the ways in the summer.

The press have come to the conclusion there must have been a falling out with the manager, Carlo Ancelotti.

Such a scenario would make sense. In his latest book, The Beautiful Game of an Ordinary Genius released in August, Ancelotti was full of praise for his assistant.

“One of the reasons I fit into the locker room was thanks to the fundamental role played by Ray Wilkins, my number two and my friend,” it reads.

“It's one thing to translate words – plenty of people can do that – but translating feelings is the gift of only a select few.

“Ray is one of those select few, always present, noble in spirit, a real blue-blood, Chelsea flows in his veins.

“Without him, we couldn't have won a thing.”

The book also states what a great bloke John Terry is.

The fact Ray is held in such high esteem by the same man who was part of consultation process to oust him is telling; so I wouldn’t get too ahead of yourself John.

So all points to a very bitter, and recent falling out.

But I believe in an all-too-sinister alternative.

Today the game is run as a business; a cut-throat industry ran as meticulously off it as on it.

If an owner pours billions into a club and is dissatisfied with even the most minute of irritants, the axe is wielded, with timing and the individual concerned barely taken into consideration.

Quite how Ray fell victim to Roman Abramovich's regime is left open to speculation.

But from the outside looking in, the way this ‘blue-blood’ has been treated is despicable, and both Ancelotti and Abramovich should hang their heads in shame at this apparent coups d'état.

Anyone who has met Ray will tell you how likeable he is and, from a football fan’s perspective, he is a rare gem.

Ray spotted collecting his Barclays Merit Award for services to CFC

He is not of the Mick McCarthy or Ian Holloway school of comedy, nor part of the cryptic crew of Messrs Cantona, Ferguson or Benítez.

But his charm offensive is unique and likeable.

His tone of voice and charisma in discussing a John Terry elbow or a Didier Drogba dive is as eloquent as if he were giving a treatise on a Monet, or a Mozart violin concerto, all while sitting back to a glass of burgundy.

Quite what his views on French impressionist painting and Classical music is anyone’s guess.

But his passion for Chelsea is insatiable and was evident not least when he acted as a judge in Sky One’s Football Icon, a nationwide talent search for the next Frank Lampard.

Ray had no obligation to get involved in such a charade, but never-the-less offered four-decades worth of experience to these kids as if they were his own.

Perhaps this paternal instinct, evident when he skippered a youthful Chelsea team to promotion in 1977 and his work under two managers for the England Under-21s, is wasted on prima donnas such as Drogba and better suited to a youth set-up.

There is no doubting should he pursue this career path next there will be no shortage of admirers.

But the way he has been treated this week by Chelsea is despicable, and should be a wake-up call for football – loyalty is not something that can be bought, nor taken for granted.

With Chelsea looking down on the Football League, flying high in Europe and with an FA Cup to defend, don’t be surprised if Karma makes a timely appearance when the pots are handed out in May.