Premier League - Parker slams book culture

Eurosport - Thu, 23 Oct 17:56:00 2008

Former Manchester United defender Paul Parker has said he cannot understand why some footballers persist in releasing autobiographies while still playing.

1710 drogba book - 0

"I don't think that players should release autobiographies before they have retired from the game.

For a start, what they have to say at such a young age can be terribly uninteresting. It takes an entire career to compile what I consider to be an interesting collection of footballing stories and anecdotes.

Quite why current players feel the need to release their life stories so soon remains a mystery to me.

Initially, you'd think that they do it for the money, but these are players plying their trade at the highest level and for outrageous sums of money. Surely they're not short of a bob or two.

Perhaps they like to use a book as a personal mouthpiece; to get things off their chest, if you like.

But isn't that what newspapers are for? The tabloids exist on a daily basis to meet those ends, and we all know how much they lap up any kind of juicy gossip.

Publicity? Again, these players are never far from the public eye so they hardly need a boost in that department.

Maybe they are pushed into penning their thoughts by their agents, who certainly never miss a beat when there's money or publicity to be had.

Who knows? I just can't understand it.

What makes it all the more incomprehensible is that past experience has proved that those who make revelations while still playing face investigation by the authorities. Just ask Roy Keane.

Yet players still persist in repeating the same mistakes again and again.

Keane copped a sizable ban and fine for revealing all about his feelings for Alf-Inge Haaland, so why has Didier Drogba issued similar sentiments about Nemanja Vidic in the latest of these books to hit the shelves?

Drogba will now have to face the consequences of his words, and if he is on the receiving end of any sanctions, he should not be surprised.

I've released my own autobiography, but it was only published a few years ago - and a good decade since I was involved in top flight football.

I believe I had a football story to tell and, having enjoyed a career that spanned over 20 years, the experience to make it suitably interesting for the reader.

Joey Barton may not be my favourite personality in the game, but he once hit the nail right on the head when he said he'd never write a book unless he'd actually "done something" in his career."

Paul Parker was talking to Mike Hytner / Eurosport

Comment 9 - 28 of 28

Sort comments by: Most recent

  1. All you ever do is complain about "modern­ footballers", as with most ex-players, you'd­ give anything to be playing now and you know it! You, I­ am sure, earned plenty of money when you were playing­ as you were still at man united when Sky money came in.­ Mug!!!

    From brap999, on Mon 27 Oct 11:19AM

  2. Admitted that these super dooper over egoe'd­ footballers think they have something to say and they­ think their lives are interesting when in fact most are­ very dull people who move around in silly little­ footballers social circles and think that they are­ funny and hilarious. People like Rio Ferdinand who goes­ around Mercing other footballers whilst in a state of­ absolute hilarity..................oh dear oh dear and­ I want to pay lots of dosh reading a book about these­ non entities, don't bloody think so!
    Mind you­ Parker should make good reading after everything­ he's done the failed will be used!

    From r.j.hall, on Mon 27 Oct 7:13AM

  3. What a hypocrit, Parker spouts rubbish off every week­ on here, what did he acheive ? being carried by a very­ good Man Utd team, making him look decent, thats what.­ If Drogba or anybody else for that matter wants to­ write a book, so be it. You have the choice to either­ buy it or not...or read it or not. What is this ? a­ communist state or something ? is Parker that bored,­ that this is all he can come up with?

    From lee, on Mon 27 Oct 7:00AM

  4. Not only that, most footballers are too thick to become­ anything else than just footballers. They hire writers­ to do their Autobiographies as footballers are far to­ thick to string a sentence together without a swear­ word.

    From sappercommando25, on Sun 26 Oct 11:09PM

  5. This is a very interesting article on how the mindset­ of people is these days. Autobiographies are normally­ written by those who have accomplished a strings of­ life achievements, which is not usually done before one­ reaches say Fergie's age. Why the likes of Drogba­ feel the need to spout their cakeholes is a mystery to­ me. One thing is for certain, it's not the money.

    From sappercommando25, on Sun 26 Oct 11:06PM

  6. I'm not a fan of Parker but I agree completely with­ him this time !!!

    From dante, on Sun 26 Oct 12:48AM

  7. "Maybe they are pushed into penning their thoughts­ by their agents, who certainly never miss a beat when­ there's money or publicity to be had".

    Hit­ the nail on the head there Paul ( i cant play im­ injured) Parker, so is that why your agent suggested­ you "pen" your thoughts.....and then plug­ your own autobiography at the end of the article?

    On­ another note.....

    Joey Barton may not be my favourite­ personality in the game, but he once hit the nail right­ on the head when he said he'd never write a book­ unless he'd actually "done something" in­ his career."

    What a shame your role model Joey­ (Jail Bird from a disturbed family) Barton wasn't­ around to advise you when you penned your thoughts on­ to a roll of toilet paper. I mean after all..... What­ did you achieve in your career that would make us all­ rush out to wipe our..... with your book???

    Apart­ from scoring an own goal in the semi final of the world­ cup?

    From shadow_sniperz, on Sat 25 Oct 7:08PM

  8. Wayne Rooney released an autobiagraphy at the age of­ around 19! Which is simply ridiculous

    From George W, on Fri 24 Oct 8:50PM

  9. Duh!
    Players release their autobiographies while they­ are still playing because, they are still in the public­ eye and so they will sell more copies!!
    Parker you­ really have outstayed your welcome!

    From cameron w, on Fri 24 Oct 5:32PM

  10. Looks like garage and coach are Chelski fans.....on­ that basis ignore them as they are not worth the energy­ in typing...................

    From jon.laughton, on Fri 24 Oct 9:37AM

  11. Barton has done something in his career! Attacked a­ team mate in training and nearly killed a lad in a­ vicious drunken city centre attack.. He got away with­ the first; received a slap on the wrist for the second­ (you don't call 10 weeks of a 6 month sentence­ justice, do you?) If he wants to do something to make­ his life story interesting, there's always suicide!

    From Paperboy, on Thu 23 Oct 6:12PM

  12. Barton has done something in his career! Attacked a­ team mate in training and nearly killed a lad in a­ vicious drunken city centre attack.. He got away with­ the first; received a slap on the wrist for the second­ (you don't call 10 weeks of a 6 month sentence­ justice, do you?) If he wants to do something to make­ his life story interesting, there's always suicide!

    From Paperboy, on Thu 23 Oct 6:12PM

  13. Write a book, blimey most of them can't even speak­ properly! be the mug they think you are and buy buy­ buy!!!!!

    From pfy1101, on Thu 23 Oct 5:50PM

  14. drogba is an idiot, he still don't understand his­ sending-off and blame vidic for it is just pure­ bitterness and a sore loser.

    From larry66b, on Thu 23 Oct 5:23PM

  15. They write autobiographies for the same reason you­ write articles. It gets them money...

    From E, on Thu 23 Oct 4:53PM

  16. I agree with #5. Its "great to finish your­ biography book while you're still young". In­ fact its the only time you should be finishing your­ biography book.

    From rouen, on Thu 23 Oct 4:16PM

  17. 11, he's saying players should release or write­ their bios after they retire einstein

    From etu, on Thu 23 Oct 3:18PM

  18. Parker, what you are saying right now is written so­ what's your point ???

    From Affi, on Thu 23 Oct 3:07PM

  19. Former Flintshire Counties defender Steve Robinson has­ said he cannot understand why some ex-footballers try­ to stay in the limelight after being rubbish for twenty­ years.

    "I think that players should keep their­ mouths shut before they have retired from the game, but­ especially after they've finished playing.

    For a­ start, what they have to say at such a old age can be­ terribly uninteresting. It takes an degree and a long­ career to compile what I consider to be an interesting­ report, not twenty years being a rubbish defender.

    From Steve, on Thu 23 Oct 2:36PM

  20. whys everyone always abusing paul parker? i'm far­ from a utd fan but he was always a solid player and­ seemed a nice enough guy so it all seems a bit odd?­ channel your hatred in a more useful manner chaps, like­ bill oddie or judith chalmers.

    From ihatebilloddie, on Thu 23 Oct 2:36PM
Sort comments by: Most recent

Not already a Yahoo! user ? to get a free Yahoo! Account