Answer the question – footballers
Do footballers get paid too much?
They do get paid too much. I think they should get paid about 32,000 a year including players like Beckham, Cole and Owen. But if I was a world class player like Rivaldo I would expect to be paid 60,000 for each match. People like Rivaldo are wicked, he scores loads of goals, he passes to other players and he doesn't keep the ball to himself. That's why he should get paid that much, but not the others, only him.
Jonathan Ijoyah, 10
| Over £10,000 a week; what greed, and what for? |
In a recent table showing which teams paid their player the most, Chelsea came out tops. That's wrong, Chelsea haven't played as well as they should have this season. They should be paid by performance, because that's what matters. If you win lots you should be paid more. Some get paid up to 50,000 a week for kicking the ball a couple of times during a game. It depends on your skills, and you shouldn't get paid more just because you play for Man Utd or Arsenal.
Benjamina Avro-Owiriwa, 13.
Some good footballers, like Steve McManaman, get paid enormous amounts but a student nurse would probably get paid that in a couple of years. There are some players, like Michael Owen who in my opinion deserve a good wage because they are great players. All together I think that most footballers get paid too much for their job and should be paid about 10,000 a month. It's not as if their job is dangerous.
Phoebe Saunders, 10
Compare the amount footballers get to nurses. There are a lot of more important jobs like teaching and being a fire fighter. If I were David Beckham, I'd expect to get paid a lot but I'd give most of it to charity because I wouldn't know what to do with it. A lot of people just buy big mansions, fancy cars and designer clothes and I think that's a big waste of money. If you get loads of money you shouldn't be greedy, you should share it.
Ebru Edgeworth, 9
Footballers do earn too much money these days because players like Roy Keane have negotiated a salary of 50,000 per week. Come on, don't you think that's far too much? Don't you think they should be paid about 5,000 per month? That's much better. By 2005 footballer's wages will be massive. Alan Shearer earns 112,000 per month. Now multiply that by 12 and that a lot of money a year. People should be paid the same amount of money - no matter what they do - so everyone can be happy.
Cindy Crome, 11
Over 10,000 a week; what greed, and what for? What do footballers spend their great salaries on? How comes most footballers get more money in a week than the average worker? The way boxing works is better because you win a match and then you get money. So footballers should be paid by results. They should be paid more than usual because not anyone can be a footballer, but not too much. I wouldn't call them greedy of they got 2,000 a week which makes 96,000 a year.
Onome Edgeworth, 11
About the team
The Answer the question panel are members of Children's Express London bureau. This column was published as part of Teen Talk, the Children's Express page in New Nation.
