German soccer coach Felix Magath has issued a strong response to the mounting criticism directed towards footballers embracing alternatives in Saudi Arabia.
The former (West) Germany participant asserted that singling out athletes for criticism was “hypocritical” and that he wouldn’t draw back from a Saudi enterprise if it held a compelling sporting problem.
Speaking on an internet present hosted by the portal ran, Magath left no room for ambiguity.
“The moral lens through which people are scrutinizing athletes’ decisions is not in line with reality,” he mentioned.
His assertion that athletes are being tasked with reaching what politicians and business magnates couldn’t resonate as a rallying cry in opposition to the one-dimensional narrative being spun.
“Business is being conducted where business can be conducted. Footballers are no exception. The Saudi Pro League’s allure to footballers shouldn’t be misconstrued as a grand mission to reshape the world. Such simplistic thinking underestimates the complexities of global dynamics,” he mentioned.
A flurry of high-profile names, led by the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar and Karim Benzema, have lately migrated to the burgeoning Saudi Pro League.
The resolution has come underneath scrutiny from human rights teams that accuse Saudi Arabia of utilizing sports activities as a smokescreen to masks human rights considerations.
This phenomenon, dubbed “sports washing,” has ignited a fiery debate.
Yet, the 70-year-old contended that focusing on the athletes is a diversion from the broader tapestry of energy performs and geostrategic maneuvering.
“Let us be realistic here. Golfers, American football players – they all gravitate to where financial prospects are brightest. Footballers are no exception, and it’s disingenuous to act surprised,” he mentioned.
Felix Magath, the architect of SV Hamburg’s triumphant 1983 European Cup marketing campaign and a training genius who hoisted the Bundesliga trophy with Bayern Munich and Wolfsburg, stays an emblem of versatility.
His journey has led him to the helm of the Chinese membership Shandong Taishan, additional cementing his popularity as an intrepid explorer of soccer’s frontiers.
“I embarked on the adventure in China. The setting does not dictate my pursuits – whether it is Western Europe, America, or Asia. If a sporting challenge presents itself, I am intrigued. It is the essence of what fuels my passion,” he added.
Source: www.dailysabah.com
