Collymore calls for change

Exclusive by Stuart Roach

England players reject boycott Feature: The key players

Former England striker Stan Collymore has warned that footballers need to be protected like pop stars if football is to avoid potential collapse.

Collymore believes that to protect the game you must first protect the players following a series of ugly off-field incidents over the past fortnight, culminating in the threat of an England players' strike ahead of Saturday's game in Turkey.

And the former striker, who himself experienced headlines on the front and back pages during his playing career, predicts things will only get worse unless football undergoes a radical shake-up.

"You don't see Britney Spears going out on the town without minders - and football may have to get to that stage," Collymore told BBC Sport.

The former Liverpool, Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest striker believes clubs need to take action to protect their players from unscrupulous outside influences.

And he also predicts that the role of an agent could develop into the ultimate hand-holding service.

"In my experience, agents evolved from only turning up to do a deal when it was needed into the all-singing and all-dancing representative who told players to concentrate on playing football while they looked after everything else.

There are many people who hang on the coat tails of footballers Stan Collymore

"That is even more crucial now, but I certainly feel the clubs have responsibility.

"You can't give somebody a contract at 18 or 19 and expect 100% of the players 100% of the time to act like seasoned politicians. It's just not going to happen.

"Ultimately, the players have to take responsibility, but there are many people out there, male and female, that hang on the coat tails of footballers.

"And if you are an 18 or 19 year old guy and everyone is saying how great you are, it's only natural that some are going to fall for it.

"That's not a criticism of the players, they are just young men. If you put anybody else from society in that position you are going to have some who act well and some that don't react that well.

"That's just a reflection of society in general."

The England squad is reported to be planning another written statement in the form of a vote of no-confidence against Football Association chief executive Mark Palios.

Rooney set for England start

But Collymore believes the players will escape any censure from the FA or from their clubs when they return from Istanbul.

And he does not feel any of the England players involved have jeopardised their future international hopes by speaking out so publicly.

"If you are good enough you will play.

"We are blessed with quite a large talent pool in this country but the manager will always want to pick the best players.

"I don't think in the short term there will be repercussions on the playing side but I do think that it magnifies the club v country argument, which is broadening out as an ongoing political battle, month in and month out, between the FA and the bigger clubs.

"But there needs to be a situation where all the governing bodies in the UK, all the clubs and the PFA, put all their gripes behind them, sit down and come to a conclusion as to what is best for the game and best for the players.

"Then we can all move on and get to enjoy what is still the best football product in the world which is the Premiership."

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