Gerrard vs Abramovich

charlie clown · October 8, 2006

Nice little piece from the Observer this morning....

They say footballers are spoilt, rich and out of touch - and it's hard to argue with that when you witness some of their boneheaded behaviour. But, as the game swims unconvincingly against its latest tidal wave of sleaze, it is the chairmen who ought to be worried most about drowning. While the players will never say no to a pay rise, the chairmen are the ones with the power to change the culture of greed and excess that is destroying what is left of football's integrity.

One of the most popular playthings the rich indulge themselves in is art. Take Roman Abramovich and Steven Gerrard.

Abramovich is the ultimate collector. He collects houses, planes, boats, football clubs, small countries, people - and paintings. At least art might be the one thing he has in common with Gerrard, whom he tried so hard to add to his collection of millionaires at Stamford Bridge. But Gerrard stayed loyal to Liverpool. And, if you believe what he says in his autobiography, he will be a Red long after Abramovich leaves Chelsea burdened with debt, the legacy of his mindless profligacy.

Last week, Gerrard showed there is more to him than picking up obscene pay cheques when he spread the word about art in Liverpool, the European Capital of Culture in 2008. There was something reassuringly ordinary and uncomplicated about how he explained what he liked and what he didn't like as he moved between the World Museum and the Walker Art Gallery, how he urged people to come to his city and see what it had to offer. It looked and sounded like more than a gesture.

'If you do visit then you'll know the place has changed so much,' he said. 'If you want to bring your children here, or schools, they can come here free of charge.

'I'm more interested in the art from years ago, it tells a story of how it was back then and it's quite interesting. I like modern art as well, I think it's nice on the eye, but for me personally I'd prefer to look at paintings from years back.' Not exactly Robert Hughes, but he knows what he likes.

So does Abramovich: anything he fancies that has a price tag. This story may or not be true, but it has been doing the rounds for a while and says a lot about what too much money can do to the brain. His wife, Irina, who grew up poor and met him when she was an airline stewardess, has grown into quite an enthusiastic shopper. She saw a house in posh Eaton Square in London. It wasn't for sale but she fancied it - and the wonderful art collection in it. So Roman offered £40million for the lot. The owner declined. £60m? No thank you. £100m? Goodbye and don't ask again.

So Abramovich was left to sulk. Just as he had to when Gerrard turned him down. Money can buy you a lot of freedom, a lot of time, a lot of property and a lot of paintings - but not always a lot of satisfaction. Gerrard is filthy rich, too. It is a measure of his standing against other professionals. But he is happy, it seems.

Last week he showed he can give as well as take. He's going to donate some of his memorabilia to the Liverpool museums, 'for the children to come and see'. He knows if he donated it to an individual or an organisation who could move it on, it would soon be on eBay, another piece of tat on the money merry-go-round. As disposable as a football. He would rather his often derided city had it.

'For me I just feel at home in Liverpool,' he said. 'I think you have to live in Liverpool to really appreciate it and to realise how much of a special place it is and what it's got to offer. I just feel different when I'm in my home city.'

I'm not sure Abramovich would ever say that about wherever it is that he calls home.

October 8, 2006

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