Syrette Posted October 2, 2008 Share Posted October 2, 2008 Exteberria to play the final season of his career for free. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/europe/7649109.stm Joseba Etxeberria has signed a one-year contract extension with Athletic Bilbao which will see him play the final season of his career for nothing. The former Spain international agreed the deal with his current contract due to expire at the end of this season. Etxeberria said he wanted to end his career as an Athletic player, adding: "I wanted to do this gesture but never did I want to set a precedent." Midfielder Etxeberria, 31, joined the club from Real Sociedad aged 17. He hopes to reach the landmark of having played 500 games when he retires after a 15-year career at San Mames. "It's an idea I've had for years," added Etxeberria, who played at the 1998 World Cup and two European Championships for Spain. Club president Fernando Garcia Macua said: "From the club's standpoint there are not words enough to thank such a gesture." Really pleasing to see a professional with some integrity, whose mind clearly isn't dominated by money, and who feels he owes his club and the game something. Good man. Imagine one of our lot doing this. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Astroblack Posted October 2, 2008 Share Posted October 2, 2008 I'd play for Newcastle for free. I think I would be a better match at RB that Steven Carr. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
toontownman Posted October 2, 2008 Share Posted October 2, 2008 nice to see someone that plays the game out of passion and enjoyment rather than for the money. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Incognito Posted October 2, 2008 Share Posted October 2, 2008 nice to see someone that plays the game out of passion and enjoyment rather than for the money. Totally agree,even if he does play for the Spanish,well Basque,mackems. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CPL Posted October 2, 2008 Share Posted October 2, 2008 Great gesture Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bovineblue Posted October 2, 2008 Share Posted October 2, 2008 Owen set to do the same for us next season. http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/article1761165.ece mackems.gif Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
midds Posted October 2, 2008 Share Posted October 2, 2008 Good on him. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 2, 2008 Share Posted October 2, 2008 Owen set to do the same for us next season. http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/article1761165.ece mackems.gif I was going to say could you have imagined Shearer doing that in the 2004-5 season after he said he'd retired, saying he'd play his final season for free to reach Milburn's record? Better comparison anyway. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest toonlass Posted October 2, 2008 Share Posted October 2, 2008 Loyalty, pure and simple. Giving something back to the club. Shame it won't catch on with the megabucks superstars over here. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Syrette Posted October 2, 2008 Share Posted October 2, 2008 Loyalty, pure and simple. Giving something back to the club. Shame it won't catch on with the megabucks superstars over here. He's a decent player too. Hardly a superstar for Spain (and thus probably not on the same money as some of his more known compatriots) but always looked good whenever I saw him play. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris_R Posted October 2, 2008 Share Posted October 2, 2008 Great gesture. Can't see it catching on though. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AyeDubbleYoo Posted October 3, 2008 Share Posted October 3, 2008 Very nice gesture, but don't forget he's able to do it because of the massive amount of money he's already collected in his career. Good on him though, nobody else does it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRon Posted October 3, 2008 Share Posted October 3, 2008 Legend. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tooj Posted October 3, 2008 Share Posted October 3, 2008 Was it Tommasi (sp) at Roma who done something similar before after he came back from a long injury? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dokko Posted October 3, 2008 Share Posted October 3, 2008 Should still take the money off the club and donate the lot to local charities. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
madras Posted October 3, 2008 Share Posted October 3, 2008 Should still take the money off the club and donate the lot to local charities. there was rumour a couple of years back that a prem league forward insisted on a clause in his contract that all win and goal bonuses go to a specific childrens charity. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tooj Posted October 3, 2008 Share Posted October 3, 2008 Should still take the money off the club and donate the lot to local charities. there was rumour a couple of years back that a prem league forward insisted on a clause in his contract that all win and goal bonuses go to a specific childrens charity. Alan Smith? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dokko Posted October 3, 2008 Share Posted October 3, 2008 Should still take the money off the club and donate the lot to local charities. there was rumour a couple of years back that a prem league forward insisted on a clause in his contract that all win and goal bonuses go to a specific childrens charity. Alan Smith? mackems.gif Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRon Posted October 3, 2008 Share Posted October 3, 2008 Should still take the money off the club and donate the lot to local charities. there was rumour a couple of years back that a prem league forward insisted on a clause in his contract that all win and goal bonuses go to a specific childrens charity. Alan Smith? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest NIToon Posted October 3, 2008 Share Posted October 3, 2008 The closest you'll probably get over here is David James, doesn't he have a foundation for kids in an African country as well as some other charity stuff?? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
nobby_solano Posted October 3, 2008 Share Posted October 3, 2008 i remember niall quinn giving his testimonial £ to charities a few years back, i think put a lot of money towards hospital facilities for kids too. wouldn't be too surprised he was the striker, seems a nice sort of bloke, well for an adopted mackem anyhow lol Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AyeDubbleYoo Posted October 3, 2008 Share Posted October 3, 2008 Surely it is much better to take a salary and give it to a really good cause than just save a football club a few quid? It's not like they're suddenly going to slash ticket prices or anything, they'll just make more of a profit. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Phil K Posted October 3, 2008 Share Posted October 3, 2008 Bloody hell....an honest footballer, never mind one who isn't a greedy self-important "rules don't apply to me" turd ? (Dyer, Jenas, Bellamy* anyone) You can tell he wouldn't be British, if that was the case eh ? Niall Quinn is a rarity - and perhaps the only Brit/Irish type to get close to the bloke. (* had a minor "on the Road to Damascus" revelation lately apparently though. Doubt if sh*tbags like Jenas and Dyer ever would tho') Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
madras Posted October 3, 2008 Share Posted October 3, 2008 Bloody hell....an honest footballer, never mind one who isn't a greedy self-important "rules don't apply to me" turd ? (Dyer, Jenas, Bellamy* anyone) You can tell he wouldn't be British, if that was the case eh ? Niall Quinn is a rarity - and perhaps the only Brit/Irish type to get close to the bloke. (* had a minor "on the Road to Damascus" revelation lately apparently though. Doubt if sh*tbags like Jenas and Dyer ever would tho') bellamy was bizzarre. go to training 5 times on on 3 you'd watch him be fantastic with everyone,last one away,signing autographs and posing for pics etc,very polite and friendly. on the other 2 days he'd tell you where to go and aim his car and accelerate at 8year old autograph hunters. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guinness_fiend Posted October 3, 2008 Share Posted October 3, 2008 Should still take the money off the club and donate the lot to local charities. there was rumour a couple of years back that a prem league forward insisted on a clause in his contract that all win and goal bonuses go to a specific childrens charity. Alan Smith? Awesome. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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