Oral Tracey | Unprofessional softies and crybabies

There is an impasse engulfing English powerhouse football club Manchester United, where Manager Jose Mourinho appears to be at loggerheads with most of his star players, raising speculations that in addition to the manager's tactics and strategies being outdated and ineffective, the players are demotivated and understandably underperforming.

Out of that high-profile squabble emanated a most interesting debate about the overall effect that fallouts with coaches and managers should have on the effort and performances of players. One prevalent school of thought is that quarrels and disagreements can and will demotivate players who might reasonably not do their best and duly proceed to underperform. Spoilt and unprofessional conduct by the players is the converse call.

While concurring that Mourinho's tactics, attitude and general man management skills are significantly to be blamed for the early-season issues at Old Trafford, the notion that as highly paid professional players, some earning close to £500,000 per week can be excused for deliberately not giving of their best, simply because they have disagreements with the manager, cannot be given a pass.

Highly paid senior professionals wittingly underperforming is wrong seven days of the week and twice on Sundays. Implicit in that principle is that if a police corporal disagrees with the style and methods of his commanding officer, he or she should then refuse to chase the robber, who grabbed the old lady's purse, with any real conviction. Likewise, the school teacher who disagrees with the way the syllabus is structured, or with the strategic approach of the school principal, would be justified in not teaching her class and conducting her lessons to the best of her ability.

The fact that this kind of shameless action can even be considered as a credible option in the settlement of a crisis, points to a changing in the attitude and character of the modern sports star. It's an evolving culture of bratty entitlement, where whenever interpersonal challenges arise and things don't go their way, there is a gutless surrender into victim mode, with a conspicuous absence of fortitude and mental toughness.

BRAVO'S STANDOFF

Darren Bravo and his standoff with Cricket West Indies President Dave Cameron encapsulates the cricketing equivalent, cricket contemporary where Bravo, in that infamous tweet, referred to Mr Cameron as a "big idiot" and was subsequently suspended. Amid threats of lawsuits and recommendations for mediation, the olive branch was eventually extended to Bravo to resume his international career. He summarily dismissed the mending of the fences, citing his continued unavailability.

One of the most talented regional batsmen of the modern era has effectively turned his back on his own international career, on the people of the Caribbean, and on West Indies cricket, because of his personal differences with the board president.

Lost in the softness of character in that decision is the fact that Darren Bravo does not get paid to represent Dave Cameron. He represents himself, his country, his region and his people. But just like his contemporaries at Manchester United, Darren Bravo's response to this minor crisis is to grab his marbles and run.

Neymar and his embarrassing antics at the 2018 FIFA World Cup provide another index of the relative flakiness of heart of the current sports superstars. It appeared during the tournament to be more about preserving the style of his hair and avoiding the possibility of abrasions on his shank, than displaying the requisite toughness and old-fashioned champion's mettle needed to get the job done.

Manchester United legend Roy Keane, who knows a thing or two about winning titles for Manchester United, having won 17 major titles with the 'Red Devils,' addressed the attitude of the current players at his former club perfectly, saying "When you walk out on the pitch, you are playing for your pride, you are playing for your family, you are playing for your city. Don't worry about what the manager says about you. Get out there and play." Keane concluded by saying "There are a lot of crybabies out there." Roy Keane's diagnosis is 100 per cent correct. The profile of the quintessential modern sports star is that of some unprofessional softies and crybabies.