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| Monday 1 December, 2008 |
| Blog: Under the thumb |
| So Bastian Schweinsteiger may not sign for Juventus because his girlfriend doesn't fancy Turin. Steve Wilson thinks he should grow some balls |
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Bayern Munich midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger is on Juventus' radar for a January swoop but the deal may a non-starter because the player's girlfriend, Sarah Brandner, does not like the idea of moving to Turin. Excuse me, run that by me again…
Sadly this is not the first, and won't be the last, occasion where a player's career is dictated to him by his domineering missus. The cold hard facts are that the Bavarian ball-winner is the money-maker in their partnership, she needs him more than he needs her. It seems ludicrous that this talented professional athlete would allow the destination of his career to be dictated by the whims of a teenage girl.
The model previously dated boxer Vladimir Klitschko, presumably until he suggested a weekend away in Kiev, and has made her name largely since becoming attached to Schweini - the fact that she is only known in her homeland seems to be the basis of her self-centred opposition to the Italian switch. Although the 24-year-old claims he is playing better since he began dating her, he must surely realise that it is his own best interests that have to take precedence.
He has been at Bayern since 1998, making his pro debut in 2002, and while I am not suggesting that a failure to leave Munich would mark him as a failure - they too are a great and historic club - the whole scenario does make him look rather weak and limp. We have already seen how the once great Andriy Shevchenko was transformed into a neutered shadow of himself when he lost control of the trousers to his wife Kristen Pazik in 2006, how many more footballers must we lose under the thumbs of an assortment of European bimbos?
Barring injury, Schweinsteiger's career has around a decade left. He has plenty of time to make another move abroad in the future if this one does fall through, but if he is allowing the important decisions to be made by his other half then his bright potential may well be restricted to the Bundesliga. But where does it end? What if she doesn't fancy being on her own one weekend when the German national team calls? You may think that an extreme example but don't bet against a situation like that occurring before the decade is out.
What makes it all the more galling for Juventus fans who would like to see the young German in Turin is the fact that on the wages Bastian is getting he could fly his lover out to Turin every week if she did not want to move permanently herself. To be honest though, if Schweinsteiger is not man enough to stand up for himself off the pitch do Juventus really want him on the field in the important role currently held by Pavel Nedved? I'd suggest that they look elsewhere for a real man.
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I consider myself a long time Juventino and I think you have perfectly summed up the situation with your last two sentences:
“…if Schweinsteiger is not man enough to stand up for himself off the pitch do Juventus really want him on the field in the important role currently held by Pavel Nedved? I'd suggest that they look elsewhere for a real man.”
The man who fills Pavel’s boots will have to be able to do more than just tie his own laces.
Carlo, West Leederville, Australia
I believe that Bastian has the right to make his own decision and look at what is best for his career, but also we have to remember that football comes second to family matters and if he and his girlfriend are not going to feel at home in Turin then he has the choice to say no to a move.
He is already playing for a big club and getting paid well for his job so there is no big incentive to move other than a change and a new challenge. We remember the case of Shevchenko when his wife was behind his move to London, which they later regretted. Bastian's girl may be alot wiser than you think Steve.
Abdul, Manchester, UK
What I find laughable about this report is that she, an up and coming model, doesn't want to move to Turin. Surely for any wannabe model, living in Italy is a big step forward. They could happily live closer to Milan than Turin for Schweini to commute to Vinovo and her to be in Milan.
I can understand any wife wanting a say where her and her husband's career's and lives are led, however they haven't been together long and are probably some way off marriage and for that reason I have to agree with Steve Wilson. If she is unwilling, she should be put on the back burner.
After all, any young man or woman in this day and age should put their career which is their own life in front of a partner they have been dating, particularly a lucrative and extremely short career such as that of a footballer.
Micky
Obviously these people have not been in love and committed to a long standing relationship. Bastian is the money maker....yes. Decision maker.....no. Is this common or rare.....common. Women usually wear the pants - end of story..
Eric Polese-Lopez
I am a football fan, a life-long Juventina, and a woman. As a woman, I have never been so deeply offended by an editorial. To suggest that I, as a woman, has no say as to where my partner wants me to live because my career is dependant upon his is utterly insulting.
I will not defend the merits of 'the model', 'the teenager', and 'she', -apparently when a woman enters a relationship she also loses the right to have her name used - but I will say that any relationship is a partnership of equals. Equality is not dependant upon money, unless the author of this particular editorial has managed to transport us all back in time to where 'she' and those of us who share her gender would be best off without our shoes, carrying the child of our benefactor, and cooking something yummy in the kitchen so that our man can continue on buying us something pretty every so often.
I would also be remiss to suggest that your treatment of 'him' is not equally appalling. He is less of a man because he cares about the opinion of his partner? I need not even expand on the lunacy of this statement. It's insulting to everyone regardless of gender.
That said, as a Juventus fan, I would love to have someone as talented as Schweinsteiger as a member of our squad. Not as a woman, but as a person involved in a relationship, I understand the conflict in which both Schweinsteiger and 'the model' find themselves.
It's a personal issue and up to them to work out. If Juve loses out, and so does Schweinsteiger for not being able to join a club as rich and brilliant for his career as Juventus, then it is his choice, his personal choice, for better or for worse.
I will state outright that I strongly feel he should join my beloved club. However, if he does not, we Juventini and football fans may not agree with his decision, but I am not prepared to declare him castrated for it. Perhaps men are quicker with the blade than we women are made out to be.
Lisa, Toronto, Canada
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