FRANCE 98 – General Media News Template

England legend Sir Tom Finney on Friday slammed England players who are currently involved in a cash row with the Football Association (FA).

Squad members are in dispute over the use of the England shirt in personal promotions with the World Cup less than three weeks away. But Finney, who won 76 England caps in the 1940s and 50s and is widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time, believes the players’ financial rewards will be gained from World Cup success. “I feel they should be concentrating on what is going to happen in the World Cup,”  said former winger Finney. “The cash will come automatically if they do well in the tournament.”  When we played it was the fact that you were playing for your country and that was sufficient and you never thought about the rest of it. “I suppose today it has all changed completely-it seems to be about money first and foremost.”I think you’ve got to produce the goods first before you start talking about what you’re going to get out of it.”  Finney, who once famously rejected Italian club Palermo’s offer of 10,130 pounds (17,000 dollars) per month despite being on just 14 pounds per week at Preston, refused to blame the players for trying to increase their financial security.

And he added if big businesses wanted to use England stars for advertising purposes, the players must jump at the opportunity. “It does seem a shame but having said that, you can’t blame the players if somebody comes along,”  added Finney. “I’ve got no problems about that whatsoever because they’re cashing in on it as well as the players.“If you’ve got a player like Alan Shearer, you can’t blame him because if McDonalds come along and say they want him to do this, that and the other, he is entitled to negotiate whatever he can get for it.”It’s very sad but I suppose they look at it and think the FA are making a lot of money out of this and they should be part of it.”