The Anti-Testimonial

yahoo_moe

BBC Sport wrote:

Etxeberria signs to play for free

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."

Great gesture - reckon it'll ever catch on more widely?

Eirebear

Sebastian Rozenthal offered to do this at Rangers for a season after spending his two year contract on the injury table.

IIRC there were some legal (possibly insurance?) reasons why Rangers couldnt take him up on the offer

chopperbyrne

Riquelme played for free when he went back to Boca didn't he?

An Italian player a few years back refused to be paid while he was out on a long injury too I think?

stovelid

Fair play to him. More players should do it.

I also think testimonials themselves need to be seriously looked at, at least at certain levels of the game, or for players whose career is ended by injury. They're a leftover from a time when players actually needed the money at the end of their careers.

pickarooney

chopperbyrne wrote: »

Riquelme played for free when he went back to Boca didn't he?

An Italian player a few years back refused to be paid while he was out on a long injury too I think?

I think that was Redondo when he joined Milan and was injured practically all the time he was there.

Then there was the chap from Roma (?) who played for minimum wage.

Mitch Connor

I'm ok with testimonials for Prem players who donate the proceeds to charity, but the players who keep the money for themselves when they have already earnt a packet over their careers annoy me.

Eirebear

Tauren wrote: »

I'm ok with testimonials for Prem players who donate the proceeds to charity, but the players who keep the money for themselves when they have already earnt a packet over their careers annoy me.

Or the Celtic one where Larsson was due a pay off when leaving the club so they gave him an "early" testimonial and got the fans to pay for it.

OhNoYouDidn't

pickarooney wrote: »

Then there was the chap from Roma (?) who played for minimum wage.

Vieri at Atalanta. On a €250k goal bonus, so you can imagine the fun that caused.

Eirebear

OhNoYouDidn't wrote: »

Vieri at Atalanta. On a €250k goal bonus, so you can imagine the fun that caused.

I remember the big deal about him playing for minimum wage, but dont remember the goal bonus bit.
Kinda makes a mockery of it all eh?

pickarooney

OhNoYouDidn't wrote: »

Vieri at Atalanta. On a €250k goal bonus, so you can imagine the fun that caused.

Tomassi was the one I was thinking about, and there was no goal bonus involved.

ziggy

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fullstop

ziggy wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

No it must be aimed at me

Eirebear

Nope they seem to want me too.

Unfortunately my team in Holland would be FC Volendam....