Football: General
Raffaele Poli (2010) African migrants in Asian and European football: hopes and realities, Sport in Society: Cultures, Commerce, Media, Politics, 13:6, 1001-1011,
1001 - In reality, social and economic success through football remains mainly in the realm of utopia. The case of upward career paths of players recruited in Africa to the big European clubs are few and hide the numerous failures, not only sporting ones, which confront players who leave the continent to pursue their ambitions abroad. 1002- Being relatively cheaper than their colleagues from other continents, where championships have a higher level of professionalism, African players are subjected to a high level of commercial speculation. The amateurism in local leagues and the early departure of the best players abroad affect the transfer sums that foreign clubs are prepared to invest when signing players. While the recruitment of footballers from Latin America can cost more than 20 million euros, transfers carried out from sub-Saharan Africa rarely attain more than 1 million Euro, even for the most promising players. 1004- The aim of the Aspire Academy is not only to strengthen the Qatari national team, or to improve the level of the local championship, it is also of an economic nature. Indeed, the goal is to nurture young talent with a view to ulterior transfer to Europe. As in Maghreb, the Persian Gulf has become a launching pad for sub-Saharan African footballers who dream of joining European clubs. The career paths of Ivorians Kader Keita and BoubacarSanogo, or the Nigerian John Utaka exemplify this process 1004- Generally speaking, only 13.9% of players who grew up in Africa have been directly recruited by clubs of the big-five league countries, and only 10.6% have been directly engaged by clubs participating in the top-division leagues of these countries. In all the other cases, the players have transited via intermediary countries or have been first recruited by clubs in lower divisions, in the countries in which the best leagues of the world are located. 1004-1005 - These statistics show that most of the African footballers have to pass through multiple championships with different sporting and economic levels before being able to reach the wealthiest leagues and clubs. The analytical framework of global commodity chains is particularly useful in understanding what is at stake in the global market of footballers. From this perspective, clubs can be considered as industries gradually developing footballers' skills and players as commodities whose transfer rights are bought and sold in order to generate added values. 1005 - The African countries exporting the most players are all situated in the western part of the continent. Nigeria and Cameroon alone account for a third of the flow of footballers to Europe. This proportion increases to 62% if we take into account the other three main exporting countries: Ivory Coast, Senegal and Ghana (Table 1). In 2003, the percentage of footballers coming from the top five exporting nations was 54%. This shows that despite a trend towards globalization, transfer networks still focus on specific countries, where trans-national social links have been developed over time. 1007- Bottom 1008- With a view to professional mobility in mind, clubs can play the role of stepping stone when they allow footballers to reach higher level teams, one of stagnation when the new club is not noticeably better than the previous one, or one of demotion when the team or player is weaker. The pyramid structure of professional football, where the number of clubs having considerable means at their disposal is relatively small compared to that of less well-off teams, means that functions of stagnation and demotion are more commonplace than those of launching pad. Ascending career paths are thus more of an exception than a rule However, observations on the field suggest that the uncertainty linked to the pursuit of a professional career in football does not temper the desire of numerous young Africans to attain this goal. 1009- A Cameroonian player who was staying illegally in France and who had managed to obtain a permit through marriage told the present writer, that despite the failure of his sporting career, he considered himself to have succeeded in life 'thanks to football'. This for the simple reason that he could come to Europe and stay there. This statement reflects the fact that independent of the real possibilities of professional career and upward social mobility that it offers, football tends to be seen by the African male youth as a means to go abroad and to escape the difficult life conditions experienced at home.
Gerard A. Akindes (2011) Football bars: urban sub-Saharan Africa's trans-local 'stadiums', The International Journal of the History of Sport, 28:15, 2176-2190 Almost Half the World Turned in at Home to Watch 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa',FIFA.com, July 11, 2011. http://www.fifa.com/newscentre/news/newsid=1473143/
(6)The impact of television football on urban culture can be easily observed when games with a high significance for the local population are televised. During those games, the streets are empty. City residents are riveted to the television - in their own home, at their neighbour's house, in bars, kiosks or in theatres. Any place with a television is a good place to sit for a while. As observed in Abidjan, Coˆte d'Ivoire, in 2009, during the UEFA Champions League semi-final, taxi drivers parked their cars close to a television and put their business on hold for the duration of a game. The collective convergence of a whole city or nation is visual and audible. For example, an important football match of the Elephants (Coˆte d'Ivoire's national team) can potentially reduce Treichville, Abidjan, to a quiet, empty space. At any other time, Treichville is a business and market neighbourhood, usually animated and noisy. Occasionally there will be a sudden, loud, city-wide clamour. Such clamours indicatethat the local team has scored a goal. The 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa was shown in every single country and territory on Earth, including Antarctica and the Arctic Circle. [...] The competition reached over 3.2 billion people around the world, or 46.4% of the global population. 2182- First, fans no longer have to be in the same space as the game. Thus global events can now be seen at the local level. Second, European games can be broadcast live to African audiences because the countries of Europe and Africa are in similar time zones. With satellite television, space and time are transcended; thus local clubs, such as Manchester United or Real Madrid, have become global clubs with global audiences. 2183- 2184- Talking about the depletion of interest in the local games and why.
Brigitte Suter (2012) Social Networks in Transit: Experiences of Nigerian Migrants in Istanbul, Journal of Immigrant & Refugee Studies, 10:2, 204-222,
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Verité. (2010).Help wanted: Hiring,human trafficking and modern-day slavery in the global economy. New York: Verité. Retrieved from http://fairlaborrecruitment.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/help-wanted.pdf
16, 17, Relate tirupur example where they are reruited nd promised something but in reality the fees are lower and they have already incurred debt for the move or kerala example
' we are managing!" Uncertain paths to respectable adulthoods in Accra, Ghana , Thilde Lagevang, Geoforum, Volumer 39, Issue 6, 2008, 2039-2047
2042- Adduls story, Few vacancies and then those that were availablle were often filled on principle on a ' who you know basis'. Opportunies for funding jobs when one is educated in Accra is very slim. Pressure from females. Materialistic, talk about african females and their drive to fix brazillian hair and wear louboutins. 2044 ' respect is bestowed primarily upon those who have turned their life life into a success'. And 'the most convincingb proof of a successful life is money' While education has been drilled into the minds oy young ghanians and other africans as the prerequisute to national and social development . However the market value of a certificate has decreased significantly, implying that today an education is no guarantee of anything. It is by marraige that one becomes socially responsible in africa,both in men and women.
Football as Social unconscious or the cultural logic of late imperialism in Post Colonial Nigeria from book Popular Culture in Africa: The episteme of the everyday , taylor and francis, 2013, chapter 14
275 - African labour migration to europe is clearly a defining marker of the present postmodernist order where globalization... 276- Football has assumed the status of a religion and deity with a cult following to which all social categories pay obseisance and worship 276- See how football implantation into Africa has benefited england as it keeps its position as originator and the rest of the world is he consumer. 277- Point that african migration to europe has historical background to slave trade and just as the best were carted off and that created a huge gulf in africa's development the same goes for africans who migrate abroad willingly 278- So although they provide food for their family they are still subject to marginal subjectivity underscored in the power and racial relations constructed between them and their european counterparts. Racist comments directed against african players during footbal games have been part of football discourse in many european league. Look at banana eating incident. 278,- words used in football discourse relates to the commodification of footballer. see " buying", "selling", "on loan", "on sale" 280- the commodification of football as a global sport throught satellite television and product advertising has endowed it with the character of commodity production which participates in the politics and economics of global capitalism in its latest consumer phase 281 - Comparing football and democracy Talks about how even white people who migrate to africa as technical advisers get paid more than the coaches. States that footbal is a powerful hypnotic and has an opiating influence over the socisl unconscious. What is peculiar about football is that id permeates theough social classes etc and has established itself as a fierce proselytizing agent for people's minds. 284 - Football deployed as part of the colonial design to civilise the barbaric africans. Introduction of sport was to teach africans the rudiments of culture etc... 285- football became popularised as the sport of gentlemen Introductio of football was consistent with the colonial cultural current of superiority over the colonized as a, it took over from local sports such as wrestling. Bottom of 285, the good football can do, lifting spirits over former opressorslike senegal beating france in opening of world cup. See 286 on foorball and globalisation. 287- Football is the most poprular sport in the world. 288- apart from the brain drain is the muscle drain Pecuiniary advantage, glamour and ... irresistable attraction of european leagues. See hoe tv rights and co heelp to fund leagues and continue the attraction Metropolitan centre remains the universal standard to be looked up by the periphery. 289- apart from being a unifying factor when the national team plays it is often divisive when it comes to european league matches which are played more often. causes fights and riots http://mile2herald.wordpress.com/2014/03/20/help-european-premiership-football-has-gone-crazy-in-nigeria/ Mushin area and yaba area fights easily break out.
Children's rights in football: welfare and work
4, 6, 7,
OUT OF AFRICA: THE EXODUS OF ELITE AFRICAN FOOTBALL TALENT TO EUROPE, Paul Darby, WorkingUSA, Volume 10, Issue 4, pages 443-456, December 2007
449- The fact that most pitches and stadia are owned by the government and are managed either by the Ministry of Sports or by local government administrators and therefore cannot be used by clubs to generate revenue presents further difficulties for the development of professional infrastructures for African football. There is little in the way of infrastructure, professionalism, or the possibility of a good salary to encourage them to remain in their home nations and eschew the potential of earning the almost unimaginable riches, by African standards at least, that the European game offers. It would be difficult, if not impossible, to be critical of the choice that the majority of Africa's most talented players have made in terms of where their best career options lie and for seeking to achieve their ambitions. 450- In the 1990s and early 2000s, this occurred as a consequence of the increasing numbers of scouts, agents, and talent speculators who recognized in the trade of African football labor an opportunity for personal financial gain 450= 451 - Talking about exploitation by agents. 451- Sepp Blatter introduced FiFA introduced in Septem- ber 2001 regulation which effectively prevented clubs from signing players under the age of 18 452- 453 Critique of Soccer Academies
Paul Darby (2007) African Football Labour Migration to Portugal: Colonial and Neo‐Colonial Resource, Soccer & Society, 8:4, 495-509
496- Nigeria and Angola example
Anneke G. van der Niet (2010) Football in post-Conflict Sierra Leone, African Historical Review, 42:2, 48-60,
55- 56- talks about how football helps war amputees in sierra leone 57 - Sports can thus be a very good means to an end, as an instrument for reintegration, for rehabilitation and for exploring on new ways of social understanding among former enemies.
Kate Manzo, Development through football in africa: Neo-liberal and post colonial models of community development , Geoforum, Volume 43, Issue 3, May 2012, Pages 551 - 560
552. - Founded in Paris in 1904, FIFA has been described as an organisation with ''a deeply embedded Eurocentrism'' at its core ( Darby,2002, p. 1). The combination of European control of core decision-making machinery during the colonial age and the ''insularity'' and''narrow-mindedness'' of FIFA's founders has worked to keep European interests high on the organisation's agenda (Darby, 2002,p.22) 553- The third sign of FIFA's Afro-friendliness is its shared concern with CAF about so-called muscle drain or ''leg drain'' ( Milanovic,2005, p. 829), i.e. the trans-continental migration of African footballers. Blatter notably endorsed the idea of tighter controls on player migration in 2003, when he described European receiving clubs as ''neocolonialists'' engaged in the ''social and economic rape'' of the ''developing world 554- FIFA also focuses somewhat on the plight of unsuccessful youngmigrants, whose hopes of emulating their overseas heroes are exploited by various unscrupulous forces (Darby et al., 2007; McDougall, 2007, 2008; Myrie, 2008; Oliver, 2007). FIFA supports organisations such as Culture Foot Solidaire- a French NGO working to protect young African hopefuls from ''child trafficking and exploitation'' 558- The excitement generated by the ''historic appearance in the village by the Ugandan national team'' (Doyle, 2009b) was equalled only by the unprecedented arrival in Katine of the Barclays Premier League trophy. Dispatched under armed guard by project partner Barclays and received like a visiting dignitary, the trophy was de- scribed by one eyewitness as a source of ''new confidence to this whole region because almost nothing ever makes it this far up- country'' (quoted in Doyle, 2009c). As well as a possible icon of national inclusion, the Premier Lea- gue trophy was significant as a symbol of sporting achievement. Its appearance in Katine prompted ''virtually every boy'' there to ex- press ''the same wish: to play professionally, maybe in the Premier League'' (Doyle, 2009d).
Arnold Pannenborg (2010) Big Men, Big Gains? The Involvement of African Club Officials in the Transfer of Players, African Historical Review, 42:1, 63-90
67- Football the world over has more and more become synonymous with the Big Men who run it. In England, Russia, Italy and other countries, the top clubs are effectively owned by wealthy businessmen, either privately or through companies or business conglomerates. Researchers and journalists have been increasingly curious as to why such Big Men have engaged themselves in the running of clubs 75-76 God fatherisms of big men creates ripples in the notion of only people with talent will get scouted. Picking of favourites for games. 77 - 78 - talks about football age
Taikongs and Calos: The Role of Middlemen and Brokers in Javanese International Migration Ernst Spaan International Migration Review, Vol. 28, No. 1 (Spring, 1994), pp. 93-113
94- Existing across time and space, social networks are highly relevant for studies of international migration. By binding migrants and nonmigrants together in a complex web of social roles and interpersonal relationships ..., these personal networks are conduits of information and social and financial assistance. They also shape migration outcomes, ranging from no migration, immigration, return migration or the continuation of migration flows. It is important to note that the social networks used by migrants often include unofficial but semiprofessional recruiters and that their involvement has increasingly commercialized the migration process. These could include relatives or friends, and also government servants, local entrepre? neurs or policemen.
Research
In Israel and Palestine, football brings communities together by using a bottom up approach, where communities themselves plan matches etc. So football can actually help development.
Sine Agergaard & Vera Botelho (2014) The way out? African players' migration to Scandinavian women's football, Sport in Society: Cultures, Commerce, Media, Politics, 17:4, 523-536
Talks about female experiences in Scandinavian league and the reasons for migration and sort of compares them with north american team mates who have different motivations
Stephanie Ware Barrientos (2013)'Labour Chains': Analysing the Role of Labour Contractors in Global Production Networks, The Journal of Development Studies, 49:8, 1058-1071
The idea of different categories of middlemen , so in football i can say there are those who are formally recognised and registered e.g football clubs and more informal or unrecognised so individual agents and other social networks. 1060- Labour agent- Labour intermediary or contractor supplies workers to a producer for a fee, and the producer becomes the direct employer. Normally based on a direct contractual employment arrangement (verbal or written) between worker and producer. 1065- The analysis of GVCs has played an important role in helping to understand the changing commercial dynamics of global production, but largely from a firm-centric perspective. It has analysed buyer-led chains, where lead firms coordinate networks of suppliers that cross-cut sectors and countries. Hence, lead firms are able to coordinate productive activities across suppliers, linking design, raw material inputs, manufacturing specifications, distribution timing, branding and marketing (Gereffi et al., 2001). GVC analysis examines how the dominant commercial position of lead firms allows them to exercise governance over suppliers from whom they source. They extract economic rent (or additional profit) through control of quality enhancing value-added activities (such as branding) at the consumer end of the chain. This process has allowed global buyers to outsource higher-cost and higher-risk aspects of production and distribution, whilst exerting control over product specifications, production processes and standards which enhance quality at the consumer end of the chain. A GPN perspective facilitates examination of the social and institutional embeddedness of commercial operations, with local labour market institutions playing a key and varying role.
Urbanization and female football in Nigeria: history and struggle in a 'man's game
Using story of the resistance of Nigerian female football players to show their struggle for recognition.
An Ethnographic View on African Football Migrants in İstanbul, Martin budel http://www.politics.ankara.edu.tr/dergi/pdf/68/1/1.Martin-BUDEL.pdf
in general that there are nuanced relaities apart from the exploited football immigrant dichotomy and the rich super fly immigrant. glance through pages before this as well 9- Despite setbacks and failure in the earlier course of their migration projects, they still believe in their own abilities and in further opportunities to successfully enter professional football. Central in relation to this self-confident image is their ambition to use their talent as a footballer in the migration process. While the current situation is difficult and their future in Turkey is uncertain, the notion of being an ambitious football player, who is gifted enough to make it, keeps them focused on pursuing their imagined career. 9- Still, football and the attempt to use their talent as professional players is not the only aspect of everyday life for these migrants. Like many of their fellow nationals they are confronted with the need to organize a living by doing different kinds of jobs. 10- 11 , where it talks about the football pitch and the hierarchies involves nd how younger players are not happy about the conditions See Simons story and also martin, Andrew(17)
World Migration report, 2008
page 11 and 12. Young men migrate to europe cos it seems like a gateway to fame and fortune
Thomas F. Carter (2011) What happens while the official looks the other way? Citizenship, transnational sports migrants and the circumvention of the state, Sport in Society: Cultures, Commerce, Media, Politics, 14:02, 223-240
page 227 - Critique on globalisation and how people erase the state from globalization speak and by doing this they forget that states will always have political agency.
The History, Economics and Geography of Ghanaian Football Labour Migration, African Historical Review, 42:1, 19-41
see page 36 - Michael essien and co make boys want to play.
