For love, not money.

The goals flew in - top corner, bottom corner, through the keepers legs. It was relentless. Complete and utter domination by one team over another. No, I'm not talking about the World Cup where the Germans made a mockery of the English game. I'm not even talking about any one-sided professional encounter. This is Under 12', proper grassroots stuff. The team I coach lost the match 9-0. It was hard to take. Watching your team you had trained all pre-season get ripped apart by a much stronger, faster, better side is quite de-moralising but I couldn't of been prouder. Not one player moaned, nobody stopped trying, nobody asked to be subbed off. For the full length of the game every single player gave it their all. It was incredible to witness - players so young just playing on regardless of the score because that's what they enjoy.

Around the UK there are teams that get methodically broken down over and over, game after game but keep coming back for more. I play in a local Stroud league. There is a team in the same division I play in that have conceded 59 goals in only 5 games. One week the score was 19-1, then next, 12-1 (hey at least they are still scoring!).Nationally there are teams a lot worse than this though.

Back in November 2010 a Cornish team by the name of Madron FC took to the pitch to face Illogan Reserves. At 2.30pm Gary Lord blew the whistle for the start of the match, then things went a bit crazy. I imagine by the end of the game the goalkeeper had a very sore back having had to pick the ball out of the net an amazing 55 times in the course of 90 minutes. Yes you read it correctly, the game ended 55-0.

Why do these players keep on going? They don't get paid - with 99% of local teams the players actually have to pay for the right to play. Imagine that, paying money every week to get beaten.With kids and adults around the UK doing this why hasn't this sheer love for the game fed it's way to the top? The petulant Rooney kicks as things go wrong for England. Refusal to step onto the pitch by Tevez for Man City. What's happened to the passion for simply playing the game. Is it the money? Is it the celebrity status? At the back of these players minds they must think "it doesn't matter, I'll still get £100k put into my bank account at the end of the week"

These over-paid 'stars' must have come from somewhere though. Take Carlos Tevez for example -

Tevez grew up in Barrio Ejército de los Andes which is a neighbourhood of Ciudadela in Argentina. Better know as Fuerte Apache, a nick name given to it from the 1981 film Fort Apache: The Bronx, it is home to around 20,000 people and is not far from the much more famous city of Buenos Aires. He started playing football for local teams such as Estrellas del Uno, Santa Clara and Villa Real until the age of 14 where he had the chance to join the youth system of All Boys. From here he went on to greater glory...Olympic medals, Argentinean championships, the lot. For such a big team to secure a players signature out of hundreds of talented kids he must of had more than talent. It takes commitment, determination and drive to make it in the professional game. What has happened to this fighting spirt? I think Mr Tevez needs to take a trip home to remind himself what he went through to get to where he is today.

So, I present an invitation to the professional players of Britain. Carlos Tevez. Wayne Rooney. The 'stars' in our game right now. Get yourself down to a local park near you and watch a local team. Look at the desire in each players face. Watch the passions run high as both sides do their very best to win. Maybe you'll rekindle that love you had for the game when you first kicked a ball and be able to show the fans who pay hundreds of pounds over the course of a season to watch you play, that you actually give a damn about the sport.

There are millions of amateur players out there who would do anything for a professional contract and yet we watch players turn down the chance to play. It's pathetic.

Forget managers team talks. Forget tactics. We just want to see players who care play the game we love.