The Curious Case of Max Kruse

[John Arne]

I always believe that footballers should be treated like adults, and that football should be treated as much as possible like any other profession.

Back in October Max Kruse, a talented poker player, won €75,000 at a table and promptly left his winnings in a taxi on the way home. The money was never returned.

A few months later his club Wolfsburg found out about this and fined him a further €20,000, adding


'You might be a private person as a footballer when you are in your bed. At any other point, you are also an employee of the club.

'We have explained to him what sort of behaviour we expect from our players. We can only hope that he has been taught a lesson and will change his behaviour.'

And today he was removed from the Germany national team when apparently some woman harassed him and took his photo whilst he was out on his birthday - he took the phone from her, deleted the picture and returned the phone. The woman happened to be a Bild journo trying to find a story.

Is it any wonder that some footballers act like pricks when clubs are going around telling them how to behave on their own time?? Also, most journalists are cunts.

[John Arne]

Just to clarify - the story with the woman is obviously a little more of a grey area - but the club fine is ridiculous and the guy should have refused the fine.

[randomlegend]

Was the poker match legally dubious or anything?

[John Arne]

Nope. A legit tournament. He plays regularly apparently.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Gambling vast sums of money isn't a great example to kids, legal or otherwise.

[John Arne]

I've never been one who accepted that footballers should be setting an example to kids.. If you've brought your kids up to look at footballers for moral guidance, then you've made a big mistake!
Also, nobody (I.e. The kids) would have known about this had the papers not dug it up and made a big deal of it.

[Yaysus]

Apparently, he's a huge, arrogant cunt to everybody that isn't his boss
His manager at Wolfsburg said they had several talks with him regarding his behaviour but it seems like it never changed

[Lewis]

Germans being arrogant? Germans controlling people? This story has it all.

[GS]

Germans acting like fascists has much historical precedent, so one shouldn't be surprised by this turn of events.

[John Arne]

Apparently, he's a huge, arrogant cunt to everybody that isn't his boss
His manager at Wolfsburg said they had several talks with him regarding his behaviour but it seems like it never changed

Yeah, heard that too. Still the fine is harsh, cunt or no cunt :)

[Yevrah]

If you've brought your kids up to look at footballers for moral guidance, then you've made a big mistake!


Nobody does this, that's not the way it works, but kids are impressionable.

That said, on face value the fine is clearly ridiculous.

[Giggles]

People need to be held responsible to raise their own brats. This role model shit is a joke.

[Yevrah]

People need to be held responsible to raise their own brats. This role model shit is a joke.

They are or should be responsible, but that and 'role models' (for want of a better term) aren't mutually exclusive.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Exactly. You can choose not to be a good role model if you want, but you can't expect then to enjoy preferment in an industry where people want you to be a good role model.

[Raoul Duke]

If the club have a code of conduct that he has signed up to in his contract then he should be held to it.

[leedsrevolution]

If they think Kruse is bad put me on 50k a week and I'll show you a bad role model. In the two years I live after being on said wage.

[Browning]

What is this thing about him and Nutella? Even if he's "addicted" to it who cares?

[ItalAussie]

I think when you sign a contract with a club, you consent to them being able to levy fines?

It's a bit of a weird situation otherwise.

[-james-]

Gambling vast sums of money isn't a great example to kids, legal or otherwise.

I don't really think being very good at poker is anywhere near as bad as some of the shit footballers do, or really classable as "gambling vasts sums of money". Apart from being a div for losing the money, I don't really see how he's done anything wrong.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Poker is no less gambling than sticking money on the gee gees. People just convince themselves otherwise. To get yourself on a table to win 75,000 Euros surely you're putting something down.

Obviously spit roasting and rape aren't great either.

[leedsrevolution]

Poker is no less gambling than sticking money on the gee gees. People just convince themselves otherwise. To get yourself on a table to win 75,000 Euros surely you're putting something down.

Obviously spit roasting and rape aren't great either.

Didn't Simon destroy his entire life with poker? We should ask for his two cents. Lol - if he's got any fucking money left that is.