MARCELL JANSEN – A MAN WITH UNQUESTIONABLE LOYALTY
A small gesture of loyalty goes a long way in the footballing world. It may be a heartfelt message on social media thanking the clubs fans for all their support (B.Schweinsteiger), an emotional press conference thanking the club for all they have done for you over the last 25 years (I.Casillas) or it could be as simple as paying for some cases of beer for each of the clubs official supporters’ groups (S.Gerrard). The fact is in a world where mega rich superstars are often accused of having no loyalty towards the clubs who pay their wages and the fans that turn up year in year out, these small gestures go a long way to creating a bond between players and fans that has seeming been forgotten in the games cash driven modern-day era.
So step forward Marcell Jansen – The man who may have just made the one of biggest gestures of loyalty in the history of football by retiring at the age of 29 rather than play for another club.
The former German international has called time on his career after he was released by Hamburg SV at the end of last season. The left-back, who won 45 caps for Germany, enjoyed spells at Borussia Mönchengladbach and Bayern Munich before joining Hamburg in 2008. “I thought about it on holiday. There were a lot of good offers but for me carrying on is not an option” Jansen told German newspaper Bild. “I am fit, and I could move on a free transfer”.
The defender said he had received “financially lucrative” offers from other clubs but preferred to look for a new career. “In the last few years I was very emotionally tied to HSV. I will continue to live in Hamburg and I will always love this club. But now some new club? No, I don’t want to lie or deceive some other club or fans when I am no longer fully behind it. I can’t just suddenly kiss another badge now. That wouldn’t be right. I am myself too much of a fan for that”.
Jansen started his career at Borussia Mönchengladbach, making his name as an attack minded full back. He played at the 2006 and 2010 world cups for die Nationalmannschaft and was capped as recently as March 2014. He joined Hamburg from Bayern Munich in an €8 million deal in August 2008 after helping Germany finish runners-up at the European Championship. The 6’3” defender proceeded to play more than 150 games in seven seasons with HSV. Jansen said he is looking forward to pursuing a new chapter in his life outside of football, “I’m delighted that I can have my hobby back, football used to be my job. Now it is my hobby again.”
Marcell Jansen we applaud you, Goodbye. And good luck.