People respect you if you move for the right reasons

I’m beginning to wonder if current players think about anything but money.

We’re still reeling from the news that Liverpool’s Raheem Sterling is stalling over an extended contract because £100,000 a week isn’t enough.

If he’s playing a poker game with his club because he wanted to move to London or abroad, then you might be able to justify the way negotiations have gone.

I suspect, however, that his agent has told him the going rate for a player of his ability is £150,000-a-week.

It’s all about cold, hard cash and lots of it.

Let’s be honest, there have always been players prepared to move for money.

For many years, that was because they weren’t getting their fair share.

The only way to try and build up a nest egg was to be a “have boots, will travel” player.

Those days particularly for English Premier League performers are long gone.

Top stars like Sterling are in the fantastic position of being able to decide their future for footballing reasons.

Former Liverpool player Jamie Carragher believes the striker is in danger of turning the Anfield fans against him.

You can see why that could happen.

Sterling is a talented player, but he’s only 20 years old.

He can’t need more than £100,000 a week. Unless he makes some catastrophic mistakes, his financial future will be settled for life.

Meanwhile, supporters are paying up to nearly £60 a time to watch matches.

The Premier League is still incredibly successful but the clubs have to keep a connection with the fans.

It would be short-sighted to alienate loyal supporters by caving in to absurd cash demands from players yet to perform consistently at the very top.

You can see why Harry Kane is so popular with the footballing public.

I get the impression that Kane is highly thought of beyond just Spurs and England supporters.

He has shown a genuine passion for his club and seems to appreciate every opportunity that comes his way.

His five-and-half-year contract worth £45,000 a week will make him very wealthy but it’s a realistic amount when you consider the millions being raked in from television rights.

Let’s hope we see others showing his very refreshing approach to a football career.

I’m not speaking as some embittered ex-professional.

I’ve been able to reinvent myself and forge a career in broadcasting.

I made more money when I was transferred from Ipswich Town to Spurs and then to Manchester United.

But I made the move to White Hart Lane because I wanted to play and the lure of Old Trafford was too much to resist.

I think people respect you if they know you’re moving for the right reasons.

It will do nothing for the image of the game If Sterling decides to become a bench warmer at some European club just to add a few more zeros to his bank account.