Former English football manager and commentator Simon Jordan is well-known for his unvarnished views on the game he loves. He voiced concerns in one of his interviews regarding the increasing control players have over different facets of their careers.

Jordan likens today's football players to kings on a chessboard, where each piece has a specific function within the game as well as a unique power. Nowadays, players have the power of kings, dictating terms for contracts and transfers, frequently overriding managerial choices, and even affecting the interpretation or application of the law.

His concern is that the balance that makes football so appealing—a game where teams must cooperate under stringent regulations and unambiguous leadership—may be upset by this change in power. It's like giving all chess pieces the same power as kings, where players have such extensive control over every facet of their careers. This can lead to some amazing moves, but it can also make the game less organized and more unpredictable.

Jordan's viewpoint draws attention to a larger debate in sports regarding how to strike a balance between the rights of individual players and the interests of teams and leagues as a whole. He questions whether the sport is becoming too player-centric at the expense of its traditional structure and values, raising concerns about governance and competition integrity.