In Defense of Patrik Schick

Following a run of five successive victories heading into the international break, the spirits of the Roma faithful were on a high, right up until the crown jewel of Monchi’s first transfer window, Patrik Schick, had a bit of a PR disaster. For the unaware, the Czech youngster was quoted saying that his motivation was to increase the size of his paycheck and to move on to a bigger club (i.e., Man U, Barca, Real). Schick ultimately came out and claimed that a loss of translation had occurred, and took to social media to reassure everyone that he was committed to the Giallorossi.

A large part of what made Er Pupone so beloved was his loyalty to Roma in the face of enticing offers from clubs such as Real. This level of loyalty is also why we adore De Rossi, Strootman, and Nainggolan, and why some despise Pjanic and Benatia for not exhibiting the same level of loyalty. That being said, in this day and age, the Francesco Tottis and Daniele De Rossis of the world are all but extinct. In their stead are the Neymars of the world, who seek the accolades and titles that often come with big money moves. It is with that in mind that it shouldn’t surprise anyone that a young footballer such as Schick would want to embark on a similar path.

Regardless of Schick's true intentions and motivations, the pressure is now on for him to perform once he recovers from his various injuries, and regardless of what the future holds for him, we should all hope that Schick is able to maximize his potential and perform at the level necessary to draw the attention of the likes of Real Madrid and Manchester United. Roma would be better off for it.