With some concern I read an article (May 2021) in the “Financieele Dagblad” (a prominent Dutch daily financial newspaper in The Netherlands) in which you mention the problems you are facing in spending your money. I would rather describe this as “make more money with money”, whereby rich people are getting richer and the poor people poorer.
We are living in a changing world demanding more attention for culture, environment, nature, sustainability and a better live for people on our planet. Why do we see the need for change? Well, look around you, the pandemic is a good example: too many people in town, too many animals on a farm, burning forests for soya and palm oil, pollution of land and sea by the industry digging for oil, gas, gold and other metals, this together with our behaviour causes too much emission of CO2 and Nitrates, etc. We must stop this polluting process. The sooner the better..
Wouldn’t it be nice if you could or should change the world around you by spending your money towards these goals instead of just looking to the goals on football fields? But how can we make this change? For instance we switch from “Football for Money” to “Football for People and Planet”. Easily said of course, but now is the moment! Tomorrow it will be more expensive. Sure it will cost a lot of effort to make a step in this direction, because at the moment the world is still focussed on business for financial profit instead of profit for people and planet. The way of thinking in our minds must also change.
We know, you and I, as seniors we made our success in the old fashioned way: money on the bank and no financial problems to be expected. We also know we can’t take the money with us when we die. So let’s be wise and start today changing the world into a better world.
How can we and you as CEO of a Spanish football giant support this process? Well let’s start with an inventory of possibilities within and around the club. For instance you will see a lot of people are already connected to the club. But that can grow in a more social way by giving education, housing, work and support people helping each other.
We must educate children, people in this community by learning them how to behave as fans, supporters of your team and educate them for good jobs, so when they are adults, they will not become hooligans or poor people in the neighbourhood of your club, city, region or country.
Of course you will say “people will get lazy and sit back”, because everything is taken care of. Well, it is for sure we will always have these kind of people (as we have today), but with smart incentives and giving respect and honour to those who succeed, it will activate most people to get started and help each other. We already see this in our care systems of today, where many nurses, interns and volunteers are working day and night for our health, not only for money.
So, let’s do it, go and be successful! With money for people and planet!
