Does Ched Evans realise playing professional football is a privilege, not a right?

After wanting the dust to settle from Oldham’s aborted and ill-advised attempt to sign the convicted rapist Ched Evans before writing this, his legal team has today submitted ‘fresh evidence’ in their latest bid to get his conviction overturned. Which has compelled me to pipe up on this issue, where it seems Evans, his legal team and (unsurprisingly) members of the football community still haven’t grasped the full ramifications of the crime he’s been convicted for and why there is such fierce opposition to him returning to the professional ranks.

Whilst the continued lack of a moral barometer in football allowed both Sheffield United and Oldham to consider re-signing Evans, the reality that supporters or sympathisers of Evans are choosing to ignore is that playing professional is a privilege, and not a right, as they would have you think. A privilege – besides the wages across the country’s top four divisions which I can bet are well above the current average UK annual salary of £26,500 – that comes with a high-profile, public-facing responsibility of being a role model who represents clubs, communities, towns, cities, years of history, countries (Wales in the case of Evans), our national game, sponsors and professional sport as a whole.

Yes, having served (only half of) his sentence, Evans has every right to pursue new employment and move forward with his life without prejudice. The old adage says everyone deserves a second chance. But that employment does not have to be professional football, a job that comes with a profile, lifestyle, responsibility and higher-than-average wages that only a lucky view will ever enjoy. Put another way, if a recognisable or high-profile figure such as an MP, television presenter or company CEO were convicted of the same crime as Evans, would they even be allowed to entertain the thought of returning to that same position or holding public office?

Especially, after seemingly showing no signs of remorse or regret until issuing a carefully worded and belated apology to their victim? (In the wake of public pressure deterring Oldham from signing Evans).

Because that in effect is what football would be condoning if Evans were to return to its paid ranks – unless his conviction is overturned.

Only performances should get Sam Burgess into the England team, not his reputation

After completing only his seventh game of rugby union last week since converting from rugby league in November, Sam Burgess’ club coach Mike Ford is already touting him for international recognition with the England Saxons ‘A’ team . A wildly premature suggestion considering Burgess’ limited impact and game time so far and England’s failed history of fast-tracking rugby league stars into the union national team, based on reputation and hefty investment from the RFU – not performances.

Burgess was undoubtedly a superstar of rugby league, earning the hard won respect of Australia’s rugby league fans, media and players during his four years with the South Sydney Rabbitohs, culminating in leading the club to its first Championship in 43 years with a Man-of-the-Match performance in November’s Grand Final. His arrival in rugby union has understandably sent ripples of excitement through the sport but despite his potential, Burgess needs to learn and adapt to a new game, new positions and new rules, and most importantly, produce performances that earn him the right to play for England, the same as everyone else.

I personally 100% want Burgess to succeed, fulfill his undoubted potential and flourish in the sport. Yet, for all Mike Ford’s eulogies talking up of only a handful of appearances, he is not yet an international rugby union player. The fact Jason Robinson, with the slight exception of Chris Ashton, has been the only recent unequivocal international cross-code success in this country, only serves to highlight the difficulty of picking up and excelling in the 15-man game, and the RFU’s failed policy of parachuting league stars into the international arena. The failed list of Henry Paul, Shontayne Hape, Barrie-Jon Mather, Andy Farrell, Lee Smith, Lesley Vainikolo, Joel Tomkins and Chev Walker (plus the high-profile example of Wales’ Iestyn Harris) should temper any thoughts that Burgess will automatically make the same transition as Sonny Bill Williams and Israel Folau have for New Zealand and Australia respectively.

Lancaster should only pick Burgess if and when he is truly ready, has an obvious position and is playing well enough with Bath. If not, experience shows the danger is that both Burgess and the England team could ultimately suffer.

Whether Gerrard is jumping ship or has been pushed, Liverpool still can’t afford to lose him

As a Liverpool fan, the surprising news of Steven Gerrard’s (premature) departure was certainly not the New Years gift I was hoping for. For the second half of the season, an error free Simon Mignolet or an injury free Daniel Sturridge was closer to what I had in mind. But after cutting through the crimson waves of emotion, sadness, sentiment and appreciation that have greeted Gerrard’s announcement to seek pastures new, despite advancing years and the inevitable restriction of his abilities, this season – with the possible exception of Raheem Sterling – he is once again proving to be Liverpool’s best player. And Liverpool can ill afford to let him leave and should have done more to keep him.

At the time of writing, his match-winning brace against AFC Wimbledon has put Liverpool into the next round of the FA Cup taking him three goals clear as the club’s top scorer this season. His fourth goal in two games as manager Brendan Rodgers has finally realised the most effective place to deploy his aging skipper is higher up the pitch – as Rafa Benitez first did – where his in still-in-tact match-winning thrusts are best utilised.

This is surely why Brendan Rodgers – as big a Gerrard fan as any of his previous managers at Anfield – wants to measure his game time so that he’s available for the key battles. A strategy, despite Gerrard’s apparent fear of becoming a ‘squad player’, that has seen Anfield’s most celebrated no.8 once again be amongst the team’s top league starters this term. Against the backdrop of Frank Lampard’s continued excellence at Man City after being discarded by Chelsea, it beggars belief that Gerrard is even being allowed to leave, before you even consider how much experience and know how would be lost. Amidst the accolades and eulogies, the PR spin from Gerrard and Liverpool is clouding whether he has jumped, is being pushed or has simply misinterpreted Rodgers wanting to protect his 34 year old legs. But what is clear is that even after 17 years of distinguished service and excellence, this Liverpool side will be a significantly lesser team without Gerrard in it.