Essentially, this is a love story.
Moving on is not easy.
Leaving a job, team, relationship or country can stick in the craw. For a while you think you will never move on, but you do.
Perhaps Marcell Jansen, in time, will find that is the case. Right now, however, the former Germany international wants nothing to do with the game.
Hamburg SV, his beloved club, ended up 16th in the Bundesliga last season. They survived relegation by winning a tense play-off.
Still, management decided to cut the squad and rebuild. The 29-year-old had only made 15 appearances, at left back. He was released as his contract had run out.
Jansen was heartbroken.
He took some time off, went on a break to clear his head, and returned to Germany with a decision that is verging on unique in modern football.
Jansen told Bild, ‘I thought about it on holiday. There were a lot of good offers but for me carrying on is not an option.
‘I am fit, can move on a free transfer, could still earn good money but I prefer to renounce the money.’
Jansen, who appeared for Germany in the 2006 and 2010 World Cup tournaments, was three years at Borussia Mönchengladbach and moved to Bayern Munich for a year in 2007. He has been with Hamburg since 2008.
‘In the last few years I was very emotionally tied to HSV,’ he added.
‘I will continue to live in Hamburg and will always love this club. Gladbach, of course, as well.
‘But now some new club? No, I don’t want to lie or deceive some other club or fans when I am no longer fully behind it. I can’t just suddenly kiss another badge now. That wouldn’t be right. I am myself too much of a fan for that.’
We wish we could renounce money for a while ourselves.
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