Whatever happens between Manchester United and Cristiano Ronaldo after Euro 2008, it is just another example of how ludicrous the money situation has become in the world of football - especially the English Premier League.

The sums of money currently being shelled out in England are, quite frankly, obscene. Emmanuel Adebayor is seemingly after a £50,000-a-week pay rise at Arsenal. Fifty grand! It's enough to make most normal and sane, hard-working people sick.

The excuses of the past about football being a comparatively short career were well founded when players were on much, much lower wages. It was why testimonials were played and loyalty was rewarded with a lump sum going to the player nearing the end of his career. It was a fair and correct way in which to do things. There is no need for such games these days - unless you ply your trade in the lower divisions.

The newly-wed Rooneys reportedly spent £5million on their wedding day. Now, perhaps most people, if they had that sort of money at their disposal, might be tempted to splash out a bit on the big day - but £5m really is rather outlandish. Yes, it is a dog-eat-dog world and if you are good enough to play at the top table and earn that money, why should we begrudge it? Personally, it's not what these players earn that saddens me and makes me angry, it's when they start holding out for sky-high wage increases with the help of their lovely money-grabbing agents.

Wes Brown was guilty of it last year and Manchester United caved in to his demand. In a certain way we cannot blame the current crop because they are simply following the trends and wanting exactly what everyone else seeks. The problem is identifying where the ball started rolling. Was it Tottenham bringing in Jurgen Klinsmann all of those years ago? Was it when Sky started ploughing millions and millions into the game through television?

There are numerous reasons and football is a huge money-making machine which we really just have to accept. Ronaldo is only doing what he feels is right for himself. Sir Alex Ferguson has basically said that if Ronaldo goes, then he goes. Ferguson was upset with Brown last season and rightly so. He must feel a certain sense of betrayal when players he helped to become who they are today are so easily influenced by money. Then again, who isn’t? It’s a fact of life. If each and every one of us were in their football boots, we would do exactly the same.