I’m sure a large majority realise exactly how lucky they are to be paid for kicking a bag of wind round a field for 90 mins a week. But they don’t make such good press. Sure, they enjoy the riches that come with it but I’m pretty sure they also know what a privileged life they have.
A few are absolute morons, and will always be the ones you read about because they sell papers.
All are paid to win and many will exercise whatever tactics they can to do that. It’s a purely results driven business. Just because someone goes down a bit easily when in the box, it doesn’t make them a bad person. It (sadly, I’ll agree) is part of the game now. A part I’d like to see stamped out but all the while it drives results and is hence condoned / encouraged by their managers, colleagues, etc., it’s part of the game.
eg: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1227047/EXCLUSIVE-Chelsea-striker-Didier-Drogba-pledges-3m-build-hospital-Ivory-Coast-homeland.html
http://www.craigbellamyfoundation.org/
http://jasonrobertsfoundation.com/index.htm
http://www.jamiecarragher23.co.uk/cw/JC23/pages/23Foundation.htm