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Football is like life - it requires perseverance, self-denial, hard work, sacrifice, dedication and respect for authority.

You can't let injuries dictate the outcome of a football game. You have to persevere and keep fighting. That is how we are. If there is a blade of grass to defend or take, we do it.

Football is a great deal like life in that it teaches that work, sacrifice, perseverance, competitive drive, selflessness and respect for authority is the price that each and every one of us must pay to achieve any goal that is worthwhile.

I've been through a lot off the field. I think that kind of translates onto the field. Football serves for a lot of life lessons, and so it allows me to stay humble and continue to work.

I'm not claiming that football is the nation's salvation in this area, but it's one of them, one little thing that apparently has captured the imagination of a large sector of our society. But when football can't be a relatively pure outlet, a fun thing, then it hurts itself.

Football is, after all, a wonderful way to get rid of your aggressions without going to jail for it.

What happens is once you start to understand football, you realise that it's not just about the physical side of the game and chasing after a ball. It's a strategic sport which requires a lot of intelligence. It's a very mental game.

Football has an important role to play in society. Players should have a sense of social responsibility, have a moral dimension to them which shows up in good conduct.

Football is a violent sport. Somebody's going to get hurt. It's the game. Just hopefully, you're on the good side of it.

Never played football, but I'm an athlete. I'm a competitor.