A question for everyone - do elite sports people have it hard?   I know most people are going to chip in very quickly here and think - "NO WAY!"

Yes many of them get paid quite handsomely, and in competitions such as the NBA and the EPL etc, I am sure they are possibly even paid too much.

But I am thinking more about sports such as NRL, AFL and cricket.

I just finished reading a story about Ben Barba - the young whiz kid from the Canterbury Bull Dogs NRL team.    In what was a fairly poor 2011 season for the Bull Dogs, Benny Barba starred at fullback in many games and was perhaps one of the only shining lights in a mediocre year for the club, culminating in the replacement of their coach at Season's end.

The story I just read is about rumours and innuendos surrounding the club's plans to recruit a new fullback to the club, from the outside.   There is some mention that Josh Dugan from the Raiders was in their sights, with others suggesting that Brett Stewart is favoured to be reunited with his old Manly coach in Des Hasler, come 2013 when he is off contract at the Sea Eagles.

Surely this must be unsettling to a young footy player such as Barba.   Sure, loyalty is something that cuts both ways and players will always be looking for a deal that suits them best - be it the most dollars, the most prestigious club or whatever.

But imagine if all of us in our day to day jobs were facing replacement - "in your face" replacement at that.   It would make for a fairly stressful workplace and I doubt too many people would prosper in such an environment.

We just saw a prime example of this with Brad Haddin.    Rumours had it his One Day spot was up for grabs, but no one it seems actually told him so.   Next minute he has been "rested".  Now he has been dropped.    Then the poor bloke amid all of this "goings-on" scores two ducks in the one match for NSW.  Now, if we're all brutally honest, he could well miss the plane to the West Indies next month and effectively have his Test career ended also.

My argument is, I wonder if such secrecy and innuendo is really good for these players?  Sure, competition is said to bring out the best in people. But wondering what is going to happen to you next?    I'm not sure if many people at all would prosper under these circumstances.

Tell me what you think.  Should elite sports people be treated like this?

Michael