Who the fuck hasn't missed birthdays or other important events in the lives of our loved ones because we had to work? Most of us do it to put food on the table. Sterling did it for experiences and wealth that most people can only dream of. Missing your kid's birthday to go to a job you love that means your kids will never in their lives have to worry about money feels like a small compromise.
When I was a kid, both of my parents were nurses. It was more common than not that, for at least part of Christmas day, or my birthday, or my siblings' birthdays, at least one of them was working. It was a sacrifice that they and we accepted because it's a commitment you make when you take that job and there were people who needed them more than we did.
If my dad was a Premier League footballer and was playing on my birthday, I'd consider spending a few hours in absolute luxury at the stadium watching him play - or even watching his team play while he was on the bench - as part of my birthday treat. If it was purely a case that he had to train then that's basically the same situation with most kids' parents' work, only probably better because I doubt football training is as long as the average 9-5, not to mention the 13-hour shifts my dad used to work.
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