Cunning linguists

[Red Astaire]

I read recently that Moreno can't speak a word of English and that Lucas has to basically translate everything Klopp tells him. As someone who takes an interest in learning other languages I'm curious to know who else in the squad can't. Or indeed in the premier league. Tevez I seem to recall lived on these shore for years and never bothered.

This is just a guess but I'm thinking it would have to be stipulated in a contract that they must at least start taking English lessons right? Or maybe it's just not important.

 

[Mamma Mia]

Wayne Rooney

 

[Red Astaire]

Wayne Rooney

Ha! I knew someone would say that!

 

[FoxForceFive]

My mother in law went to London last week & took Bex nephew. She took him to see a Stamford Bridge tour as he wanted to see a ground whilst he was there.

On the tour the guide pointed out the fact that the dressing room is organised into languages spoken, with all the players who speak the same language grouped together, & when she asked he said there's no rule about speaking English.

That really surprised me.

 

[Mystic]

It should be a requirement and I'm glad Klopps enforcing it. The language of the dressing room should be the language of the country the clubs from, how can the team ever have good chemistry if half the team cant talk to each other?

 

[Oliver Twist]

My mother in law went to London last week & took Bex nephew. She took him to see a Stamford Bridge tour as he wanted to see a ground whilst he was there.

On the tour the guide pointed out the fact that the dressing room is organised into languages spoken, with all the players who speak the same language grouped together, & when she asked he said there's no rule about speaking English.

That really surprised me.

Teams just need a common language; it doesn't have to be English.

As Chelsea players all speak cunt - so does their manager - I don't see a problem there.

 

[Mystic]

Oh, and Lucas really is a kiss ass, he's not even a native Spanish speaker himself!

 

[Mystic]

Teams just need a common language; it doesn't have to be English.

As Chelsea players all speak cunt - so does their manager - I don't see a problem there.

Jose is that much of a vein cunt that he probably makes everyone speak Portuguese.

 

[gkmacca]

This is just a guess but I'm thinking it would have to be stipulated in a contract that they must at least start taking English lessons right? Or maybe it's just not important.

It's not in any contract as far as I know but they're certainly told about it when they sign and the players' liaison officer, Ray Haughan, is supposed to fix them up with a tutor. How Moreno's remained like this for so long is a bit alarming.

 

[Athens]

It does seem a bit weird not to even try and learn the language of the country that you're living in.

I know people here who've been living here for years and they speak next to none Greek. If you speak English here you don't really need to speak Greek but I can't say it's the same in England!

 

[Modo]

Coutinho barely speaks English.

 

[Judge Jules]

Teams just need a common language; it doesn't have to be English.

As Chelsea players all speak cunt - so does their manager - I don't see a problem there.

I reckon it does, for more than one reason. There are always going to be some English players in the squad, plus it's a good way of making sure the foreign players develop the knowledge of English they'll need to settle properly into English life.

 

[Oliver Twist]

I reckon it does, for more than one reason. There are always going to be some English players in the squad, plus it's a good way of making sure the foreign players develop the knowledge of English they'll need to settle properly into English life.

Yeah, I agree.

My quip was just the only apparent way I could portray my dislike of Chelsea and shoe-horn in a lame joke all in one.

 

[Mamma Mia]

Oh, and Lucas really is a kiss ass, he's not even a native Spanish speaker himself!

Yeah, fuck that guy for always helping out and doing his best.

 

[Red Astaire]

It's not in any contract as far as I know but they're certainly told about it when they sign and the players' liaison officer, Ray Haughan, is supposed to fix them up with a tutor. How Moreno's remained like this for so long is a bit alarming.

Huh interesting. I don't know if I'd call it alarming. It's so much easier to learn a language when you actually live in the country that speaks it though. Seems damn right lazy if you ask me.

As a small aside I saw an interview with Riise recently (Maybe Stevie G's testimonial??) Anyway he has a hilarious Nordic/Scouse accent that is utterly brilliant!

I think Jan Molby had a great Dutch/Scouse one going as well. I love a weird accent!

 

[Judge Jules]

I can't speak for big Jan but I suspect he reckons it's a Danish/Scouse one TBF. 😛

 

[Red Astaire]

Oh yeah whooops! He did play for Ajax though. 😉

 

[Jack D Rips]

The plus side of not learning English is that you cant read what they write about you in the papers, and cant understand what they say about you on Sky or Talksport.

 

[Red Astaire]

As another thought I always admired Suarez for doing this. He gave his farewell speech at Ajax in pretty fluent Dutch. He spoke hardly any English when he moved to us but was actively doing post match interviews in rudimentary English by the end of his first season. I remember him waving away a translator at the beginning of one once as he was determined to nail it.

This always makes me laugh! Gary Neville with perfect translation skills!

 

[gkmacca]

Coutinho barely speaks English.

He's much better now, he's improved a lot.

 

[tomasjj]

I find it laughable and unprofessional that they don't put an effort in to learn English.
It is not as they don't have the time. Lazy.

 

[Modo]

He's much better now, he's improved a lot.

I think its due to his wife. For some reason it seems that the wives pick up the language quicker than their husbands.

 

[Frogfish]

Wayne Rooney

Gazza - I remember once watching him in an interview on CNN and pissing myself laughing wondering why on earth don't they have sub-titles because for sure their viewers will be wondering what language he was speaking in and not understand a word.

 

[FoxForceFive]

I think its due to his wife. For some reason it seems that the wives pick up the language quicker than their husbands.

Probably cos they don't have anything else to do with their time!

 

[tomasjj]

Probably cos they don't have anything else to do with their time!

Than chatting to the mailman all day.

 

[Frogfish]

I think its due to his wife. For some reason it seems that the wives pick up the language quicker than their husbands.

Having lived abroad for more than 35 years I can attest to this. It's always the same, the working spouse has no time to work on his/her language skills whilst the non-working spouse usually picks up the language far faster. Though for footballers it's because they are lazy bastards.

 

[Modo]

Gazza - I remember once watching him in an interview on CNN and pissing myself laughing wondering why on earth don't they have sub-titles because for sure their viewers will be wondering what language he was speaking in and not understand a word.

Makes Ferguson sound articulate. Slur Gazza.

 

[Modo]

Having lived abroad for more than 35 years I can attest to this. It's always the same, the working spouse has no time to work on his/her language skills whilst the non-working spouse usually picks up the language far faster. Though for footballers it's because they are lazy bastards.

Shopping, picking up the kids from school, yeah they probably do interact more with the natives.

 

[Frogfish]

Shopping, picking up the kids from school, yeah they probably do interact more with the natives.

That is one of the reasons, the other is that working expats usually converse in a language that enables business to be done with alacrity and the minimum of potential for misunderstanding, plus they travel a lot, that doesn't leave much room / time for trying to learn the local tongue (if not already fluent). Whilst at home they are usually knackered and just want to spend time with their families.

 

[ILD]

Remember when Tevez, Park and Evra were the best of friends but couldn't communicate to each other without Park. What an odd friendship. Evra spoke French and English I think and Park would translate that into Spanish for Tevez, You would have thought that after all those years Evra would be used to cultural expressions getting lost in translation. *RUNS*