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Mauricio Pochettino must speak English if he is to move to Spurs

mawspurs

Staff
Jun 29, 2003
35,066
17,740
Spurs keen on Argentine but will demand he converses in English after conducting all interviews at Southampton in Spanish

Read the full article at Telegraph
 

greaves

Well-Known Member
Dec 6, 2006
6,118
8,945
Spurs keen on Argentine but will demand he converses in English after conducting all interviews at Southampton in Spanish

Read the full article at Telegraph

I actually quite like the idea of him having that language-buffer in interviews. It will irritate the tabloids, which would be a plus (initially). It also provides a nice sense of distance. However, as for communicating with English-speaking players, whose foreign language facility is (like most mother-tongue English speakers) usually well below that of 'continentals' that may indeed be a problem. How many such players we might of course have is another question! Body language/facial expression can be pretty impressive at signifying meaning, but wouldn't work for a coach who gives degree-level tactical lectures (hold ball for 3.5 seconds, turn anti-clockwise 45 degrees, bisect the diagonal, kick ball, to reach the striker one third of the way along the hypotenuse, fifth pyramid from the left). But for Harry Redknapp type coaches - easy. Finally, I'm not sure whether Levy understands what a manager is saying is that important because I don't get any real sense that he actually listens. Ah well.
 

18Klinsmann

Well-Known Member
Aug 31, 2005
1,254
494
Would still prefer FDB. But, in case we land this guy of course he should speak English to the players - which he does already. To the press I'm not so sure. I'd rather have him feeding those sloppy, greedy vultures of the football press some Spanish phrases translated by some other bloke than having his poor English misinterpreted and preyed on 24-7.
In any case he'd be bound to talk less b*ll*cks than his predecessor.
 

Gassin's finest

C'est diabolique
May 12, 2010
37,350
87,813
It's only the media he uses his translator for... good ploy in my book as it keeps them at arms length. Levy cites Sherwoods outspoken views on the club's hierarchy as one of the reasons he's been let go (never mind being madder than a bag of gerbils). So who better than someone who communicates via translated football cliches?
 

CrazyHeart

Well-Known Member
Oct 26, 2013
3,702
4,288
The Portuguese and Spanish understand each other pretty well, so Soldado, Lamela, Sandro, Paulinho should welcome this. Plus southampton are pretty darn English so that's the rest of them sorted out. So, I'd welcome Mauricio to the club. I don't think it's about the manager's past glories as it is more about the clicking with the right players... There should always be a solid foundation of top level experience however...
 

michaelden

Knight of the Fat Fanny
Aug 13, 2004
26,386
21,685
I unerstood that he speaks english, but pretends to speak badly to avoid the press.
 

millsey

Official SC Numpty
Dec 8, 2005
8,735
11,504
The Portuguese and Spanish understand each other pretty well, so Soldado, Lamela, Sandro, Paulinho should welcome this. Plus southampton are pretty darn English so that's the rest of them sorted out. So, I'd welcome Mauricio to the club. I don't think it's about the manager's past glories as it is more about the clicking with the right players... There should always be a solid foundation of top level experience however...
Who the hell speaks Portuguese?
 

Dougal

Staff
Jun 4, 2004
60,344
129,918
He can speak in fecking Klingon for all I care as long as he does a good job. Sell a few copies of Rosetta Stone in the club shop, let's meet him half way.
 

sak11

Well-Known Member
Aug 7, 2005
926
897
I have a feeling he is getting his message across ok to the Southampton squad?!!! I think he will be ok with ours !

I couldn't give a shit how he talks to the media ****s.
 

absolute bobbins

Am Yisrael Chai
Feb 12, 2013
11,649
25,962
I think it should be the other way around, all Spurs staff and fans should have to speak Spanish, then we'll see who really wants El Gordito chico con el acento a gradable :p
 

postigol

Well-Known Member
Aug 4, 2003
1,890
1,061
That link to the Spanish football special posted on an earlier thread with the Poch interview had him just speak a few english words then do the interview in Spanish. However he said in that that his assistant, Jesus, speaks very good english and so communication with the players should not be an issue.
 

Rocksuperstar

Isn't this fun? Isn't fun the best thing to have?
Jun 6, 2005
53,288
66,756
Y'know, when i first heard about Poch and his translator, back when he took charge of So'ton, i thought i'd react like the typical English fan, grumbling about "if you want to work over here, learn the bloody languge!" etc. but then i read why and simply his reason given has diffused that, somehow. He didn't brush it off, or promise to learn the language or whatever - he acknowledged that yes, he can speak basic English, but to express himself properly and to avoid being caught out by the media for one mis-spoken word in a second language, he chose to do it this way. I can appreciate that. I have no problem at all with him speaking through a translator if thats what he prefers - i don't doubt he speaks English to english speaking players in training or the locker room, the same way AVB would've spoken to our Brazilians in Portugese, but with the media dissecting every word managers say i think he's totally within his rights to have that choice.

Still prefer Rene or Frank, but wouldn't be upset with Poch.
 

JimmyG2

SC Supporter
Dec 7, 2006
15,014
20,779
Headline says 'will demand'
story actually says 'will expect'
Why bother to speak to the press at all.
They make it up in any case.
Let the football do the talking.
 
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