Marcelo Bielsa

[Tangled up in Blue]

It does smack a little of arrogance, just having a bash at the language wins over some people.

It could be argued that it rather smacks of arrogance on behalf of some UK fans to expect foreign managers to speak English.

 

[Supa Shrimpa]

It could be argued that it rather smacks of arrogance on behalf of some UK fans to expect foreign managers to speak English.

Not really. It's an english league where the majority of their fans speak english. How it that arrogance ? I would expect any english player / manager in other country's leagues to show respect to their native language, aswell.

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

Not really. It's an english league where the majority of their fans speak english. How it that arrogance ? I would expect any english player / manager in other country's leagues to show respect to their native language, aswell.

Then I imagine you'd be suprised to learn how many English players/managers working in Spain I've come across over the years ,who don't trouble to learn passable Spanish.My favourite, was Ron Atkinson who suggested that learning Spanish was easy, all you had to do was put an o/a on the end of the equivalent English word.Needless to say He didn't last long as A.Madrid's boss (less than 3 months IIRC).

 

[Supa Shrimpa]

Then I imagine you'd be suprised to learn how many English players/managers working in Spain I've come across over the years ,who don't trouble to learn passable Spanish.My favourite, was Ron Atkinson who suggested that learning Spanish was easy, all you had to do was put an o/a on the end of the equivalent English word.Needless to say He didn't last long as A.Madrid's boss (less than 3 months IIRC).

Jeez ! That's so disrespectful. For the sake of clarity, my comment "respect to their native language, aswell" means the league's native language.

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

Jeez ! That's so disrespectful. For the sake of clarity, my comment "respect to their native language, aswell" means the league's native language.

Interestingly, the only player that I'm aware of who ended up speaking pretty good Catalan was Steve Archibald.Not when he first came to play for Bar$a but at the end of his career when he was playing for Espanyol (mind you he did have a Catalan girlfriend, apparently). TBF other players like the late Michael Robinson, RIP ,who had his own TV show on Spain's Canal + Gary Lineker ended up speaking excellent Spanish .As did managers like John Toshack and David Moyes.

 

[Supa Shrimpa]

Interestingly, the only player that I'm aware of who ended up speaking pretty good Catalan was Steve Archibald.Not when he first came to play for Bar$a but at the end of his career when he was playing for Espanyol (mind you he did have a Catalan girlfriend, apparently). TBF other players like the late Michael Robinson, RIP ,who had his own TV show on Spain's Canal + Gary Lineker ended up speaking excellent Spanish .As did managers like John Toshack and David Moyes

Didn't Steve McLaren spoke fluent dutch ?

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

Didn't Steve McLaren spoke fluent dutch ?

Dunno.He wasn't there very long so I doubt it somehow.

 

[Supa Shrimpa]

Dunno.He wasn't there very long so I doubt it somehow.

I was only joking. I seem to recall an awful interview where he put on a terrible dutch accent

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

I was only joking. I seem to recall an awful interview where he put on a terrible dutch accent

Yeah I seem to vaguely remember that.