Can there be too much of a language barrier for a manager to be successful?

[barneygumble]

For what it's worth - Yes. But, it does depend on how it's done.

Look at Emery, he insisted on not having an interpreter and his players often mistook his tactics, and were left confused, as reported by very reputable sources.

Then theres Ranieri, Bielsa, who use interpreters to convey tactics.

Then you have the craftiness of Pocchetino, who could speak English far sooner than he could crack on, and was speaking in English for tactics, but Spanish for interviews.

But no, I do not want Vitor.

 

[captainvindaloo]

I used to wonder that during the Moyes era (aye, ya no ken?).
Half the players need their own interpreter these days, so I don't really see what difference it makes anymore.

I just want a manager fluent in brilliant football management.

 

[Groucho]

Pochetino spoke very little english when he first came to Southampton didnt he?

Absolutely zero English.

Marco Silva, Roberto Martinez, Ronald Koeman and Sam Allardyce all spoke reasonably fluent English although the latter may be disputed.

 

[MrGrumpy]

Don’t think it does as most of the players aren’t native English speakers anymore anyway. We have several plays who don’t speak much English

 

[JobForTheMoyes]

Pochetino spoke very little english when he first came to Southampton didnt he?

No, he spoke well, but was not confident enough to use it in the media. For that reason he used an interpreter.

For an older person, learning a new language is not easy. Moyes couldn’t do it no matter how hard he tried in Spain. For that reason he got the SFA to make young coaches do some language training, which is a good move.

 

[JobForTheMoyes]

Move this to the Brexit thread.

Seriously though, it crossed my mind with Silva about his language aptitude, because in his press conferences I often thought he rambled a bit incoherently.

Martinez and Koeman both had their second language ‘tics’ (but, ok) but were always pretty clear in what they were getting across.

As was said earlier though, when Poch first went to Southampton (his first game was against us, I think), he had an interpreter, but still got his message across well enough it seems.

Bobby spent a lot of time in Scotland and has a Scottish wife. I would be very surprised if she could speak much Spanish! But being immersed in that environment helped his language skills.

TheDutch all do English lesson from primary school I think.

 

[JobForTheMoyes]

I used to wonder that during the Moyes era (aye, ya no ken?).
Half the players need their own interpreter these days, so I don't really see what difference it makes anymore.

I just want a manager fluent in brilliant football management.

I think we are deluding ourselves if we don’t think this is an issue. One of the reason there are so many problems at clubs is due to the cliqueness in dressing rooms, often along national/language lines.

Teams overall look much more disjointed and prone to infighting than years ago, and that is partially due to differences in background, languages, approaches to the game, etc.

 

[JobForTheMoyes]

For what it's worth - Yes. But, it does depend on how it's done.

Look at Emery, he insisted on not having an interpreter and his players often mistook his tactics, and were left confused, as reported by very reputable sources.

Then theres Ranieri, Bielsa, who use interpreters to convey tactics.

Then you have the craftiness of Pocchetino, who could speak English far sooner than he could crack on, and was speaking in English for tactics, but Spanish for interviews.

But no, I do not want Vitor.

Felt bad for Emery. How much of it did he bring on himself though?

 

[WA Toffee]

I'm pretty sure Mourinho started out as a translator for Bobby Robson at Barcelona. I would expect that any manager moving to a new country would learn the language pretty quickly, so while it may be difficult at first, I don't think it would be an issue in the long term.
And let's face it, foreigners do tend to have a second language anyway. Us Brits are, in general, just too lazy and ignorant to learn a second language, it is natural in most other countries.

 

[JobForTheMoyes]

I'm pretty sure Mourinho started out as a translator for Bobby Robson at Barcelona. I would expect that any manager moving to a new country would learn the language pretty quickly, so while it may be difficult at first, I don't think it would be an issue in the long term.
And let's face it, foreigners do tend to have a second language anyway. Us Brits are, in general, just too lazy and ignorant to learn a second language, it is natural in most other countries.

Not natural- taught.

 

[4737carlin]

Wouldnt worry of the players dont understand Scotish, fully expect Dunc to let his fists do the talking anyway

 

[daza_1973]

*Och

Ah, dinnae fash yersel jimmy.

 

[JobForTheMoyes]

Wouldnt worry of the players dont understand Scotish, fully expect Dunc to let his fists do the talking anyway

Jings, crivvens and Help ma boab! That’s the fifth goal and it’s only the end o’ the first hawf! Ah cannae take ony mair o’ this!

 

[polish]

Gallardo speaks Spanish and French. He spent a year in USA so there's a chance he actually speak English a little.

 

[little elfin]

It is not about how fluent you speak but how you communicate with players.
Have you ever listen to doctor or professor but not understand a thing?