Morgan and non-English speakers in interviews.

For anyone who ever read my ramblings in the past and wondered why I'm back the first para explains. Ignore this if you wish and get to main substance.

I always said I would never post again, and so this is me keeping my word! Well I had to after my good mate (who shall remain nameless) phoned me last week to say that SFC had "done a Nicholl" and sacked Nigel (aka The Messiah). When Nicholl was sacked, as my good mate knows, I was so incensed that I switched my allegiance to Aston Villa (for reasons too complex to repeat). This lasted a whole week. So when given the news I responded by saying that they had blown it for me and I would never ever go to see them again. My mate promised the same, and so duly boycotted the match last night. In our defence I was basking in the sun in India and he had been sampling some excellent wine I'd sent him for Christmas. True to our word, I intend to get back to Manchester next week for what now promises to be one hell of a match and he has got his ticket of course! We can resist most things in life except the lure of SFC!


The first point I wished to make was about Morgan. I have read he was brilliant - again - last night. But what's with the constant interviews with him? Of course we all love his accent and he comes across very well. He is clearly a very bright engaging sort of bloke, but is he the future club captain?

If this were to be the case, I for one wouldn't object (although Adam Lallana may have a view). Considering that he is not a local lad, his commitment to the club seems total. I thought his post match interview was excellent and he told all the doubters (guilty, m'lud) what we needed to hear about the way the players had responded to the changes. It is to be hoped that top of Mauricio's "Things To Do" list is "Keep Morgan happy".

As for young Mauricio, my Spanish is a bit rough so maybe someone could help me out here. He gives his translator a lot to do. I'm sure the guy does his best, but it seems to me that when it's translated it's a bit cold. Mauricio comes across as very intelligent, but also very warm in his own language. I'm not sure that this isn't lost in translation.

So what's the best for him? To get his English to the standard achieved by our brilliant young Frenchman and risk the occasional linguistic faux pas, or to continue to use a translator?

 

Learn English ASAP - it's a joke having to listen to a translator and see the translator on the touchline speaking to the players.

 

His translator does not always translate the questions asked or Mauricio's answers literally which got me worried a little about the influence of translators.

With regards to Morgans inteviews I know someone who has them all recorded and transferred to her mp3 player which she listens to when cooking my breakfast and doing the ironing and other household chores, all of which she does with a big smile on her face.

 

Poch had a few words with Rickie during the match, with Rickie nodding he understood, so the language problem could be as much about presentation as any ability to be understood by the media.

 

How many phrases do you need to learn to communicate on the pitch. I suppose that as Poch has played across the world he must have heard and learned calls and instructions in lots of different languages. I suppose the only difference would have been the swear words used.

By the way do you think we should call Punch "Un petit merdeux" given events of last night?

 

Thanks, Godders. You've confirmed my suspicions. My suspicions about Mrs Godders and Morgan had been confirmed some time back!

 

Puncheon: What did the gaffer say then, Rickie?
Rickie: Not sure, but I think he asked me on a date.

 

Mauricio has already passed "Basic English" and has moved on to "Advanced Scouse".

 

Having a translator means the team talk will take twice as long, hence the reason why Puncheon didn't have time for a toilet visit. Pochettino needs to learn the lingo soon to prevent anymore incidents like 'poopgate'

 

no, as that is the plural...... pedants rule.

 

It made me laugh watching the new boss giving instructions to Rickie on the pitch last night - Spanish & Scouse being very similar !
There again the girls in the bars in Buenos Aires dont seem to have any problem understanding our Scouse lads, so maybe Rickie is now the manager's offical on-pitch translator !

 

Good to see you back Channon.

 

If you want to be pedantic, meudeux isn't plural, it's an adjective, analogous to '****ty' in English

This is normal. He's an interpreter, not a translator. A literal translation would not make sense.

 

Morgan was MOTM last night so the interview last night was down to that and i guess it just co-incided with other interviews with him recently! Also i noticed in MP's post match interview you could tell he understood some of the questions being asked and wanted to jump in but had to wait for the interpreter to tell him something in spanish he already knew I think he'll be upto scratch with Ian Holloway in a few weeks

 

I really hope that Morgan's loyalty, hard work and fantastic performances in the PL are rewarded with a call up to the France squad. I can't believe he is still only 23 and yet one of our longest serving players. Who is he in competition with to get into the France squad?

 

I think everyone loves morgan <3 Never leave!!

 

Let's see: Cabaye, M'Vila, Sissoko, Diaby, Martin, Alou Diarra, Lassana Diarra, Mavuba, Matuidi, Gonalons, Gourcuff, Chantome, Capoue... have I forgotten anyone?

As I've said previously, it's not a position they are lacking depth in and Morgan would be very lucky to even be considered at this point.

 

Wow they do have a fair amount of good players in that position. Still, if Morgan played for one of the top 4 then he likely would get a call up.

 

Probably yeah, if he keeps playing like he has this season then I'm sure he will get called up at some stage in the next couple of years. It's a competitive position though.

 

Good to see another "Channon" on the board- you can never have too many.

Regarding the language, it's like anywhere you might work abroad. There is a specific vocabulary in any trade or profession which can quickly be learnt and I think he probably is confident in that. It's a very different thing when you are facing a journalist who might ask anything, including how you feel which is much more difficult.
I expect when he is confident he will speak to the press in English. Remember that Mourinho wasn't brilliant to start- hence the "special one" label which all stemmed from him grappling with the language. You can make yourself appear a fool if you don't get it right.