Friday, July 09, 2010

What's in a (footballer's) name?

For an Englishman, at least, there is something irresistibly apposite about a South American defender being called Ponce - particularly when he's a delicately handsome lad, with long, sleek hair.

It was most convenient that his team mate Vidal played alongside him, ready to repair any hairstyle 'injuries' that might befall him.

The suspiciously feminine-sounding Isla was never far away, either.


Gosh, yes, I miss Chile.


I thought their most inspired selection was having a goalkeeper called Bravo. The chap between the sticks tends to suffer from rather brittle confidence, but it must be a huge boost to the self-esteem to have half of the stadium chanting your name whenever anyone - on either team - does something good! (I wonder if there are any Chinese players called Jia You??)


[The 'found humour' of the Chilean team list didn't quite approach the heights - or depths? - of the classic piece of commentary once heard in a European Champions League match about 9 or 10 years ago, when Real Madrid made a late substitution: "Gaucho, on for Quim."

That one, I feel, approaches, or perhaps surpasses, that priceless double entendre from an England v West Indies cricket Test Match back in the '80s: "The batsman's Holding, the bowler's Willey."

Ah, simple pleasures.]

1 comment:

Froog said...

Ah, and how we enjoyed those moments in the mid-90s when John 'Motty' Motson would be required to observe: Germany. Kuntz."