Unsung by Alexis James

Author:Alexis James
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Pitch Publishing
Published: 2022-06-15T00:00:00+00:00

The Special One

When it comes to interpreting at the top level of European football, the ability to deal with pressure is as vital as knowing your registas from your mezzalas. Having seconds to do your job while being watched by the world’s media, and judged by the biggest names in the sport, can take its toll. This intensifies when those big names possess a linguistic proficiency of their own. Manchester City’s Pep Guardiola and Liverpool’s Jürgen Klopp are not only the two most revered Premier League managers of recent times, they are also able to impart their wisdom in a multitude of languages. So it takes a brave person to convert their English press conferences back into their native tongue. Mishaps can and will be called out.

At a 2019 Champions League press conference ahead of Liverpool’s game at RB Salzburg, captain Jordan Henderson was asked how his team would approach the game as European champions. His 25-second answer included the line, ‘That doesn’t mean it’s going to be easy.’ But in German, the press was told that Liverpool would ‘go easy’. A prickly Klopp was quick to scold the interpreter in his harsh Swabian dialect: ‘It’s shit when next to the translator sits a coach who speaks German. You should really listen. Otherwise, I can do it by myself. It’s not too difficult.’ The following day, after his side’s 2-0 victory in Austria, Klopp apologised to the interpreter. The pair shook hands.

Peter remembered some of his own experiences with the former Borussia Dortmund boss. ‘Jürgen Klopp has a tendency to take the mickey out of interpreters. This happened to me too,’ said Peter. I asked whether he meant in a good or bad way. ‘In his way,’ was his diplomatic response, with a grin.

‘If you’re a German/English interpreter he’s going to understand every single word you’re doing, and he wants everything relayed absolutely the way he says it.’ Peter interpreted for Klopp in Augsburg, where Liverpool were playing in the Europa League. The Stuttgart-born boss was in his element talking to familiar journalists. He gave Peter a mischievous glance when using a German phrase that literally translates as ‘the grapes are hanging high’, meaning that it will be challenging. Peter’s attempt elicited a cruel roar of laughter from Klopp and the local press pack. Many inexperienced interpreters may have wilted. Peter, though, proved himself to be a good sport.

‘I wasn’t actually that far off. But it caused laughter in the press room. Now, if I wasn’t as experienced as I was, that can really damage someone psychologically. I just stood my own ground and said, “Go on, you translate it, then.” But you’ve got to have a lot of clout to do that. And you’ve got to judge if they are in a good enough mood for you to do that.’

Patrick was preparing to interview Klopp the week after we spoke. As it was for Italy’s Amazon Prime output, he would also be interpreting in addition to asking the questions. And so it would be a mic, rather than a notepad, in his hand.

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