Comments on: All the news that’s out there

By: Mark

Mark — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 17:30:44 +0000

“Petric grew up in Switzerland, so he speaks perfect German.” – Jan

I hope that’s optional, because if the team has to rely on someone speaking Swiss German to be intelligible then Hamburg’s struggling against relegation this year.

By: Chris

Chris — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 13:47:03 +0000

I think Jan makes a pretty good point–Bradley *had* to have picked up some Dutch in the 2 years he’s been at Heerenveen. In the larger cities like The Hague or Rotterdam or Amsterdam (or their suburbs/surrounding communities), lots of people speak english. But it would be less common for people in a smaller community like Heerenveen to speak english. Add to that the fact that the gaffer and half the side are Dutch and I think he’ll fit right in.

By: Jan

Jan — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 12:46:36 +0000

” if no one else is speaking english, hows he going to fit in as the director of our offense?”

Maybe the dude who’s writing the English version of the HSV webpage could be hired as an interpreter. They could wire the team up and Bradley’s commands are simultaneously translated. If he picked up some Dutch during his time at Heerenveen, he could alternatively talk to de Jong, Mathijsen or Castelen who could then translate from Dutch to German. Petric grew up in Switzerland, so he speaks perfect German. Petric could then translate to Croatian. Although that would be optional since Olic has a German wife and I heard him give interviews in fluent German. It’s all a bit complex but it could work.

Alternatively Hamburg could gamble on the fact, that probably every player on the squad learnt English at school. And picking up the basic German vocabulary needed to give directions etc. probably takes one or two weeks.

By: Ashiq

Ashiq — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 12:41:57 +0000

I have been following the Hamburg forum for quite a while and I have not seen any discussion about Bradley yet. I also heard Huszti of Hannover is rumoured to be among the list of candidates. I dont think Hamburg will no longer be interested in Kranjcar as he is injured and wont be back for like 5 or 6 weeks?

By: Iain

Iain — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 08:48:28 +0000

It always sounds wierd to have the word “roster” used in a football context. It’s such an Americanism that my feeble mind cannot handle hearing it outside of American football. It’s a squad when the ball is on the deck.

Knranjcar would be perfect but completely impossible. Pompey wouldn’t sell and we wouldn’t have the money needed to force their hand. I don’t think Bradley is a like-for-like replacement for Rafa but he’d be a good signing nonetheless.

By: g

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 05:19:17 +0000

im just worried that theyll get too many different languages on the same team, like they say is happening with the FCB back 4. as much as i hope they get bradley, if no one else is speaking english, hows he going to fit in as the director of our offense? esp. opposed to kranjcar, who speaks the same croatian as olic and petric.

By: Juliet

Juliet — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 02:53:26 +0000

Bradley at HSV is a great idea -- they'd really give him the opportunity, experience, and discipline to grow his talent. But the ever-reliable Goal.com is reporting a bid has been put in for Kranjcar.

By: Chris

Chris — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 01:33:18 +0000

Matt, Bradley is to Heerenveen as van der Vaart was to Hamburg this season, and as you wrote, Heerenveen ought to be motivated to get as much as they can for the guy right now. I would be quite happy to *settle* for Bradley!

By: Matt

Matt — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 22:59:56 +0000

Yeah, good point about Pranjic v. Bradley’s price at the end. Bradley may come more cheaply, but only because he has made it clear he wants to leave and will do so next summer. Has Pranjic made similar statements?