NFR - What would you do given the chance?

[love4ffc]

So a while back I did a search on why there aren't more U.S. players playing in EU leagues.  Interestingly I found several articles giving their opinions on the subject.  I also found several giving their opinions about why there aren't more English player's playing in Europe's big leagues. 

One reason given over and over for both US and English players was the lack of desire to play in a non-English speaking countries .  The other was that once a player did go to a foreign league the player could not adjust to the culture.  So after a year the player returned home to his domestic league. 

So here is the deal....

You are a young star who has proven you have the talent to be at the top of your domestic league.  All the big clubs are a knocking at your door from all over the EU.  Now you have to make a choice. 

Will you go to Italy or maybe Spain?  Or will you say no thanks and stay with a big domestic club? 

For me it would be a no-brainer.  I love to travel and love a little bit of adventure.  I also truly believe that playing successfully a broad would be the ultimate achievement. 

So what would you do given the chance? 

[King_Crud]

plenty of aussies have played in non English speaking countries

[YankeeJim]

I'll answer the question for you, which ever team offers the best terms, the culture be damned. Every country has something interesting about it.

[YankeeJim]

plenty of aussies have played in non English speaking countries

Several have played and are playing in England and we all know you lot speak a foreign language. It sure ain't 'merican.  086.gif

[Craven Mad]

If I had the choice I'd play my Football in London.

England is the most exciting of the big leagues. I know the country. It gets great international coverage. Big salaries.

La Liga has the best players but (excluding the odd shock) has only a few good teams.

Serie A would be my favourite country to play in (Italy is beautiful, after all) but the league is notoriously corrupt, the fans are maniacs, the football is dull.

[rogerpbackinMidEastUS]

plenty of aussies have played in non English speaking countries

I agree, up until 12 years ago I spent much of my life travelling and working overseas. and
I guess I still am, but very settled here.
There were only a couple of times I didn't settle, but they were not both the culture it was
the management. Had I not had crap managers in Mallorca in the late 70's I'd probably
still be living there.
The other was at Butlins, Skegness, but that was the culture.

[General]

To settle in to a new culture and country and language takes a lot - It should/would normally take a year to start getting to the point where you feel good about the move/comfortable. If you aren't enjoying the move/not playing as much you could end up taking longer and that could be the difference. My feelings about these things are the longer you spend and the more you make an effort the better and easier it becomes.

Now when you think you could be risking a year of what would already be a very short career moving when you're already playing in a top league (arguably the best/strongest etc) then it's a decision which would probably be hard to justify unless you're moving to a big club and getting a better pay packet, or you're moving to a club who have a good team there to help you as a player settle in.

I'm in the middle of thinking of moving country and as many on here who have will testify, especially if it's not a native English speaking country it just isn't very straight forward.

[Berserker]

I think it would depend how far away from my homeland it is. The other side of the world I wouldn't go to work, 8 hours travel, yes fine

[love4ffc]

plenty of aussies have played in non English speaking countries

Several have played and are playing in England and we all know you lot speak a foreign language. It sure ain't 'merican.  086.gif

I saw one of those build up to the WC interviews on ESPN where they had Howard, Guzan and another bloke talking about the WC and their individual experiences in Football.  The four things they said that made it somewhat difficult to adjust to England where as follows:
1 - The language - even though it is English some dialects are harder then others to understand. Like the New Jersey dialect in the States for me.  I know they are speaking English but I still can't understand them.
2 - Driving - takes a while to remember not to drive on the right hand side of the road.  
3 - The food - what the heck is blood pudding?  They made it sound absolutely awful.  
4 - Getting around in the tube - especially at rush hour.  Apparently the were constantly getting lost.  

[King_Crud]

plenty of aussies have played in non English speaking countries

Several have played and are playing in England and we all know you lot speak a foreign language. It sure ain't 'merican.  086.gif

I saw one of those build up to the WC interviews on ESPN where they had Howard, Guzan and another bloke talking about the WC and their individual experiences in Football.  The four things they said that made it somewhat difficult to adjust to England where as follows:
1 - The language - even though it is English some dialects are harder then others to understand. Like the New Jersey dialect in the States for me.  I know they are speaking English but I still can't understand them.
2 - Driving - takes a while to remember not to drive on the right hand side of the road. 
3 - The food - what the heck is blood pudding?  They made it sound absolutely awful. 
4 - Getting around in the tube - especially at rush hour.  Apparently the were constantly getting lost. 

the poor dears, that sounds just terrible

[valdeingruo]

Well if you say I'm good enough to play in a top league, id have to have a lot of fans right? I'd just wander around the top attractions till a gaggle of fans came over excitedly. One of them is bound to speak English right? I'll just let the football do the talking, that or silly pantomime.