It always makes me chuckle when I see things like Fred, Hulk Oscar and Kaka - instead of their proper surname ie we see Sturridge, Gerrard etc on the back of a shirt - why don't we go down the Shrek, Stevie G or Ox route? Or even just, er, John? 
Footballers' names
What about that German with the impossibly long triple-barrelled name they managed to fit on the back of his shirt?
Edit: Dutch actually
http://www5.picturepush.com/photo/a/...0/12008303.png
Edit: Dutch actually
http://www5.picturepush.com/photo/a/...0/12008303.png
I made a thread about this previously
http://forums.digitalspy.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1647693
http://forums.digitalspy.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1647693
I was amused to find out there's a player from Ghana called "John Boy" I thought he was a character from the Waltons . Actually Ghana have a few interesting names.
I chortled when I saw 'Ameobi' on the back of a player's shirt.
Then I realised Shola was actually there.
Then I realised Shola was actually there.
Originally Posted by Will_Bennetts:
“I was amused to find out there's a player from Ghana called "John Boy" I thought he was a character from the Waltons . Actually Ghana have a few interesting names.”
“I was amused to find out there's a player from Ghana called "John Boy" I thought he was a character from the Waltons . Actually Ghana have a few interesting names.”
I laughed at that the other day and Amoeba
I noticed a couple of players having different names on their international shirts than on their club shirts - Kun Aquero for Man City, just Aquero for Argentina and Chicarito for Man Utd and J Hernandez for Mexico - i? the reason for club shirts names is because its what they're best known as, shouldn't the international shirts be the same?
Originally Posted by Will_Bennetts:
“I was amused to find out there's a player from Ghana called "John Boy" I thought he was a character from the Waltons . Actually Ghana have a few interesting names.”
“I was amused to find out there's a player from Ghana called "John Boy" I thought he was a character from the Waltons . Actually Ghana have a few interesting names.”
Are they the country that has Goodluck Jonathon as president?
Originally Posted by Jim_McIntosh:
“Are they the country that has Goodluck Jonathon as president?”
“Are they the country that has Goodluck Jonathon as president?”
That's Nigeria isn't it?
Originally Posted by Will_Bennetts:
“I was amused to find out there's a player from Ghana called "John Boy" I thought he was a character from the Waltons . Actually Ghana have a few interesting names.”
“I was amused to find out there's a player from Ghana called "John Boy" I thought he was a character from the Waltons . Actually Ghana have a few interesting names.”
That is just tailor-made for the commentator to say "Goodnight, John Boy" if he gets sent off or substituted.
Originally Posted by big mac:
“That is just tailor-made for the commentator to say "Goodnight, John Boy" if he gets sent off or substituted.”
“That is just tailor-made for the commentator to say "Goodnight, John Boy" if he gets sent off or substituted.”
Originally Posted by Leicester_Hunk:
“It always makes me chuckle when I see things like Fred, Hulk Oscar and Kaka - instead of their proper surname ie we see Sturridge, Gerrard etc on the back of a shirt - why don't we go down the Shrek, Stevie G or Ox route? Or even just, er, John?”
“It always makes me chuckle when I see things like Fred, Hulk Oscar and Kaka - instead of their proper surname ie we see Sturridge, Gerrard etc on the back of a shirt - why don't we go down the Shrek, Stevie G or Ox route? Or even just, er, John?
”
It's a big cultural thing in Brazil dating back years and not just for footballers. I can understand that as most have ridiculously long names, Pele is a bit easier than Edson Arantes do Nascimento.
Often parts they add to names mean things for example "inho" means small. So Ronaldinho was actually "Little Ronaldo". They also use Geographical references too.
Although there does seem to have been a rise in other countries using nicknames such as Kun Aguero, Chicarito etc. and it's a good point about why some do and some don't. As you say, Kun Aguero (named due to his resemblance to a cartoon character) is literally the same as "Shrek Rooney"!
Originally Posted by gomezz:
“What about that German with the impossibly long triple-barrelled name they managed to fit on the back of his shirt?
Edit: Dutch actually
http://www5.picturepush.com/photo/a/...0/12008303.png”
“What about that German with the impossibly long triple-barrelled name they managed to fit on the back of his shirt?
Edit: Dutch actually
http://www5.picturepush.com/photo/a/...0/12008303.png”
He got his name as years ago two influential families, the Vennegoors and the Hesselinks married into each other. The names were considered to carry that much weight that they kept both names. "Of" in Dutch actually means "or" so his name is essentially Jan Vennegoor or Hesselink!
Originally Posted by ShaunIOW:
“I noticed a couple of players having different names on their international shirts than on their club shirts - Kun Aquero for Man City, just Aquero for Argentina and Chicarito for Man Utd and J Hernandez for Mexico - i? the reason for club shirts names is because its what they're best known as, shouldn't the international shirts be the same?”
“I noticed a couple of players having different names on their international shirts than on their club shirts - Kun Aquero for Man City, just Aquero for Argentina and Chicarito for Man Utd and J Hernandez for Mexico - i? the reason for club shirts names is because its what they're best known as, shouldn't the international shirts be the same?”
I can only assume that it's personal preference and not down to the country as Mexico also have Carlos Pena who has "Gullit" on his shirt due to his resemblance to Ruud Gullit!
The best one has to be the Portuguese keeper who had "Quim" on his back. (Look it up if you don't get it.)
Originally Posted by mattlamb:
“Carlos Costly is up front for Honduras”
“Carlos Costly is up front for Honduras”
"Costly Mistake" is the obvious headline there.
A nickname in place of an impractical name is one thing. Replacing "Hernandez" with "Chicharito" is another.
I don't see the need for names on the back of shirts anyway. We should also go back to 1-11 for matchday teams.
I don't see the need for names on the back of shirts anyway. We should also go back to 1-11 for matchday teams.
Charlton Athletic have Anil Koc
RC Lens have Alphonse Areola
Olympique de Marseille have a Rod Fanni
Dynamo Dresden had a Ralf Minge
FC St. Gallen had a Bernt Haas
Sheffield Wednesday had Peter Shirtliff
Germany had a Stefan Kuntz
S.L. Benfica had Argel......AKA...Argelico F@cks
RC Lens have Alphonse Areola
Olympique de Marseille have a Rod Fanni
Dynamo Dresden had a Ralf Minge
FC St. Gallen had a Bernt Haas
Sheffield Wednesday had Peter Shirtliff
Germany had a Stefan Kuntz
S.L. Benfica had Argel......AKA...Argelico F@cks
Originally Posted by feckit:
“Charlton Athletic have Anil Koc
RC Lens have Alphonse Areola
Olympique de Marseille have a Rod Fanni
Dynamo Dresden had a Ralf Minge
FC St. Gallen had a Bernt Haas
Sheffield Wednesday had Peter Shirtliff
Germany had a Stefan Kuntz
S.L. Benfica had Argel......AKA...Argelico F@cks”
“Charlton Athletic have Anil Koc
RC Lens have Alphonse Areola
Olympique de Marseille have a Rod Fanni
Dynamo Dresden had a Ralf Minge
FC St. Gallen had a Bernt Haas
Sheffield Wednesday had Peter Shirtliff
Germany had a Stefan Kuntz
S.L. Benfica had Argel......AKA...Argelico F@cks”
Speaking of Charlton, 2001-02 they had players, Jonathan Fortune, Mark Fish & Jorge Costa, which lead to the line Fish Costa Fortune.
