When the England international arrived in Lille, he only knew a few French expressions. When he thought about saying “I love cats”, he makes a comical slip that has earned him an original nickname… On the show FootballJoe, he tells.
Very few Britons have tried to leave their country to play in another European championship. Joe Cole took the LOSC bet in 2011-2012 without speaking a word of French. In FootballJoe, English program hosted by Joe Cole and Tom Davies, he tells about his integration with his teammates and his (difficult) learning French.
“I sucked at French, I hated languages. I just remembered how to say, “I love dogs” and what I thought I was: “I love cats”… I went to the training center and there was a guy called Jeff, a Belgian, the masseur. I entered the room and Jeff said to me: “Hello, welcome to Lille, what can you say in French? “. I thought, “I don’t know anything” but I said, “I love dogs and I love pussies. But in fact, I said, “I love puss *”. So after that, I walk into the locker room with Hazard, Payet and all the rest and I say, “Hello guys, I like pussies! And there they burst out laughing pissing on each other, Jeff was even on the floor. So I was called, from that day, “Mister Cat”, “Mister puss *”, the total … In short, it broke the ice with everyone. “
This colorful anecdote did not traumatize him in French. Far from it since despite the time spent in France (one season only), he gave of his person to learn the language of Molière. “I had my little French lesson every day and I read L’Equipe. I got good advice from David Platt (England international passed through Juve) who had been to Italy. He told me: “Immerse yourself in the culture”. That’s what I did. I went there, I tried to learn the language as fast as possible. I watched French TV, I listened to French radio… ”, he recalls. It is with a smile that he remembers these moments since his experience outside his native England made him laugh: “I thought I was Derek Trotter (Del Boy) with my French, it was ridiculous. I would say things like: “after me the flood”, “shower cap”… I loved it, I really loved it. “
“I went full Derek Trotter with my French. It was ridiculous.”
Joe Cole and @skyscottminto on the difficulties of learning a foreign language during their time playing abroad ????????????????
w/ @Coral pic.twitter.com/j9tnGKDdZ7
– FootballJOE (@FootballJOE) May 7, 2021
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