OPINION: Top players on why joining the Premier League from abroad is so tough
, and ,
The new football season has seen the return of fans, and the return of big money transfers. Ahead of the transfer window closing at the end of August, big names joining the English Premier League from overseas include (to Manchester United from Real Madrid for 拢42 million) and (to Chelsea from Inter Milan for 拢97.5 million).
The clubs鈥� owners and fans will no doubt hope their expensive new players hit the ground running and provide immediate impact. Yet these moves do not always work out, with players sometimes failing to live up to their potential.
explains why players moving to the Premier League can struggle to adjust. Bought and sold for sometimes huge sums, their reveal some of the key challenges they face off the pitch.
To begin with, like anyone moving to another country, players and their families must adjust to a new and unfamiliar environment. Finding somewhere to live, making friends and choosing schools must be done alongside the public pressure of their new footballing role.
There may also be a language barrier, which can affect performances on the pitch and a player鈥檚 ability to communicate with teammates and coaching or medical staff. As former Liverpool and Chelsea striker Fernando Torres, who moved from Spain, of the various knocks he sustained in his early months in England:
If you don鈥檛 explain your symptoms properly, you can end up being given the wrong treatment. If you can鈥檛 explain exactly where the pain is, and what kind of pain it is, it can hinder your rehabilitation.
Another former Liverpool star, Luis Suarez, who arrived from the Netherlands, to communicate when he first moved there and said he was not able to play to his full capabilities as a result.
Research also suggests that players who don鈥檛 speak English well are seen as 鈥溾�� by the media and fans. They may be portrayed as being motivated by short-term financial gains, uninterested in adapting to a club鈥檚 or country鈥檚 culture, and lacking dedication. They are also often the first to be blamed for a poor team performance.
Certainly, media coverage of football in England can be than in other countries, and foreign players (and managers) often struggle to adapt to and pressure. The French former Manchester United forward Eric Cantona believed the English media liked to 鈥溾�� and criticise every mistake.
Another adjustment involves new ways of playing and the of the Premier League. Migrating overseas to work can be demanding in any sector but football players have the added complication of staying healthy and avoiding injury.
Matches and training are draining, and as former Southampton defender Maya Yoshida , players in England do not enjoy the benefit of a winter break to recharge their batteries, both mentally and physically.
Players鈥� families can also struggle with moving to a new country, with challenges including adapting to the new culture and very different weather in England. Even everyday tasks like getting 鈥渦sed to a new way of driving鈥�, as ex-Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina, can present obstacles.
If their families find the move difficult, this can put additional strain on the player. As former Chelsea striker after arriving from France:
The move to England had been harder than I鈥檇 expected. I had a lot to adapt to both in terms of the language and the team鈥檚 way of playing, and my family had a difficult time adapting as well.
Game plan
After investing millions of pounds on a player, expecting immediate results is understandable. But given these challenges, it is important that clubs and fans remember the human side of football, and the fact that players need time to adapt.
The club in particular has a key role to play in supporting the well-being of new players, the support of their new manager as being crucial to settling in and feeling welcome. But this relationship is not always straightforward when transfers are coordinated or decided by .
For , Liverpool FC provided English teachers and interpreters for him to help with tasks such as how to buy a house in a foreign country. These forms of support can help players feel welcomed and settled, leading to improved . Low levels of social support can be associated with mental health issues and .
As the 2021/22 season gets underway, Raphael Varane has acknowledged the importance for him of soon, to be close to fans, as well as his new manager and teammates.
Club rivalries aside, he might do well to seek advice on British life from his fellow Premier League arrival. Lukaku played for Chelsea previously alongside the , C茅sar Azpilicueta, spending almost ten years in England before moving to Italy. He may settle in more quickly and be a safer bet 鈥� even at 拢97.5 million.
, Deputy Head Of Department in Department of Sport & Event Management, and , Senior Lecturer in Sport and Exercise Psychology,
This article is republished from under a Creative Commons license. Read the .
