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In the dining room at the Brighton and Hove Albion training ground even the cook speaks Spanish. Richard, a friendly South African, seems delighted with the idea of practicing Spanisho at lunch time. He often shouts, “Tronco (mate)” to the Spanish players.
Also an old face from La Liga, the Uruguayan Gus Poyet, team coach, allows himself to have a little joke in his native tongue with the players whist he finishes his pudding next to his assistant, the argentine Mauricio Tano. Today Brighton face Arsenal in the fourth round of the FA Cup. The hispanic influence at the club has reached the point that this week they have started a Twitter account in Spanish and have included a young Spaniard, Sergio Fried, in their press office. Even a Catalan coach, Gerard Nus, helped to found the new academy at the start of the season.
“Our colleagues are starting to get a bit tired of us speaking Spanish on the coach and in the dressing room,” recognizes Inigo Calderon, the pioneer of the Spanish Armada of the English Second Division club. “I came here not knowing any English (last season) and Calde helped me a lot,” Vincente agrees. Inigo admits between laughs that his English has got worse since the other Spaniards arrived. “Some days I don't even speak it, but its better for the people who come over, it helps them drastically reduce the time it takes to acclimitise.” “They say that Brighton is the worst place to learn English because there are a lot of Spanish here. That's also the case with us!” Bruno concludes.
This year, Andrea Orlandi (ex Swansea, Alavés y Barça B), David López (ex Athletic) and Bruno Saltor (ex Valencia) have joined the English south coast outfit. And a few days ago, Brighton signed another Spanish speaker, the Argentinian forward Ulloa, coming from Almeria. “We have made a good group with people that have played in the First Division, very straightforward and friendly. We get on very well off the pitch” , Orlandi explains. Outside the club, the players have adopted a restaurant, Latino, as a place to meet and celebrate family reunions in Hove, the place next to where they live. “Brighton is a really cool city, with a lot of artistic people. The people do their own thing in a real Bohemian way. I love it,” says Calderon, Andrea's old friend from the Alaves days. “Last year I recommended that Poyet sign him because of the type of football that we want to develop,” he recollects.
And precisely the style that Poyet has imposed, based on quality and possession, explains his inclination to sign players from the Liga because “its a market he knows well,” explains David Lopez. “He is looking for a football that he has found in us.” Although the jump from the Spanish First Division to the English second, with its more physical demands, creates a big contrast. “The football is faster, perhaps with less quality, but with players that leave everything on the field and run for all ninety minutes,” Vincente explains. “There's no way we are running away with the League, just the opposite. We are seventh in the table and the team has things it has to improve,” assures Bruno. “In Spain the Championship is not well known. The level of competitivity and professionalism of the teams would surprise you. Spanish football is doing badly (economically) and I believe that more and more players will want to come to this division,” admits David Lopez. “Here you don't only earn more but they actually pay you,” comments Andrea. “I believe that there should be a dozen more Spanish players in the Championship,” Calderon reckons.
Today's game against Arsenal is a big showcase for the club that knocked Newcastle out and that aspires to promotion to the Premiership (they are four points from the play off positions). “We have a similar style (to Arsenal) and if we manage to battle them for possession, we should have some chances,” says Orlandi dreaming aloud: “I would like to get Cazorla's shirt.”
In the dining room at the Brighton and Hove Albion training ground even the cook speaks Spanish. Richard, a friendly South African, seems delighted with the idea of practicing Spanisho at lunch time. He often shouts, “Tronco (mate)” to the Spanish players.
Also an old face from La Liga, the Uruguayan Gus Poyet, team coach, allows himself to have a little joke in his native tongue with the players whist he finishes his pudding next to his assistant, the argentine Mauricio Tano. Today Brighton face Arsenal in the fourth round of the FA Cup. The hispanic influence at the club has reached the point that this week they have started a Twitter account in Spanish and have included a young Spaniard, Sergio Fried, in their press office. Even a Catalan coach, Gerard Nus, helped to found the new academy at the start of the season.
“Our colleagues are starting to get a bit tired of us speaking Spanish on the coach and in the dressing room,” recognizes Inigo Calderon, the pioneer of the Spanish Armada of the English Second Division club. “I came here not knowing any English (last season) and Calde helped me a lot,” Vincente agrees. Inigo admits between laughs that his English has got worse since the other Spaniards arrived. “Some days I don't even speak it, but its better for the people who come over, it helps them drastically reduce the time it takes to acclimitise.” “They say that Brighton is the worst place to learn English because there are a lot of Spanish here. That's also the case with us!” Bruno concludes.
This year, Andrea Orlandi (ex Swansea, Alavés y Barça B), David López (ex Athletic) and Bruno Saltor (ex Valencia) have joined the English south coast outfit. And a few days ago, Brighton signed another Spanish speaker, the Argentinian forward Ulloa, coming from Almeria. “We have made a good group with people that have played in the First Division, very straightforward and friendly. We get on very well off the pitch” , Orlandi explains. Outside the club, the players have adopted a restaurant, Latino, as a place to meet and celebrate family reunions in Hove, the place next to where they live. “Brighton is a really cool city, with a lot of artistic people. The people do their own thing in a real Bohemian way. I love it,” says Calderon, Andrea's old friend from the Alaves days. “Last year I recommended that Poyet sign him because of the type of football that we want to develop,” he recollects.
And precisely the style that Poyet has imposed, based on quality and possession, explains his inclination to sign players from the Liga because “its a market he knows well,” explains David Lopez. “He is looking for a football that he has found in us.” Although the jump from the Spanish First Division to the English second, with its more physical demands, creates a big contrast. “The football is faster, perhaps with less quality, but with players that leave everything on the field and run for all ninety minutes,” Vincente explains. “There's no way we are running away with the League, just the opposite. We are seventh in the table and the team has things it has to improve,” assures Bruno. “In Spain the Championship is not well known. The level of competitivity and professionalism of the teams would surprise you. Spanish football is doing badly (economically) and I believe that more and more players will want to come to this division,” admits David Lopez. “Here you don't only earn more but they actually pay you,” comments Andrea. “I believe that there should be a dozen more Spanish players in the Championship,” Calderon reckons.
Today's game against Arsenal is a big showcase for the club that knocked Newcastle out and that aspires to promotion to the Premiership (they are four points from the play off positions). “We have a similar style (to Arsenal) and if we manage to battle them for possession, we should have some chances,” says Orlandi dreaming aloud: “I would like to get Cazorla's shirt.”
