It’s so basic that it’s often overlooked, but how exactly to pronounce a new signing’s name is one of the pitfalls of the transfer window.
Jorge Grant has held talks with Hearts after Peterborough accepted a bid for the midfielder, and they now await a decision on whether he’ll sign on at Tynecastle. Posh director of football Barry Fry explained to Record Sport why the club waived the right to a £750,000 release fee. Seeing it written down would have had sub editors rubbing their hands; after all, Gorgie Jorge writes itself. Sadly, it only looks exotic and is pronounced ‘George.’
It’s always worth checking these things, though. Many a press conference has kicked off with an apologetic query on how exactly you say the new man’s name. Former BT Sport commentator Derek Rae developed his own method. He’d call up the embassy of where the player was from and double check with them. It doesn’t get much more official than that.
Not everyone goes to such lengths and you end up with all sorts of weird and wonderful attempts at pronunciation. Archie Macpherson, when commentating on Celtic, would regularly switch between Johan “Myallby” and “Myollby”. His attempts at the 2005/06 Hearts team weren’t any better. Rudi “Skaysel” was often on the scoresheet alongside Edgaras “Jankokus”, Deividas “Sessnooskis” and Salius “Mikulyoonus.” And don’t forget Takis “Fassees” in defence.
More recently, someone at Hearts had a bit of fun with the BBC ahead of the first game of the 2018/19 season. The recently arrived Uche Ikpeazu was an unfamiliar name on the team sheet, so enquiries were made as to exactly how to pronounce the big striker’s surname ahead of that evening’s Sportscene. After “Ickypeezoo” was trotted out several times, someone presumably came clean and put commentators right.
