Former Bolton Wanderers manager Owen Coyle believes that it is important for football coaches to learn foreign languages in order to better understand their players and instill a sense of camaraderie in their teams.
Coyle, who was at the helm of Bolton Wanderers from 2010 until 2012 and later managed Championship side Wigan Athletic, joined MLS outfit Houston Dynamo in December last year.
Before he took the plunge in football management, the 48-year-old enjoyed an over two-decade long playing career across several Scottish clubs.
The Scotsman admits that football is a universal language in itself which makes communication easy, but in order to effectively interact with a team consisting of players from several nationalities, like his Houston Dynamo team, knowledge of a foreign language can work as potent binding factor.
“When I did my UEFA Pro license, I said at the time, I do think part of that course should be emphasising foreign languages”, Coyle said in an interview with FIFA.
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“We have some Spanish-speaking players here at the club.
“I'm not saying I'm fluent, far from it, but I think it's important you pick up little phrases that can help and that's something I've tried to instil here”, he concluded.
With the new season of the MLS set to kick-off tomorrow, Coyle will look to get his team off to a winning start.
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