Gegenpress – Accutranslate loves football and we work with several Premier League clubs, so we love this German word! Actually it’s not really German for football (that’s Fußball), but it’s the word to describe one particular football style that has got English commentators and football fans chatting.
Gegenpress translates as “press against” and describes the idea of pressuring the opposition, as soon as the ball is lost, by swarming round the player in possession. By limiting his options, the defending team hopes to pressure him into making an error. Then with the ball regained the team can get back into their usual positions and start to attack.
It’s a hard-working style, introduced by Jürgen Klopp, the media-friendly Liverpool Manager, to an appreciative football audience in the Premier League. English fans love two things above all: new ideas and theories (especially if they have an exotic, foreign name) and a lively, energetic football style. English fans want to see excitement at their weekend football games, and a team that closes down the opposition quickly demonstrates a commitment and hard work ethic that we appreciate.
Gegenpress, with its determined, solid-sounding German name and energetic, proactive style, fits well with the demands of English fans. We may enjoy watching continental teams play beautiful, languorous football, but we demand something faster and more committed in the English game – this German idea sounds just the thing!
Klopp had success with Borussia Dortmund, challenging the dominance of Bayern Munich in German football, but can it be done over 90 minutes in the Premier League? Results have so far been mixed, with Liverpool recording good results and poor, with their performance levels also fluctuating. Still, the increase in energy levels showed in his very first match in charge, when Liverpool’s team out-ran Tottenham Hotspur, who were the most energetic team in the league at that time.
Accutranslate does a lot of translation work for Premier League clubs, but in this instance only a couple of foreign words will do to convey how we feel: “Vive Gegenpress”!