A recent article by The Conversation has highlighted why so many foreign players find it hard to adapt to the English Premier League.
Whilst some of them are bought for some rather large transfer fees, it is not always the price tag and the expectation that can pile the pressure on their shoulders and make them struggle.
Of course, there are still going to be more and more players to make the switch as they will want to test themselves in the world’s best football league, which will appeal to bettors using sportskokladenje 24 to find their next sportsbook when the action on the pitch finally returns or ahead of the transfer deadline.
However, whilst the challenge on the pitch is something many of them want to test themselves with, it would seem that the biggest challenges are off the field and come in regards to the cultures and experiences they will be exposed in whilst living in England.
One of the first issues that are faced is the adjustment that is needed to be made by the player and their family. This can provide a huge amount of pressure as this will impact everyday life as the right home needs to be chosen, socialising will become important as will education for those with young children.
Language barriers can also be a huge issue, as former Liverpool and Chelsea striker Fernando Torres, who moved from Spain, recalled of the various knocks he sustained in his early months in England:
“If you don’t explain your symptoms properly, you can end up being given the wrong treatment. If you can’t explain exactly where the pain is, and what kind of pain it is, it can hinder your rehabilitation.”
Luis Suarez required gestures when he first arrived to communicate effectively, whilst Maya Yoshida once pointed out that the demands of the league were completely different to any other and the fact that there is no winter break meant some players would struggle to continue to perform.
Add to the fact that culture and social norms in England are typically different to many places around the world, it was extremely hard for many to adapt. Pepe Reina even mentioned that getting “used to a new way of driving” was a challenge, whilst Didier Drogba also mentioned that there was a lot that he and his family struggled to get used to as they started their English adventure with Chelsea.
