Dundee boss Neil McCann has revealed there are so many French-speaking players at the club now, he has decided to learn their lingo.
Monday night signing, striker Jean Alassane Mendy, brought the number up to six along with Faissal El Bakhtaoui, Kharl Madianga, Elton Ngwatala, Sofien Moussa and Genseric Kusunga.
McCann is keen that the French foreign legion fit in and like his former Rangers boss Dick Advocaat insists everyone speaks English in the Dens dressing-room.
However, the manager is also making a big effort himself to be able to talk to the players in their own language.
Talking yesterday at the club’s Riverside training base as he put all his squad through the rigours of pre-season training, McCann said: “We have a number of French-speaking players now but they have all been told they have to speak English in and around the club.
“I want them speaking English in the dressing-room.
“Obviously when they are on their own, they speak French but within the group I think it’s important to mix quickly. That means speaking our language.
“I always remember Dick Advocaat going through a few of the Dutch boys at Rangers for speaking their own language amongst themselves in the dressing-room.
“He told them ‘English – in fact, Scottish’ – then walked out laughing.
“But it was a little marker to them.
“There’s nothing bad in it, it’s natural to speak your own tongue but it’s important for the dressing-room that we’re all in this together.”
McCann added: “You don’t want cliques but I can see already the lads we have are good mixers.
“Already they are spread out when we’re having lunch and they are talking away freely in training.
“A few of them are having lessons. Kharl is probably the one who had the weakest English but he’s doing it.
“And I am learning French because it’s good to pick up a few bits and bobs.
“I have bought an audio book which I’m listening to. It’s not easy but I have asked a few of the lads to speak to me in French to see if I can understand it.
“Although I want them speaking English in the dressing-room, I think it’s a good thing for me to make the effort as well.”
