The Gaffer

[Matt_B]

Likewise Kasper in the pre-match interview. I've never considered it disrespectful and had no idea that others did. I always thought it was the standard name that all footballers call their manager.

Me too.

 

[Biffa Bacon]

You're all wrong, calling the manager gaffer is tantamount to shitting in his car, shagging his wife and purposely scoring an og.

Or it could just be a reasonably affectionate nickname for the bloke who runs the team.

 

[fitz]

I'd hate for anyone to call me boss.

 

[Blaarev]

I'd hate for anyone to call me boss.

Okay, boss!

 

[fitz]

Okay, boss!

Unless its you of course, I'd love to be bossy to you.

 

[Blaarev]

Unless its you of course, I'd love to be bossy to you.

Glad to be able to please you, boss!

 

[fitz]

glad to be able to please you, boss!

kmft!

 

[fitz]

Nearly 45 minutes gone and my teeth have yet to be kised.

my office 9am please. Be warned, I'm taking a notepad to make some harsh notes.

 

[Blaarev]

Nearly 45 minutes gone and my teeth have yet to be kised.

my office 9am please. Be warned, I'm taking a notepad to make some harsh notes.

Last time you hadn't brushed them and I strongly suspect you haven't since. So I've decided to quit. Boss!

 

[fitz]

Last time you hadn't brushed them and I strongly suspect you haven't since. So I've decided to quit. Boss!

I'm a busy man, the teeth brushing was delegated from myself to yourself some time ago. If you're unwilling to 'action' this then I accept your resignation and expect you to fulfil your notice period.

 

[Blaarev]

Kmft!

 

[fitz]

bmft

 

[Blaarev]

bmft

Byfty!

 

[bocadillo]

Acceptable: Boss, Gaffer, Sir, Mr Masson, Colonel but not Bertie Big Bollocks

Mr Masson?

 

[fitz]

Mr Masson?

I see you've missed ITV's one and only good piece of FA Cup coverage. Even if Leicester did lose 3-0 and the whole thing was fictional.

 

[bocadillo]

I see you've missed ITV's one and only good piece of FA Cup coverage. Even if Leicester did lose 3-0 and the whole thing was fictional.

I think I must have done.

 

[David Gwilliam]

This has gone off-topic which is always a good sign in a thread. I believe there has been a generational change.

We know Geoff Hurst referred to Sir Alf as boss:
Geoff in 1966 after scoring a hat-trick: "See you boss"
Sir Alf: "Perhaps Geoff, perhaps."
Cloughie was still more formal. Signing Roy Keane from Cobh Ramblers he told their directors to call him Brian and then turned to Keane and said "Not you. You call me Mr Clough"
What, I wonder, did Peter Schmeichel call Sir Alex. It is certainly difficult to imagine Bobby Charlton and the other Babes calling Sir Matt "The Gaffer."

Perhaps the most formal thing I heard in football (and I cannot be sure it is true) is that in the later stages of Tom Finney's career a young newcomer to the Preston dressing room was warned that "Mr Finney does not like to hear players swearing."

Away from football there has been a move towards informality which can be disconcerting to people of my generation. I suffered "mate" in silence at Morrison's since the assistant was being helpful and meant it to be pleasant. On the other hand I did once snap at an assistant at Boots who passed me on to a colleague as "This guy". Luckily this was in the days before I used a walking stick.

 

[spionfox]

the Preston dressing room was warned that "Mr Finney does not like to hear players swearing."

The Stamford Bridge attendees were given the same advice about Frank LeBoeuff!