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After breaking his scoring duck, Tottenham striker Pavlyuchenko
declares: Now I'll crack the English language
By Will Stewart
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New world: Pavlyuchenko arrives at Heathrow
last month to sign for Spurs. Photo: mailonsunday.co.uk
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Roman Pavlyuchenko, who scored his first goal for Spurs
in their 2-1 Carling Cup victory at Newcastle last night, says he will
soon crack his next target - the English language.
Despite his previous assertions that he had been a dunce at school, he
said: 'I'm studying the language, and I can already understand some words.
'My tutor said he had a special course for foreigners. And his pupils
start talking in just a couple of months.
'He said he had had students from Africa, and they did quite well. So
there won't be any problems with me, he said.
'Next year I'll be able to speak to Guus Hiddink in English! I bet he'll
be surprised!' Pavlyuchenko added, smiling: 'I'll be Hiddink's right hand
man.'
The Russian striker, for whom Spurs paid ?13.8million in the transfer
window, was a figure of fun last week when Wigan boss Steve Bruce revealed
he had spotted him poring over an English phrasebook in the hotel before
last Sunday's League match at White Hart Lane.
Pavlyuchenko also spoke about his problems in coming to terms with everyday
life in London.
He said: 'I've actually been in London itself only one time. And it was
late at night, I went to a restaurant for dinner. I don't have time to
walk around the city.
'At the first the traffic driving on the left hand side confused me a
lot. Once, when I was crossing a road I was looking at another side, and
a car almost knocked me down.'
The Russian also revealed he visited Spurs manager Juande Ramos at home,
to ask why he had been substituted.
"I asked him what I had done wrong. He said it wasn't because I was
not playing well enough, it was just a decision to change tactics. He
told me not to bother my head with stuff like that.
'He told me about [Cristiano] Ronaldo, who simply couldn't play during
the first five games he was here, because he didn't feel at home.'
But Pavlyuchenko is impressed by the crowds in England - and the pitches.
'The stadium is really something crazy,' he said. 'I don't know how to
describe it. It really gives you the tingles when you step onto the pitch.
'And the pitch is like a billiard table. I've never seen anything like
that before. It's even, with short grass, and it's a real pleasure to
play on.
'The fans sing the entire game; if there's an exciting moment they stand
up and applaud.
'They like it when you don't spare yourself and play to your maximum.
They don't even need goals, they just need to see a battle for every inch
of the pitch.'
mailonsunday.co.uk,
26th September 2008
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