The Decline of Proper Nicknames

[Gregoriak]

When I look at the nicknames current football players have (in Germany at least), I've noticed a worrisome decline in inventiveness. German players used to have great nicknames back in the old days, but today all people are able to come up with are belittlements of the actual name.

Check out some of the old inventive nicknames:

Bernhard Dietz = "Enatz"
Hans-Georg Schwarzenbeck = "Katsche"
Klaus Fichtel = "Tanne"
Rudi Völler = "Tante Käthe"
Michael Lameck = "Ata"
Harald Schumacher = "Toni"
Michael Zorc = "Susi"
Wolfgang Kleff = "Otto"
Jürgen Kohler = "Kokser"
Franz Roth = "Bulle"

The list is endless.

If you check out today's players, a lack of invention is obvious:

Gerald Asamoah = "Asa"
Miroslav Klose = "Miro"/"Mirek"
Lukas Podolski = "Poldi"
Bastian Schweinsteiger = "Schweini"
Tim Borowski = "Boro"
Christoph Metzelder = "Metze"
Michael Ballack = "Balla"

And so on.

How could it come to this sad state of affairs?

[Alex_K]

I have no explanation, although it most likely has to be related to the continous decline of football, the media and culture in general, but I wanted to say that this is simply one of the best threads ever!

[benztown]

I never thought about it, but you're right...the only active player with a cool nickname that I'm aware of is Andreas Neuendorf = "Zecke".

Then again, I kinda like Salto Klose and Prinz Poldi. They might not be very inventive but they are all right. Plus, after the Kaiser and König Otto, the royal family is now finally complete.

Another great one from the past, that's not on your list Berti Vogts = "Terrier", but you're right, the list would be endless.

[sting-ray]

a weird one is Lutscher for Frings... mostly cuz of what it can mean..

[HeyaBVB]

a weird one is Lutscher for Frings... mostly cuz of what it can mean..
depends on what he "lutscht" *runs*

[arthur d]

At least we have 'DJ' Asamoah!

Great thread. I particularly hate the stuff Bild come up with, King Knall and Prinz Peng.... ouch! Does anyone know where the nicknames used to come from? In England it's a mix between media (e.g. 'Shrek' Rooney) and teammates (e.g. 'The Hammer' Hitzlsperger). I guess the old German nicknames used to be invented by teammates rather than the press, so the current football players are to blame for being boring really?

[arthur d]

Another question, maybe you know this, Gregoriak: what about classic nicknames in England and Holland? I can't really think of anything from the old days.

[Mattbro]

I never thought about it, but you're right...the only active player with a cool nickname that I'm aware of is Andreas Neuendorf = "Zecke".

I think the greatest nickname ever is still active: Ailton, Der Kugelblitz.

[Gregoriak]

It seems there are basically four main categories for nicknames:

1. The highly original ones, those where there is no logical explanation. These almost always originate from the time the player was still a kid, given to him by his fellow bolzplatz friends. Examples: "Ata", "Enatz" etc.

2. Nicknames that are referring to a physical attribute of the player. Examples: "Tanne", "Bulle", "Ente", "Der Dicke", "Blonder Engel".

3. Nicknames that are referring to the special way the player in question plies his trade. Examples: "Terrier", "Walz", "Rambo".

[the above two are closely linked]

4. The highly unoriginal nicknames, those that are only a unimaginative belittlement of the name. Examples: "Schweini", "Poldi" etc.

#4 is overly prevalent these days, while #1 was overly prevalent in the old days. Today a player with a #1 nickname is very hard to find.

[sting-ray]

depends on what he "lutscht" *runs*


HAHA exactly :D

[Gregoriak]

Another question, maybe you know this, Gregoriak: what about classic nicknames in England and Holland? I can't really think of anything from the old days.

To whom do the following nicknames belong (Dutch and English players):

Professor Eigenwijs
Firehead
Paleface
Kleine Co
Giraffe
Dixie
Supersub
Gazza
Ted
Chopper
Crazy Horse
Bites yer legs
The Governor
Kees
Mighty Mouse
Wizard of Dribble
Super Mac
Wor Jackie
Swede
Psycho

[arthur d]

It seems there are four categories for nicknames:

1. The highly original ones, those where there is no logical explanation. These almost always originate from the time the player was still a kid, given to him by his fellow bolzplatz friends. Examples: "Ata", "Enatz" etc.

2. Nicknames that are referring to a physical attribute of the player. Examples: "Tanne", "Bulle", "Ente", "Ungeheuer", "Blonder Engel".

3. Nicknames that are referring to the special way the player in question plies his trade. Examples: "Terrier", "Walz", "Rambo".

[the above two are closely linked]

4. The highly unoriginal nicknames, those that are only a unimaginative belittlement of the name. Examples: "Schweini", "Poldi" etc.

#4 is overly prevalent these days, while #1 was overly prevalent in the old days. Today a player with a #1 nickname is very hard to find.

My favourite ones have always been the category 3 ones, as they are not as random as your category 1 nicknames and actually refer to the football. So I also really like the Kugelblitz. It's difficult to beat Manni Bananenflanke Kaltz though, that must be one of the best names ever (already the "Manni" is great). Together with Horst Kopfballungeheuer Hrubesch of course (note the mix of category 2 and 3 here!).

To reiterate my previous post, do you know about England or Holland? Maybe it's worth posting on their boards.

Edit: you just beat me to it. Cheers!

[Gregoriak]

I have no explanation, although it most likely has to be related to the continous decline of football, the media and culture in general, but I wanted to say that this is simply one of the best threads ever!

Thanks! I do think that is already a good explanation. It's just sad to see how uninventive people have become these days.

[Jaison]

It's sheer laziness theae days that is responsible for these nicknames. You can take any persons name and add an "i" "o" or "a" to the end. It's like NHL nicknames: Ryan Smyth = Smitty, Jim Peplinski = Peppers, etc. Very inane indeed!

"Lutscher" Frings is one of the better current nicknames though.

Don't some people call Mertesacker "Latte"? Now, that's much better than "Merte".


Anyways, @ Gregoriak's english/dutch nicknames:

Gazza= Gascoigne of course
Chopper= Ron "Chopper" Harris (He'll be proud of Boulahrouz me thinks :D )
Psycho = Stuart Pearce
The Governor = Paul Ince

[arthur d]

Without googling for it, I can only do the following:

Giraffe - Ronaldinho?
Supersub - Freddy Ljungberg?
Gazza - Gascoigne of course
The Governor - Paul Ince
Mighty Mouse - Kevin Keegan
Psycho - Stuart Pearce

But as you say English and Dutch players, the first two must have had predecessors.

[Jaison]

Gazza= Gascoigne of course


Gazza - Gascoigne of course


Lol..

Great minds think alike! :D

[arthur d]

I have no explanation, although it most likely has to be related to the continous decline of football, the media and culture in general, but I wanted to say that this is simply one of the best threads ever!

Although this is not entirely wrong, I would like to put this into perspective. I agree that the German media have become (and are becoming) worse, and that the situation in German football has been much better in the past. Nevertheless, it's also very easy to put past things onto a pedestal, simply because they are in the past. There are many aspects of German culture that are far better today than they have ever been before, most notably the increased degree of internationalism and the increase in language skills. Saying that culture is on a continuous decline is clearly oversimplified! And in any case, being maudlin about it is no solution.

[arthur d]

Lol..

Great minds think alike! :D

Hey, I also noticed that.

I am curious about the other ones though! Maybe we should turn this into a thread where everyone lists the nicknames they know? I noticed that I don't really know so many!

[Jaison]

Yeah, that's a good idea!

Reinhard Libuda -> "Stan" Libuda, since his dribbling prowess reminded many of Sir Stanley Matthews.

The Blonde arrow = Di Stefano

La Brujita (The little wizard) = Juan Veron. His dad, Juan Ramón Veron, another footballing legend in Argentina was nicknamed La Bruja (The wizard), so fittingnly his son was named the diminutive of that.

[svwin]

When I look at the nicknames current football players have (in Germany at least), I've noticed a worrisome decline in inventiveness. German players used to have great nicknames back in the old days, but today all people are able to come up with are belittlements of the actual name.

Check out some of the old inventive nicknames:

Bernhard Dietz = "Enatz"
Hans-Georg Schwarzenbeck = "Katsche"
Klaus Fichtel = "Tanne"
Rudi Völler = "Tante Käthe"
Michael Lameck = "Ata"
Harald Schumacher = "Toni"
Michael Zorc = "Susi"
Wolfgang Kleff = "Otto"
Jürgen Kohler = "Kokser"
Franz Roth = "Bulle"

The list is endless.

If you check out today's players, a lack of invention is obvious:

Gerald Asamoah = "Asa"
Miroslav Klose = "Miro"/"Mirek"
Lukas Podolski = "Poldi"
Bastian Schweinsteiger = "Schweini"
Tim Borowski = "Boro"
Christoph Metzelder = "Metze"
Michael Ballack = "Balla"

And so on.

How could it come to this sad state of affairs?

No, it`s not that bad if you take the others:
Oliver Kahn= Titan
Bernd Schneider= Schnix
Thorsten Frings= Lutscher, Fringsler
David Odonkor= Odo, Ben Johnson
Lukas Podolski= Prinz Poldi, Prinz Peng, Polski
Michael Ballack= Balle, Micha
Per Mertesacker= Merte, Latte
Miroslav Klose= King Knall, Salto Klose, Klöschen
Marcell Jansen= Jänschen
Jens Lehmann= Liehman
Phillip Lahm= Lahmy, Zauberzwerg
Sebastian Deisler= Basti Fantasty
I think there are several more I don`t remember at the moment, but I think some of them are really amazing.:D