Sir Alex Ferguson and Jose Mourinho see football phrases ADDED to the Oxford English dictionary

Several footballing terms have been added to the Oxford English dictionary as part of its quarterly update, including iconic phrases from Sir Alex Ferguson and Jose Mourinho.

15 football-related terms have been added in total, containing Ferguson’s infamous ‘squeaky bum time’ and Mourinho’s often-criticised defensive tactic of ‘parking the bus’. 

Ferguson, Manchester United’s legendary boss, and Mourinho, who has managed several top European clubs including Real Madrid, United, Chelsea, Tottenham and Inter Milan, are two of the most influential managers in English football over the 21st century.

Sir Alex Ferguson’s ‘squeaky bum time’ phrase was added to the Oxford English Dictionary 

Ferguson originally referenced ‘squeaky bum time’ back in 2003 when discussing Arsenal’s end to the season, with the Gunners rivalling the Scotsman’s Red Devils to the Premier League title.

Mourinho meanwhile has regularly been criticised over his coaching career for playing defensive football but this has not stopped him enduring a glittering career on the touchline, which has included three Premier League titles with Chelsea.

Nevertheless, it was actually Mourinho criticising Tottenham’s tactical set-up against Chelsea in the 2004-05 season when he first coined the phrase ‘parking the bus’.

Jose Mourinho, often criticised for his defensive tactics, saw ‘park the bus’ added too

Mourinho first coined the phrase ‘parking the bus’ when he criticised Tottenham’s tactical set-up in a game against his Chelsea side during the 2004-05 Premier League season

In the latest update of the dictionary, ‘squeaky bum time’ has been defined as: ‘A particularly tense period of time, esp. one leading up to the climax of a competition or event.’

Furthermore, ‘park the bus’ is outlined as: ‘To play in a very defensive way, typically by having the majority of outfield players close to their own goal and showing little attacking intent.’

The 13 other phrases associated with football that have been included in the latest update to the dictonary are: Cruyff turn, Rabona, Panenka, total football, Gegenpressing, tiki-taka, false nine, row Z, top-scoring, outfield, over the top, Trequartista and zonal marking.

Gegenpressing, which is often said to have been introduced and favoured by several German managers such as Ralf Rangnick, Jurgen Klopp and Thomas Tuchel is defined as: ‘A style of play in which a team upon losing possession puts immediate and intensive pressure on the opposition, even deep in the opposition’s half, in an attempt to regain the ball at the earliest opportunity, prevent the opposing team from capitalizing on possession, and force mistakes in dangerous positions.’

‘Gegenpressing’ is a term said to have been introduced by German coaches like Ralf Rangnick

Similarly, Row Z, which is a classic term used by commentators, is explained as: ‘A notional area high and far back in the stadium humorously said to be the destination of a powerful but inelegant clearance, wildly misdirected shot, etc.’ 

A Trequartista is a tactical term for ‘an attacking player who operates in the space between the midfielders and the strikers and whose primary role is to create opportunities for teammates to score.’

Mourinho and Ferguson can claim to have significant roles in impacting the English game over recent decades, and now their legacies can be maintained by the presence of familiar phrases in the dictionary. 

‘Row Z’ is defined as: ‘A notional area high and far back in the stadium humorously said to be the destination of a powerful but inelegant clearance, wildly misdirected shot, etc.’