I have been a Burnley fan for more than two months now. It started with a rigorous search for a Premier League club to follow. Since landing upon the Clarets (or Bees, as I like to think upon them), I’ve followed the team from a distance.
But not Saturday.
No, on Saturday, events transpired that led me to be sitting at my computer for the entirety of my favorite soccer team’s two-hour match against Leicester City. I followed the lads up close.
I was not lying. It was exhilarating.
There was the thrill of an early lead. There was the resigned turn to pulling for a road draw. There was the kneecapping by VAR, which I used to assume was always right because it’s a video review system, but now understand is an evil, evil machine (or process? I don’t know what VAR is because I haven’t watched a soccer game on television since 2018) ruining the beautiful game for its own perverted pleasure.
In the midst of all that, though, I learned some things.
Having gone to the effort to learn the names of more players than only Ashley Barnes prior to the contest, I was aware of the fact that the man I called Johann Gudmundsson hadn’t played in many games. I decided to learn more, and in so doing (before I move on, turns out he’s had a hamstring injury—he is not a substitute, as I speculated Saturday, or at least I don’t think he is), found this:
Yes, I had inadequately referred to Berg Guðmundsson. Our style guide on this website (though important, it’s an unwritten document, so we have that in common with the United Kingdom) mandates using the correct lettering for a person’s name if possible via an alt code (or a Mac keyboard if typing there). It isn’t much work on our part, and it’s a person’s name—the least we can do is address them properly.
So, going forward, it will be Jóhann Berg Guðmundsson when referring to this particular footballer.
Also, I learned Ashley Barnes had a “tight groin” Saturday, which does not mean his groin is “rad” or “cool” as the word “tight” might imply (though it may well be those things—I have no familiarity with the groin of Mr. Barnes). Anyway, that’s why he didn’t play. His groin was tight. Also he isn’t Austrian. I mean, he is. His grandma is. But he isn’t, and when he tried to play for their national team, he couldn’t get a passport. So no need to quietly support Austria in international play. Barnes isn’t there.
See you Saturday when Britain’s Team *checks schedule* oh crap they play Chelsea.
