Lucky Matchday #13 - for some. So, the United States and England are through to the next round along with Germany and Ghana. Australia was a great surprise today. 2-0 was an amazing score. Not for Serbia but definitely for the down-under crowd.
Today we have a grouping of words used in football that are also used in business English.
1) "pitch" - In football, the pitch is the playing field.
In business, we talk about a "sales pitch" or "to pitch something to" the boss. These are similar. In baseball, a "pitch" is when the ball is thrown to the batter so it can be hit. This is a similar analogy to business usage. To give a "sales pitch" is to tell someone or a group of people about your product in the hopes of having them buy the product. For example: "The sales pitch that my brother-in-law gave us was so convincing, we bought his car the same day". To "pitch something to" the boss is essentially the same thing but what you are pitching may not be a product for sale but instead an idea you have about your work or workplace. For example: "I pitched my idea about overtime to my boss and she loved the idea. Our department will be using my idea to write new rules for the entire company."
2) "take a shot" - Football players "take a shot" when they "attempt" to make a goal. They can "take a shot" that is "on target" or that is "a long shot". A "long shot" is an attempt on goal that is taken from a difficult distance or angle. It has less chance to be successful but is still worth a try, at least in the player's mind.
When we "take a shot" at something in business, the idea is the same as football. Essentially it is an "attempt" or "try" for something. Perhaps there is a new job opening in your department and you want to "try" to get this new position. You may "take a shot" at this new position by handing in your resume and/or talking to the Human Resources department. We can also use this expression to discuss a "long shot" in business or elsewhere. For example: "We knew that the other company was considering moving their head office to Tokyo, but we took a shot at selling them our cleaning service anyway." Anything that you think is worth attempting, whether the odds are good or bad, is worth "taking a shot" at.
3) "shoot" - To "shoot" in football is , not surprisingly, the same as "taking a shot". It is an attempt to make a goal.
In business, and everywhere else, this expression is used to encourage someone to speak to you. If someone comes into your office and tells you they have something to talk about but they don't launch into their information right away, they may be waiting for encouragement to speak. You can say to this person simply, "Shoot." and they will know you are ready to listen to them. "Shoot" in English is used the same way as the expression "go ahead" to encourage someone to speak or take the next step in something.
4) "goal" - You know that a "goal" in football is a completed and successful attempt at getting the ball into the opponent's net. We also use "the goal" to describe the posts and net marking the area where a "goal" is made. So "the goal" or "the goal area" is the focus of any attempts at scoring.
A "goal" in business or life is your focus for success. It is your "aim" or "desired result". For example: "My goal in writing these blogs is to help ESL learners to better understand everyday expressions used in English that may not be found in their textbooks or taught in their classes." The "goal" may or may not be successfully attained, like in football, but it is your intention.
5) to be "fit" - A player who is "fit" or "has good fitness" is one who is capable of doing their job physically. It simply means that they are well-trained and healthy enough to complete their task of playing the football match. Fitness can be a factor when, for example, an unusual circumstance like playing at constantly changing elevations affects players' abilities to compete.
In business, "to be fit" or to "have a good fit" is to be "appropriate". Employees are expected to "fit" in the company. We also use the phrasal verb to "fit in". Their skills and personal habits have to combine with the skills and expected behaviours of workers in the department in question. The term "fit" is used frequently in the hiring and firing aspects of a business. For example: "We had to fire Paula because her skill level wasn't as high as we needed in the sales department. She didn't make a good fit."
On to Matchday #14. Groups E and F. Since this World Cup has had more than its share of surprises, we are expecting an entertaining if not unpredictable day of football. Enjoy.
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