Each day during the 2014 World Cup the languagecaster team explains a key word or phrase for learners of English in our World Cup Language posts. Today, we focus on the phrase ‘Plan B‘. Why not try our World Cup Word Quiz, too, to see how well you know your football language!World Cup Phrase: Plan B
A plan B is an option, a different approach. Most teams in football have a preferred way of playing, but sometimes they have to change their tactics. When they change their tactics it is called a plan B. Usually, this phrase is used in the negative construction, ‘The team didn’t have a plan B’, meaning the team was inflexible and unable to change. In the round of 16 game between Holland and Mexico, Dutch coach van Gaal said he changed his team approach during the water breaks – “Then I moved to plan B. I did that in the cooling break – that is a clever way of benefiting from these breaks.”
- Example: Vicente Del Bosque had no plan B with Spain last night.
- Example: There’s no plan B for this counter-attacking side, and few will be disappointed to see Russia eliminated. (zonalmarking.net)
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