Canada· medium· informal
gérant d’estrade
“manager of the stands”
Meaning
someone who criticises from the sidelines without joining in
Explanation
The stands are where everyone knows exactly what the coach should have done. Quebec French turned that into a label for the type: never played a minute, opinion on every substitution. 'Ti-Jo Connaissant' does the same job, and English lands near it with 'armchair quarterback' or 'backseat driver'.
Example
Il n'a jamais joué au hockey, mais il critique chaque décision de l'entraîneur, un vrai gérant d'estrade.
He's never played hockey in his life, but he criticises every decision the coach makes, a proper expert from the safety of the stands.
Origin
'Gérant' is a manager and an 'estrade' is the stands, so the compound puts a manager's job where the spectators sit.
Where
Quebec
Source
More like this
- à la mitainedone by hand rather than with machines
- accouche, qu’on baptisehurry up and get to the point
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- aller péter dans les fleursto tell someone to clear off and stop bothering you
- attacher sa tuqueto brace yourself, something intense is about to happen
- avoir de la jasetteto be a natural talker, always up for a chat