Theo Walcott：沒什麼好怨尤的 - 阿森納兵工廠足球俱樂部 Arsenal Football Club

Theo Walcott Exclusive: There's no point sulking over South Africa
Published 23:00 01/06/10 By Oliver Holt

鏡報足球版 http://goo.gl/7w4Y

＊＊這篇很長，自行斟酌即可＊＊

When his mobile phone rang yesterday morning and he saw Fabio Capello’s name
on his screen, Theo Walcott did not realise what was coming.
昨天早上，手機響起，螢幕上顯示著 Fabio Capello 來電，Theo Walcott 不明白為何
Capello 打來。

He was on the golf course at Brocket Hall, near his Hertfordshire home,
playing what he thought was a farewell round with two of his mates before he
left for South Africa.
當時，Walcott 在 Brocket Hall 一個離他那 Hertfordshire 家不遠的高爾夫球果嶺
上，與朋友打著高爾夫球，作為前往南非世界盃前的送行。

Walcott is one of the most likable players in football, low on arrogance,
high on humility, always reluctant to trumpet his own achievements.
Walcott 是足球界裡最可愛的球員之一，既不傲慢，也相當謙虛，總不吹噓自己的成就。

But he believed that over the course of the qualifying campaign, he’d done
enough to make the plane.
但他深信，在經過幾場資格比賽的考驗後，足以搭上前往南非的飛機。

He answered the phone and listened as Capello began to speak. The reception
was terrible. He thought he heard him say something about being sorry.
按下應答鍵，開始聽 Capello 的說話。這是慘痛的來訊。他想，他聽到教練說了"抱歉"

His heart began to beat faster. Then the line went dead.
他的心跳愈是急促，然後電話就掛斷了。

Walcott, 21, still thought everything might be all right. The reception was
so bad he couldn’t quite be sure what the England manager had begun to say.
21歲的 Walcott 依然認為一切都上軌道了。這消息捎來如此的傷心，他無法相信這英格
蘭隊教練會對他說這話。

He phoned Capello back. This time, the line was better and there was no doubt
about what Capello was telling him.
他趕緊撥回 Capello。這次，這次通話更明確地表達 Capello 的意思。

“He said he was sorry but I hadn’t made the squad and I wouldn’t be going
to the World Cup,” Walcott said.
Walcott 說：『他說他感到抱歉，而我不會在陣容之中，也不會隨隊前往世界盃。』

“I wanted to ask him ‘why’ but I didn’t get the chance. He said I would
be a big part of his plans for the European Championship in 2012 and that was
it, really.
『我很想問“為何”但我沒有機會說出口。他說，計畫把我安排在 2012 歐洲盃裡，成為
重要的成員，就這樣了。』

“It’s hard for me to take just like it’s hard for everyone who missed out
today. It’s out of my control. There’s nothing I can do about it now.
『對我來說是難以接受的，就如其他人錯失機會而難以接受一樣。那不是我能控制的，現
在做什麼都沒用了。』

“At the last World Cup, I was in the squad but I didn’t get the chance to
appear at all. This time, I thought I’d play a proper part.
『上次的世界盃，我雖然在陣容裡，但沒有機會上場。這次，我認為應該可以做點什麼。

“I thought I deserved my place.
『我認為我應得到資格的。』

“I respect Mr Capello’s decision, of course. There’s no point me sulking
about it. I’ve just got to get on with it.
『當然，我敬重 Capello 先生的決定。我沒有立足點去為此發怒。我試著去適應這事。

“I’m very disappointed but I would like to wish the team the best of luck
and hope they have a really successful tournament.”
『我非常難過，但我還是要祝英格蘭隊好運，並希望拿下成功的錦標賽。』

And so Walcott, who was the big story when the England squad for the Germany
World Cup was announced, was the big story this time as well.
在德國當時舉辦的世界盃，Walcott 成了英格蘭隊裡的注目焦點；今天，他再次成了焦點

Four years ago, when he was a 17-year-old who hadn’t kicked a ball in the
Premier League, it was a shock that Sven Goran Eriksson included him.
四年前，他還只是個 17歲、還沒踢過英超的球員，卻因 Sven Goran Eriksson 選了他而
跌破眾人眼鏡。

Now, when the kid has grown into a man and was confident of making his mark
in South Africa, it was almost as big a shock that Capello did not.
現在，當初的毛頭小子長成青年，也自信可以在南非展現自己的才能，Capello 沒有選他
也同樣使眾人驚訝。

What seems particularly cruel is that Walcott endured so much frustration and
scrutiny in the last World Cup and was looking forward to putting things
right.
那看來極為殘忍，Walcott 雖忍受許多挫折、在上次的世界盃裡被放大檢視，仍期待一切
都能順利。

He knew he wasn’t ready for it last time. He knew he was ready for it this
time.
他知道上次還沒有準備好，但已經準備好出征這次的世界盃。

Walcott didn’t kick a ball in Germany and his selection was fiercely
criticised by Steven Gerrard and others after the tournament.
Walcott 在德國(世界盃那次)沒有踢到球，事後還被 Steven Gerrard 和其他人嚴厲批評

Walcott had hoped that South Africa would give him the platform to show how
much he had matured since then and that he could make a full contribution to
a World Cup finals campaign.
Walcott 希望自那之後，南非(世界盃)再次給他舞台來展示成熟的一面，並貢獻一切直到
世界盃的冠軍決賽。

Instead, he was the big victim of the final cull, the man that many thought
was one of Capello’s untouchables.
取而代之的是，他成了最後篩選的犧牲者，成了許多人認為是 Capello 的剔除之一。

It had been assumed Walcott was one of Capello’s favourites, particularly
after he scored a hat-trick in the 4-1 away win over Croatia that was the
best result of the Italian’s time in charge so far.
假若成了 Capello 偏好的球員之一，特別是在客場對克羅埃蒂亞 4-1 大勝中上演帽子戲
法的他，成就了這義大利人執教英格蘭隊期間最好的表現。

The Arsenal winger has endured a wretched run of injuries this year but had
shaken them off towards the end of the campaign.
這名 Arsenal 邊鋒在今年忍受了一連續惡劣的傷病，到季末才擺脫了它們。

His form was returning in patches and he rescued Arsenal with a goal in the
first leg of their Champions League quarter-final against Barcelona and set
one up in the second leg.
他的狀態一點一滴地回復，甚至在歐冠四強賽中 Arsenal 對上 Barcelona 的第一回合貢
獻進球，也奠定第二回合進球的發動。

He had a poor first half against Japan in Graz on Sunday but then so did
every player in an England shirt, with the possible exception of Frank
Lampard.
週日於 Graz 對上 日本隊時，他上半場的表現不佳，但所有英格蘭隊球員也是表現如此
低迷，甚至包含可能被剔除的 Frank Lampard。

Shaun Wright-Phillips, the man who stole ahead of him in the manager’s
thoughts, has hardly made a strong case for inclusion himself.
S Wright-Phillips，在教練的考量中搶走了 Walcott 的位置，卻沒有什麼非用他不可
的考量。

And while Capello overlooked the consistently mediocre performances of men
like Matthew Upson and Michael Carrick, he made Walcott pay for his
inconsistency.
同時 Capello 忽視了一直以來都是表現平庸的 Matthew Upson 和 Michael Carrick，
卻要求 Walcott 因未能保持高效而付出代價。

It is a big risk because Walcott has shown he is the type of player that can
change big games.
這是相當大的風險，因為 Walcott 是那種可以扭轉重大賽事的球員。

He won the game for England against Croatia. He dragged Arsenal back into
their first leg against Barcelona.
他曾為英格蘭對上克羅埃蒂亞贏下比賽。也為 Arsenal 對上 Barcelona 的第一回合從劣
勢扳回來。

Even if Capello preferred to start with Aaron Lennon, it seems odd that he
has not even brought Walcott for the impact he can make from the substitutes’
bench.
即使說 Capello 偏好使用 Aaron Lennon 先發，卻也說不通為什麼不帶著 Walcott，讓
做為替補的他來發揮影響力。

Walcott is still only 21. He still has a couple of World Cups left in him.
But that will be cold comfort today as he contemplates a summer at home.
Walcott 才僅僅 21歲。仍有著兩次的世界杯等著他。但這僅是安慰，夏天他仍得在家裡
沉思。

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其實，拿 日本隊 那場來評論 Walcott 是不公平的，
大家都知道當時的所有球員幾乎都 .....

更不公平的是，
居然沒有帶 Walcott 去磨練來貢獻下賽季的 Arsenal .....
我們何其希望他自此蛻變阿！

(￣□￣|||)a

Goal! Goal! Arsenal!
We r the Champions !

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