迈克尔·欧文：父亲是我的动力之源

2013-07-23byMichaelOwen

疯狂英语·中学版 2013年6期

by Michael Owen

It is almost every young boys dream as theyre growing up to become a professional footballer. We switch on the TV most evenings to see the game played in all its glory[光荣] by athletes[运动员] at the top of their profession. We get absorbed[吸收] in the speed and skill of the players. As we get older and have children of our own， most of us dream that one day it will be our own son strutting[昂首阔步] their stuff.

几乎每个小男孩都梦想过长大后成为一名职业足球运动员。大多数晚上我们打开电视都能看到顶尖运动员上演的精彩绝伦的比赛。我们从他们的速度和技巧中吸取养分。当我们长大成人，有了自己的孩子后，我们大都梦想着有一天我们的儿子能在他自己的球场上昂首阔步，勇往直前。

There are millions of things that need to click[成功] for a budding[崭露头角的] young footballer to make it all the way to the top. If it was easy to make it， it wouldnt be the great game that it is.

I often get asked for advice from aspiring[有志气的] young kids and their parents， but if I were to look back on my career and single out[挑出] one thing that stood me in good stead， it would be the environment in which I grew up. Without that， I could never have become the player I was. Of course， there are many different pathways[路径] to the top and just because I made it doesnt mean that following my path to the letter[丝毫不差地] is the only way to do it. I have， however， seen hundreds of players with huge potential[潜力] drop out of the game for a variety of reasons.

I am one of five children. My brothers and sisters were all lightning fast. It is a genetic trait[遗传特性] that courses through my family. I was born lucky in that respect. Sadly， muscle injuries are another family trait. My dad suffered from[受……之苦] them as a player， and my brothers and I have been plagued[折磨] by them too. It is bad luck in many ways， but some would say it is the price you pay for being quick.

Reaching the top of your profession on your own is next to impossible. Doing it with the support of others gives you a small chance. Having the support of all your family， while being guided by a father like mine， made it hard to fail. My dad， Leslie Terence Owen， was a professional footballer for 15 years， playing in the lower leagues[联盟] for Bradford City， Chester City， Port Vale， Rochdale and Cambridge United. He is the person， more than anyone else， whom I credit[归功于] for moulding[塑造] me into the man I am. From the minute Dad witnessed[目睹] something about me that was different， he created an unwritten set of rules， an unbreakable[牢不可破的] bond[纽带] and an understanding between us that hardly required a word to be spoken.

一个初露头角的年轻球员要成为世界顶尖球员需要经过千锤百炼。要是这种成功唾手可得，足球就不会成为这么一项伟大的运动了。

年轻有志的孩子及其父母常常询问我的建议。我回顾自己的职业生涯，会发现有一点令我受益匪浅，那就是我的成长环境。若不是出生在这样的家庭，我也许就不会成为这么成功的球员了。当然，成功的道路有很多，我走对了一条路并不意味着别人只有按照我的路来走才能成功。然而，我看过许多潜力巨大的运动员由于各种各样的原因离开了赛场。

我们家有五个孩子。我的兄弟姐妹们都跑得飞快，这是我们家族的遗传特性。很幸运我也天生如此。不幸的是，肌肉损伤也是我们家族的另一个遗传特性。我的父亲还是运动员时便深受其害，我的兄弟和我也不能幸免。从很多方面来说，这是种不幸，不过也有人会说，这就是跑得快要付出的代价。

仅靠自己的力量达到事业的巅峰几乎是不可能的。若是有人帮你，成功的几率会稍微大些。而如果得到全家人的支持，再有一个像我父亲这样的指导，想不成功都难。我的父亲莱斯利·特伦斯·欧文曾有着十五年的职业球员生涯，曾在低级联盟中效力于布拉德福德、切斯特城、瓦尔港、罗奇戴尔和剑桥联队。我之所以有今天的成就，我认为父亲厥功至伟。从父亲发现我天赋的那一刻起，他就在我们之间制定了一套不成文的规定、一条牢不可破的纽带和一份相互的信任，这一切尽在不言中。

One of the most important roles of any parent is to create an environment in which their children can flourish[繁荣]. My parents did just that. At an early age I was showing ability. At six， I was too young to join a football club， so Dad took me to a mini-club where Id mix it with other kids. He recalls[回忆] that I used to loiter[徘徊] around the goal[球门] waiting for a chance and， when it arrived， I would side foot[侧踢] it into the corner. Not once， he says， did I ever lash[猛击] at a ball in front of goal as a kid. It was always a calm finish， focused on accuracy[精确度]. At this point， I was showing signs of having a natural ability to play football and score goals.

What followed was a decade of dedication[奉献] and skill from my parents. My motivation[动力] was to please my dad. He was， and still is， my hero. Putting in a good tackle[拦截抢球]， making a nice pass or scoring a great goal meant nothing in isolation[孤独]. Taking a sneak[偷偷地] peek[一瞥] behind the goal to where Dad was standing， and being acknowledged[被认可的] by a nod or a wink of approval[认可] meant the world. On the odd[不寻常的]occasion that I played poorly or did something wrong， he couldnt hide his disappointment. He would never shout. He just wouldnt talk to me. This wasnt an intentional[故意的] ploy[策略]， just his disappointment at my performance. It was the most painful thing he could do. I had let my best mate down， and it hurt badly.

As a child， having Dad there to watch me was my comfort blanket[毯子]. He even changed jobs to one he hated， but he did it so there was more flexibility[灵活性] in his working hours. He did not want to miss a second of anything I did. I was trying to do the maths the other day. Since the age of seven， I would say I have played in around 1，250 football matches. I think he has missed around six of them and that was only because we were skint[身无分文的] and he couldnt afford to travel overseas when I was young.

The most amusing thing when I look back now is seeing Dad during my PE lessons. If we were doing cricket[板球]， rugby[橄榄球]， football or athletics[田径]， he would find a vantage point[有利位置] somewhere to watch me. We often did cross-country[越野赛跑]. I would be ambling[缓行] along in fourth gear， totally in my comfort zone， when I would spot his car at the side of the road. Believe me， I would be in front the next time he saw me when the finishing line was in sight—not because I would be in trouble but because it was another chance to impress Dad.

I suspect many people reading this will disapprove of me feeling as if I always needed to perform at my best， given that football and other sports are meant to be fun， especially when played at a young age. I agree up to a point. Remember， I have two brothers who went through the same process. Not making it as footballers didnt scar[伤害] them and Dad is as proud of them as he is of me. What matters most to my parents is that their kids are happy and decent[正直的] people. Dad would never raise his voice， I cant recall him ever shouting at me throughout my childhood. Neither did he ever punish me for playing poorly. I simply knew how much my playing well meant to him， and I didnt ever want to disappoint.

为人父母最重要的一个作用就是为儿女创造一个能在其中茁壮成长的环境。我的父母在这方面做得很好。我很小的时候就展示出与众不同的足球才能。六岁时，因为我还太小，不能加入足球俱乐部，所以父亲就带我到儿童迷你俱乐部去。在那儿我和其他孩子一起踢足球。父亲回忆说，我总在球门附近徘徊，等待射门的机会，时机一到，我就会把球侧踢进球门。他说我一次也没有像普通小孩一样在球门前乱踢。我总是很冷静，专注于射门的精准度。在这点上，我表现了踢球和进球得分的天赋。

接下来就是我父母长达十年的付出与训练。我的动力就是让父亲满意。一直以来他都是我心目中的英雄。一个有效的拦截、一次漂亮的传球或是一记绝妙的射门，如果没有父亲，都显得毫无意义。偷偷瞄一眼站在球门后面的父亲，他的一个认可的点头或眨眼，对我来说就是一切。偶尔我也有发挥失常或犯错误的时候，这时父亲无法掩饰他的失望。他从不冲我大吼大叫，只是不跟我说话。他并非故意如此，只是对我的表现感到失望，让我最痛苦的事莫过于此。而让我最好的搭档失望，我也很难过。

作为一个孩子，有父亲在现场看着我踢球，让我觉得心安。他甚至为了我换了一份他讨厌的工作，只为了有更灵活的工作时间。他不想错过我踢球的每一个瞬间。有一天我试着算了一下，我从七岁起一共参加了约1250场球赛。我想他大概只错过了其中的六场，而那只是因为我年少时家境拮据，他无法支付出国费用。

现在回想起来最有趣的事就是父亲看我上体育课。如果我们上的是板球、橄榄球、足球或田径课，他会找个有利的位置看着我。我们常做越野训练。我本来在以自己舒服的方式悠着跑，一旦我发现他的车停在路边，不骗你，他再看到我的时候我已经火速冲到终点线了。这么做倒不是因为我怕挨训，而是用另一种方式引起父亲的注意。

我想很多读者不赞同我的想法，好像我总得全力以赴，而足球和其他运动都旨在娱乐，尤其对于孩子而言。在一定程度上我同意这个观点。但别忘了，我的两个兄弟都有同样的经历。不当职业球员并没有让他们心灵受伤，父亲同样也为他们感到骄傲。对我们的父母来说，最重要的是自己的孩子们过得快乐，为人正直。父亲从不高声说话，我记不起小时候他有对我大声嚷嚷过，他也从不因我表现不佳而责罚我。我只知道我表现得好对他有多重要，而我也不想让他失望。

迈克尔·詹姆斯·欧文的职业足球生涯

1996年 17岁的欧文正式签约利物浦队

1998年加入国家队，成为英格兰有史以来最年轻的球员，那时他才18岁零59天（后来被鲁尼超越）

1998年在联赛中的18颗入球使其成为该赛季英超最佳射手，当选为“年度体育风云人物”和“最佳新人”

1998年入选英格兰代表队出战法国世界杯，在对阵阿根廷的比赛中连过四名阿根廷球员攻进了举世震惊的一球，被载入世界杯经典入球，一代国际巨星横空出世

1998年获得BBC“年度最佳运动员”称号

2001年带领着利物浦在各条战线所向披靡，获得联赛杯、联盟杯、超级杯、足总杯和慈善盾杯冠军，并获得当年的“欧洲足球先生”称号

2003年获得第二座联赛杯冠军

2004年攻入在利物浦队的第158个进球，并成为国家队出场次数与进球数并列第一的利物浦球员

2004年以1900万英镑的价格加盟皇马

2005年以1600万英镑的价格加盟纽卡斯尔

2009年加盟曼联