[情報] England players haunted by decade of inconsistency
這是歐文在THE TIMES上的Column，從去年九月過後這半年間就沒再更新。
但在二十七號他在他的column發了這一篇評論，是寫關於這次英格蘭對上以
色列的比賽他的看法之類的。
那因為...我中翻很爛﹝雖然我看得懂orz﹞所以就煩請英文好的大德幫忙翻
譯吧...小人我不獻醜...orz""
若是版主覺得不妥刪掉這篇沒關係﹝第一次在這發文﹞
http://tinyurl.com/3bfnoo
March 27, 2007
England players haunted by decade of inconsistency / Michael Owen
The debate about why England don’t play as well as we can as consistently
as we should is not just happening in TV studios, pubs and newspaper offices.
Take it from me, it happens all the time in the team hotel.
Maybe it is not something we want to admit, but I can count on one hand the
times we have played fantastically well through 90 minutes in my decade with
England.
Maybe players of other big countries will say the same, but it is definitely
true of us. We were great against Germany in the famous 5-1 win in Munich
in 2001, but mostly it has only ever been in patches. I don’t go along with
the argument that some of our better results have also been good performances.
Beating Argentina at the 2002 World Cup finals, for example, is remembered
as a great win, but while we played really well in the first half, we sat
back throughout the second. How they didn’t equalise I will never know.
People talk about the victory over Turkey in April 2003 when Wayne Rooney
made his full debut, but we should expect to beat Turkey at home. In the
first half-hour against Portugal at Euro 2004 we were unbeatable. But we
tend to have a subconscious attitude of keeping what we have and sitting
back as soon as we get a lead.
There is no doubt that most, if not all, our players consistently perform
better at club level. We find it hard to replicate that form for our country
and yet we see other players raise their game.
You see a player like Artim Sakiri for FYR Macedonia who struggles to get
a regular game in the Coca-Cola Championship with West Bromwich Albion,
but he's playing above himself at international level.
I was watching television on Saturday and heard the commentators saying
that Yossi Benayoun is the top man for Israel and we have to be careful
of him. But he would struggle to get in our squad, never mind our team.
Not one of the Israel players would expect to get in our squad. If it
was a Premiership match, we would expect to win comfortably.
Obviously, you have to ask why we are falling short and the first thing I
would say is that it is not the case that the players are concentrating on
the next car they are going to buy. They want to do well, whether that is
for the country, for the manager or just for themselves.
Is it the pressure? There is a lot of it, but we are all big boys who are
used to big matches for our clubs.
Are the expectations too high? Are we not as good as we think we are?
Is it because other teams raise their game? We have been discussing
the same topics for years and here are just a few points I would make.
Football in England is so big and so passionate. There is a feeling among
the players that we get slaughtered if we drop our standards for a second.
I remember scoring a hat-trick against Colombia (in May 2005) and then not
hitting the back of the net for a match or two. Suddenly people were
questioning my place in the team. Of course you have got to earn your
place,but it does make me laugh when people talk about the comfort zone.
It certainly does not feel like an easy ride.
You feel under constant scrutiny. Does that make us too worried about
our own places and not enough about the team as a whole? It is something
to consider. That intense glare makes it harder to have a relaxed
atmosphere and it is particularly trying when the team are not performing
as they can do.
This is not just Steve McClaren’s problem, it goes back to Glenn Hoddle.
It is not something new. The funny thing is that, even acknowledging all
of that, we could turn it around in a second, or at least a match.
I know we have the squad to do well, or at least better.
It is obviously a tough time for England, but I am sure that we will beat
Andorra tomorrow and qualify for Euro 2008. My focus is to return to full
fitness for Glenn Roeder at Newcastle United and I am joining in the
first-team warm-ups. It has been going well. Looking ahead, I’d like to
think I could play a part in helping my country. Whatever the pressure,
I want to be back in the team hotel.
Three of best
Not every England display over the past ten years has hit the heights, but
Owen starred in three of the best
Argentina 2 England 3, Nov 12, 2005
Owen scores in the 86th and 90th minutes to give England victory in Geneva
Germany 1 England 5, Sept 1, 2001
Owen scores first, third and fourth as England win World Cup qualifying tie
in Munich
Argentina 2 England 2, June 30, 1998
Remembered for Owen’s brilliant solo goal and David Beckham’s 47th-minute
sending-off, but gutsy England lose on penalties
附注：如果想看Owen所寫得所有專欄文章可以到以下網址:)
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/columnists/michael_owen
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那時我返回房子，寫道：午夜。
雨正敲打著窗戶。午夜來臨之前，沒有下雨。
孤獨國 http://blog.pixnet.net/yehwen
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