With the new influx of aging foreign stars into China's professional soccer league, the sport is sure to get more exciting on the field. And, as Chinese soccer fans learned Monday, it may soon get more of the off-the-field drama every modern soccer league needs.
随着又一批上了些年纪的外国球星效力中国职业足球联赛,中国足球赛场无疑将变得更加令人兴奋。中国足球迷周一得知,中国足球可能很快会出现更多场外戏码,而这正是每个现代足球联赛都需要的。
Arriving in the Beijing Capital Airport on Monday, madcap Argentinean soccer legend Diego Maradona reiterated in a press conference he would like to coach in China. According to the state-run China Daily, Maradona added that he wants "to contribute to the development of China's soccer youth."
桀骜不驯的阿根廷足球传奇人物马拉多纳(Diego Maradona)周一抵达北京首都国际机场,并在随后的新闻发布会上重申,他愿意到中国执教。据国有媒体《中国日报》(China Daily)报道,马拉多纳还说,他想为中国青少年足球事业的发展尽一份力。
In China for an eight-day charity trip, Maradona is set to meet with Wei Di, the man in charge of China's Football Association, China Daily said. The trip marks Maradona's second visit to China this year.
据《中国日报》报道,马拉多纳此次访华是为参加一个为期八天的慈善活动,他将与中国足球协会(China's Football Association)副主席韦迪见面。这是马拉多纳今年第二次访问中国。
In January, he was photographed tossing a soccer ball with a young Chinese fan at a charity event in Shanghai. In May, Tang Huiqing, one of Mr. Maradona's agents, told local media he wished to become the head coach of China's national team.
今年1月,马拉多纳被拍到在上海某慈善活动上与一名中国青少年球迷传球。5月,马拉多纳的经纪人之一唐清慧对中国媒体说,马拉多纳非常愿意担任中国国家队的主教练。
Given the shambolic record of China's national team, the position might just suit Maradona, who was fired last month from Dubai's Al Wasl FC after a disappointing season. Al Wasl finished eighth in its league and lost in the final of a regional tournament on penalties after two players were ejected for head-butting opponents.
考虑到中国国家足球队不堪回首的历史记录,这个职位可能刚好适合马拉多纳。在结束了一个令人失望的赛季之后,马拉多纳上个月被迪拜球队阿尔瓦斯尔(Al Wasl FC)解雇。在这个赛季中,阿尔瓦斯尔在迪拜足球联赛中仅名列第八位,并且在地区联赛决赛中,该队有两名球员用头顶撞对手被罚下场,最终在点球大战中输掉了比赛。
Maradona had earlier coached the Argentinian national team but was fired after a weak performance in the 2010 World Cup.
马拉多纳早先曾执教阿根廷国家队,但是由于该球队在2010年世界杯(World Cup)中表现不佳而被解聘。
Since his storied career as a player ended in the mid-1990s, Maradona has been known more for his erratic behavior than for his expert stewardship of any given team. During his time in Dubai he had several run-ins with opposing teams' fans and coaches, at one point charging into the stands to confront opposing fans who were taunting his girlfriend.
自从他广被传诵的运动员生涯在上世纪90年代中期结束以来,马拉多纳行为乖张的名声就盖过了他在任何球队的执教声誉。在迪拜担任教练期间,他几次和对手球迷和教练发生争执,还曾一度冲上看台与奚落他女友的球迷对骂。
Prior to Dubai, Maradona had long been known for his strained relationship with the press. In 1994, he fired at journalists with an air gun, injuring four and earning himself a suspended jail sentence of two years and 10 months. But this apparently did not discourage the quick-tempered coach from confrontations with reporters. Two years ago, his car rolled over the leg of a cameraman, sending the man to hospital. And in a press conference after securing a spot in the 2010 World Cup, Mr. Maradona also hurled insults at reporters who doubted his coaching abilities by stating, "you can suck it, keep on sucking."
到迪拜执教之前,马拉多纳就一直因与媒体关系紧张而闻名。1994年,他曾手持气枪向多名记者开火,四名记者受伤,他也因此被判两年零10个月监禁,缓期执行。但此事似乎并没有让这位急脾气的足球教练减少与记者的冲突。两年前,马拉多纳驾车从一位摄影记者的腿上碾了过去,导致后者入院接受治疗。在获得2010年世界杯出线资格后,马拉多纳在一场新闻发布会上抓住自己的裆部对那些质疑他执教能力的记者谩骂道:来舔啊,接着舔啊。
Maradona might be interested in China as a place where his troop of illegitimate children and questionable driving history would make him just another member of the upper class. But his desire to come to China likely has more to do with the reportedly massive salaries graying coaches and players, like Marcelo Lipi and Didier Drogba, are commanding in the country.
马拉多纳之所以对中国感兴趣,可能是因为他膝下的一大群私生子和他本人可疑的驾驶记录会让他成为中国上流社会的一员。不过,他渴望来中国执教可能更多是因为有报道称,目前正效力于中国足球的那些满头银发的外国教练(如里皮(Marcello Lippi))和运动员(如德罗巴(Didier Drogba))拿到了天价薪资。
Drogba signed a two-and-a-half year contract with China Super League club Shanghai Shenghua in June with a reported salary of £200,000 ($318,000) per week. The footballer, who has earned rave reviews, was dubbed the "Devil Beast" after a 5-1 drubbing of Shenghua rivals Hangzhou Greentown in his home debut.
今年6月,德罗巴与中超上海申花俱乐部签署了一份两年半的合同,据说他每周的薪水高达20万英镑(合31.8万美元)。外号"魔兽"的德罗巴在加盟上海申花后的主场首秀中表现出色,帮助上海申花以5比1大胜杭州绿城,获得如潮好评。
Lippi, the former head coach of the Italian national team, joined Guangzhou Evergrande in May, also for two and a half years, with a contract estimated to be worth around 10 million euros ($12.28 million) per season. Evergrande won under Lippi's guidance just three days after the coach arrived in Guangzhou.
意大利前国家队主帅里皮今年5月加盟广州恒大,合同期也是两年半,外界估计他每个赛季的薪资高达1,000万欧元(合1,228万美元)左右。里皮抵达广州三天后,广州恒大便在他的指导下赢得了比赛。
Given Maradona's larger-than-life persona, and China's fondness for big-name stars willing to live in the country, the aging legend likely wouldn't have much trouble finding a job in the world's most populous country. Far less certain is whether the government would tolerate his antics.
鉴于马拉多纳具有传奇色彩的人生经历以及中国人对于愿意在中国生活的大牌明星的喜爱,上了年纪的马拉多纳要想在中国这个世界上人口最多的国家找份工作可能不会太难。相比之下,远不能确定的是中国政府能否容忍他的乖张行为。
Then again, he might provide a welcome distraction for a soccer league known more for the frequency of its match-fixing scandals than the quality of its play.
但话又说回来,对于一个因不断爆出比赛操纵丑闻而非以赛事质量出名的足球联赛来说,若有一个马拉多纳这样的人物,可能会分散外界对该联赛的注意力,从这一点上说,他应该是受欢迎的。