[每日电讯] 曼联和范加尔的未来捏在伍德沃德的手里

迭戈

    Manchester United and Louis van Gaal's success this season lies in the hands of Ed Woodward
    曼联和范加尔的未来捏在伍德沃德的手里
    There is no question who is the most significant figure in the immediate future of Manchester United. It is not Wayne Rooney, it is not Angel Di María, it is not even Louis van Gaal.
    无疑他是曼联未来最关键的人物。不是陆尼，不是迪马利亚甚至不是范加尔。
    The person on whose efforts over the next fortnight the well-being of the enterprise depends is the club’s executive vice chairman, a man who, thus far into his tenure, boasts a significantly longer job description than list of achievements.
    范加尔的未来有赖于曼联的执行副主席，能否取得好成绩就看他的了。
    No one could accuse Ed Woodward of looking the part. Lurking on the fringes of photographs taken this weekend of Rory McIlroy and Sir Alex Ferguson in the Old Trafford directors’ box, Woodward hardly carries the air of someone at the heart of the endeavour.
    伍德沃德的一部分工作无可指摘。本周人们拍到弗格森爵士和Rory McIlroy坐在曼联的行政包厢里，伍德沃德是曼联的操盘手。
    United supporters can only hope appearances are deceptive. Woodward has a first class commercial pedigree, his ability to extract maximum monetary return from the United name when he was in charge of sponsorship issues made him hugely valued by the Old Trafford hierarchy.
    伍德沃德有第一流的商业才华，掌管商业部门的他借曼联之名拉赞助的能力很强。让曼联的财力大大增强。
    It is he who has skilfully squeezed record amounts from corporate partners, selling the brand around the world. But now he has to demonstrate that he can apply that negotiating savvy to a very different trading environment: the transfer market.
    他很有手段的从赞助商那里取得了创纪录的金钱，在全世界出售曼联的品牌。但现在他必须展示出自己在其他领域的谈判技巧：转会市场。
    It would be generous indeed to suggest Woodward has been a success in his dealings so far in that arena. While he might have forced through extraordinary deals to strengthen United’s bottom line, he has been far less adept in his efforts to strengthen them on the pitch.
    要说伍德沃德在这方面取得成功还很遥远。他还得继续努力加强曼联的防线，而目前他做得还很不够。
    His first transfer window was abject, characterised by a panicky attempts to land unattainable assets, culminating in the overpriced purchase of Marouane Fellaini, who only most naive could mistake for a Manchester United footballer.
    他的第一个转会期几乎一事无成，最后是花了高价买下费莱尼。他还没有准备好成为曼联球员。
    His second resulted in the hugely expensive purchase of Juan Mata, a decent, inventive player, but one who has yet to demonstrate any significant match-winning prowess.
    他的第二笔签约是创纪录的费用引进马塔，他是一个很好的球员。但并没展示出决定比赛的力量。
    And while there might be a degree of understanding for Woodward’s lacklustre early showing, given that he was new to the job and was initially partnered by a manager renowned for his caution, any reservoir of sympathy will have dried up among United followers: he simply has to get it right this time.
    考虑到去年他刚接手工作，并且是与一个出了名谨慎的经理合作，也许还有情可原。但曼联球迷要求今年他得好好干了。
    In a way, Woodward is now obliged to wrestle with the consequences of policy he inherited. Latterly, under Sir Alex Ferguson the approach in the market was to buy young players who could be developed on the training pitch.
    It was a methodology that had worked supremely well in the case of Cristiano Ronaldo.
    现在伍德沃德必须与之前的政策较量。在弗格森爵士时代曼联买的是能够进一步成长的球员。这个政策最大的成果就是罗纳尔多。
    It was a policy too which found much favour with the club’s owners, who were assured there was no need for extravagant buys in the market, instead the emphasis would be on bringing in cheaper young players who would be improved on the pitches of Carrington.
    这个政策也深得老板的喜欢，因为这样就不需要花大价钱买人。相反可以花较低的价格买入年轻球员让他们在曼联成长为明星。
    Unfortunately, of those purchased to that model, only David De Gea has suggested he might be a success. Phil Jones, Chris Smalling, the Da Silva twins, Anderson, Nani, Antonio Valencia: none of them have given hint that they might develop into world class operators.
    很不幸，这种成功的例子现在只有德赫亚。琼斯、斯莫林、达席尔瓦兄弟、安德森、纳尼、巴伦西亚都没能实现人们的期待成为世界级球星。
    Ferguson’s preference for potential over the marquee buy has meant that, since Wayne Rooney arrived ten summers ago, only Dimitar Berbatov and Robin Van Persie can be legitimately categorised as big name signings by United.
    弗格森喜欢购买有潜力的球员意味着自从10年前引进鲁尼开始，只有贝巴和范佩西算是成名球星。
    In that decade, meanwhile, it is not simply Barcelona, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich who have continued to buy at the top of the market, but so have Manchester City and Chelsea, while Arsenal, Tottenham and Liverpool have all consistently outmuscled United in the search for new recruits.
    同期，巴塞罗那、皇马和拜仁一直在转会市场上购买球星，曼城、切尔西和阿森纳热刺等球队也在这方面超过了曼联。
    The ultimate corollary of this policy has been that Van Gaal has found himself with a squad in which only three players – Rooney, Van Persie and De Gea – could be considered of European, never mind world, class.
    这样范加尔发现自己的阵容中只有鲁尼、范佩西和德赫亚可以说得上是洲际球星——都别提世界级。
    As the grizzled old core of the 2008 European champions left this summer, there is absolutely no sign that any of those mooted as such are capable of stepping up to replace Nemanja Vidic, Rio Ferdinand, Patrice Evra and Ryan Giggs.
    2008欧冠冠军队的核心已经淡出球队，实在没人能代替费迪南德、维迪奇、埃弗拉和吉格斯。
    Urgent action is required to beef up the playing staff if the new manager is to have any hope of competing.
    如果范加尔要取得好成绩，当务之急是要求现有的球员拿出吃奶的劲。
    Van Gaal may be a fine tactician and an astute man manager. But as was demonstrated by Saturday’s wretchedly thin opening performance against Swansea, he is not an alchemist.
    范加尔也许是个战术大师和机敏的经理。但周末比赛的表现说明他也不能点石成金。
    It means if United are to regain something close to their previous prominence, Woodward is going to have to deliver something pretty spectacular over the next fortnight.
    这意味着如果曼联想接近以前的成就，伍德沃德就必须在未来2周内带来一些重量级球星。
    Ander Herrera and Luke Shaw can only be considered the beginning, not the sum total of what is required. Whatever the cost, Woodward needs to land at least three players already at the top of their game: a centre back, a central midfielder and a pacy wide man.
    艾雷拉和肖只能是一个开始，绝不是范加尔需要的一切。不管多少钱，伍德沃德需要拿到至少3个顶级球星。一个中场和善于跑动的边路球员。
    Anything less and another season of disappointment and frustration beckons. On Woodward everything depends.
    要想避免上赛季的灾难，伍德沃德需要竭尽全力。

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