What a life Tony Adams has had, a successful footballer with Arsenal and England, winning the highest club and individual awards in England, recovery from alcoholism, prison, a divorce and depression. All is told in his brilliant autobiography, ‘Addicted’
托尼亚当斯曾效力于阿森纳以及英格兰国家队，取得了俱乐部的最高荣誉，并获得过不少个人奖项，经历了酗酒、牢狱、离婚以及消沉。这一切在他的自传《沉迷》中都有提及。[Shirley:不确定他这本自传的正式翻译为什么名字]
The story of Tony’s life has always been a well-documented story in the tabloids with his exciting life creating many selling headlines, but for now it is all revealed from his own point of view, in an incredibly honest and frank confession of his life. Writing an autobiography is a common thing, with plenty of sports stars and other celebrities doing one by themselves or with a writers help, but this book stands head and shoulders above anything I have read in this section before.
关于托尼的新闻总是能上小报的头条，现在他自己坦诚地向大家讲述他的生活。很多体育明星或是社会名人都会自己写作或是请人代笔出版自传，但亚当斯的这本是我读过的自传里最棒的！
That was one of the things I liked about the book, it truly is honest as if he wants to tell the world of his problems. It is neither a call to get public feelings and sympathy, nor is it a sell out to earn more money and sing his own praises at the same time. It is just an honest book, and that strikes me all the way through.
所以我特别喜欢这本书，完全是真实的叙述，他似乎想让全世界了解他。并不是想要大众关注他同情他，或是通过出版自传来赚钱，又或者是标榜自己。这只是一本讲述事实的书，非常吸引我。
This is not going to win any awards for the quality of the writing, it is mostly written by Tony himself, albeit with help from Ian Ridley, but the writing style can sometimes be a but basic and lets the book down, as it is an excellent story. His emotions and pride are obvious when he wins things, but this book is a good reason why Tony is a footballer. For me though it adds to the books appeal, as it is Tony’s story and nothing else and has not been edited or re-written to increase the value of the book.
本书也不想得到什么奖，大部分都是托尼亲自写的，另外还有Ian Ridley的帮助，不过本书的风格很不错。当他获胜时，激动与骄傲溢于颜表，书里很好的讲述了为什么托尼会成为足球运动员。尽管我对这书感兴趣更多的是因为这是托尼的书，而且没有经过太多编辑或是修改来提升书的价值。
The book is split into clear sections, each representing an important stage in Tony Adam’s life. It starts with a pretty depressing chapter on how he became an alcoholic without realising it. It is the end of the 1996 European Championships, held in England. England has just lost to Germany in the semi-finals on penalties, and Tony is upset so turns to the nearest thing, a can of Carling, and goes off on a drinking bender. Without knowing it he is soon a drinking at any available opportunity, even queuing outside the local pub in the morning before opening time. At the time he was in denial, but now he is able to look back on this time, with regret, but now he is facing up to, and beaten his problem.
书中详细地以不同段落来讲述亚当斯生活的不同阶段。[Shirley:突然觉得自己语文好差，表达不清楚，请见谅了！] 开始部分即提到他是如何在不知不觉中成为酒鬼的。那是在结束了1996年在英国进行的欧锦赛后。英格兰在半决赛中点球负于德国，托尼情绪低落，开始寻找最近的解脱。从一罐Carlin [ Shirley:这是一种酒吗？不好意思，我不了解~~] 开始，然后是参加酒会。亚当斯自己都没有意识到，他变得在任何场合都离不开酒了，即便是排队等待酒吧开门时也要喝！以前他会否认自己酗酒，但现在他已经能够勇敢面对并解决这个问题了。
Next is a look into his personal life story, growing up as a child in Essex, admiring his father, who was also a footballer, childhood, growing up school life, and youth football, all the stuff of a normal autobiography, just a bit special because of his footballing talent led him away from school, which he never was very good at. It is all straightforward, with no dressing up of details, not the best piece of writing, but very descriptive. He was obviously a talented footballer as a youngster, and he is not boastful, but I can believe he did overpower the other kids. Nice little tales about going off to play for England schoolboys, but being rejected as a scapegoat for some minor trouble, but as he was from London, he was assumed to have started the fight. Also playing for his all conquering local team, getting off exams to play for Arsenal, and signing youth contracts at Arsenal in the toilets, as it was the only available place.
随后是谈到了他的个人生活：童年是在艾克塞斯度过的。 [Shirley:字典上说是英国东南部的一个郡] 他的父亲也是名足球运动员，亚当斯非常崇拜他的父亲。然后上学、开始学习踢球，这些内容和其他自传差不多，不过，正是他的足球天赋使他放弃了学业，而他在学校的学习成绩也并不理想。用词非常直接了当，没有过多叙述，但讲述地已很清楚。少年时代亚当斯已展露出足球天赋，虽然他自己并没有这样吹嘘，但我相信他肯定比其他孩子更强。书中还讲到他为英国学校队踢球， [ Shirley: 这是项什么比赛？我猜是英国一些学校组织的比赛吧？好象在吉格斯的自传里他也提到过曾参加这个赛事。] 但却因一些错误而被开除，就因为他是从伦敦来的，都以为打架肯定是他带的头。 他还为地方队踢过球，不去考试只为了参加阿森纳的比赛，不得不在厕所里签定了与阿森纳青年队的合同。
He continues to talk about his football career in the next several chapters, in the first he basically gives a season-by-season run down on success and failure for Arsenal, the club he has played for all his 15 year playing career. As football is clearly a big part of his life, a large section of the book is devoted to his football, and rightly so. The first of the football chapters is about his about his Arsenal career, from making his debut in 1983 as a 17 year old, becoming the Arsenal club captain for over a decade, first starting in 1988. winning the league for the first time in 1989, then again in 1991, doing the league and FA cup double in 1993, being in the cup winners cup and UEFA cup finals, wining the first and losing the second, then becoming part of the historic double winning side of 1998, where they won the Premiership, and the FA Cup. There is also a whole chapter devoted to his England career, in which he won over 60 caps, has appeared in two three major international events (World Cup ’98, Euro 96, and 2000) and has been a regular captain. He also talks about the bosses he played under for England, Glenn Hoddle, Graham Taylor, Terry Venables and Kevin Keegan, and a few of the funnier moments and some of the characters. There is also a large part devoted to players, past and present he has played with, giving good and bad memories, and a few interesting stories. Large parts of the football section are put to the times when George Graham was in charge of Arsenal. Graham was renowned for his defensive play, something with Adams enjoyed, but for all the cloud he left Arsenal under, Tony seems to respect and like George above many other people, players and coaches, notable Viv Anderson, Kenny Sampson, George Graham, Paul Merson, Ian Wright and David O’Leary. Tony also received some stick in his playing career of being a ‘donkey’, i.e. someone who cant play football, and just kicks the ball (or player) when they come near him. This hurt him, as he says so in the book, never mind big boys don’t cry, this crowd jeering really affected the Arsenal and England captain, and although this was the time he was starting to become an alcoholic, it hurt him, especially as he is not, he can pass, and has scored a few goals for his team.
在后面几章中亚当斯谈了他的足球生涯，先是一个个赛季讲述了他效力15年的球队--阿森纳的成败。足球是他生命中重要的一部分，因此书中很大篇幅内容自然都是关于足球的。1983年他17岁时第一次代表阿森纳出赛，从1988年起在10内一直都担任队长。1989年和1991年两次获得联赛冠军，并在1993年获得了联赛和足总杯双冠王。进入欧洲优胜者杯和联盟杯决赛，前者赢下了，但后者却输了。而后在1998年那次历史性的英超联赛和足总杯双冠。在他代表英格兰国家队的比赛中总共赢了60场，参加三大国际赛事（98世界杯、96欧锦赛和2000欧锦赛），并一直担任球队队长。同时他还提到了曾指导他的国家队主教练：霍德尔、泰勒、维纳布尔斯以及基冈。另外还有一些小片段，以及其他一些人物。此外也有大篇幅内容是写球员的，有他过去和现在的队友，快乐或是不开心的回忆，以及一些趣闻。其中大部分是谈到格拉汗姆执教时期的阿森纳。格拉汗姆注重防守是出了名的，这正是亚当斯喜欢的，格拉汗姆是托尼最尊敬的教练。托尼被称为‘蠢驴’[ Shirley:汗，他有这样的绰号？我不知道该选哪个词。。。]，也就是说他根本不懂足球，只是他脚边的球踢起来。这伤害到了他，这本书里也这样说，亚当斯从不会哭，但球迷的嘲笑的确影响到了这位阿森纳与英格兰国家队队长。当时他已经开始酗酒，球迷们的指责根本就是毫无道理的，亚当斯能传球，并且也有很多进球。
Tony Adams served time in prison for a drink driving offence, one of the problems of being an alcoholic, although he was yet to admit to it. In his book he is totally honest about it, admits he was wrong and stupid and has total regret for it. He crashed his Ford Sierra into a telegraph pole on the way home from a friend’s party and was breathalysed and found to be more than three times over the legal limit for alcohol. After being taken to court he has several friends stand as character witnesses, including some footballers, but he was still sent down for a prison sentence of nine months, although it was later reduced on good behaviour. He came out with the total support of the Arsenal players and staff, something he is thankful for and has a few interesting stories to tell from his time inside. It was another step on the way to admission, even though he was still a long way off.
亚当斯曾因酒后驾车被捕，他承认，这都是酒精害的。在自传中，他坦白承认是他自己愚蠢的错误，现在非常后悔。从朋友的派对上返回家里的途中，他的那辆Ford Sierra撞上了电话亭，酒精测试结果表明，他体内的酒精含量比标准高出两倍。法庭出席时，他的几个朋友都来作证，包括一些球员，但他人被判入狱9个月，尽管后来因表现良好获得减刑。他出狱后，阿森纳全体上下都非常支持他，对此亚当斯非常感激，对于在狱中的生活，他也有许多要讲。这样的诚实坦白也算是跨出了一大步。
The rest of the book is filled with his problems, most obviously having to come to terms with alcohol, a divorce with a wife who herself was a drug addict, a prison sentence and depression that came with it all. The problems of Tony are deep seeded; he drank to cover emotions, particularly when he was feeling extremely down. He was not selected for two big international tournaments in Italy World Cup 1990, and the European Championships in Denmark two years later. He was naturally disappointed as he was already established in a successful team, despite his youth, he felt he should have been there. To overcome this he went with a few team mates to get totally hammered (being the summer there was no football). Since then Tony has turned to alcohol to overcome feelings, especially with his wife, who admitted she was an addict and was being treated decided to break up with him. He now admires her as she was brave enough to face up to her problem, while at the time he thought her weak for backing out, and says so in the book. Most of the time Tony either didn’t realise he has a problem, or refused to admit to it, one of the signs of an alcoholic. His drinking was getting so bad it was effecting his football, up to that point he was able to run any hangovers or ill effects off the next day at training. He realised he had a problem in 1996, after Euro 1996 and his bender, probably the hardest thing that he has done to face the press, harder than facing Shearer, Owen, Batistuta and Kluivert put together, and I admire his to have the strength to come out. Since then he has been a regular at Alcoholics Anonymous, and has not drank a drop since. A great example to anyone who needs to quit, when someone with the worlds press is able to give it up and stick to it, and despite not being the best writer it comes out brilliantly in this book, with total honesty and clear writing, he regrets all he did, and is written with such genuine feeling and emotion in the words, that makes this a cut above all other autobiographies out at the moment.
书中其他内容就是他遇到的那些问题了，大部分当然是关于酒、与同为酒鬼的妻子离婚，被判入狱以及随之而来的消沉。托尼的问题是出在心理上，他喝酒是为了掩饰情绪，尤其是当他感到低落时。两年后，1990年意大利世界杯与在丹麦进行的欧锦赛他都未能入选。他已经在强队成名了，对于落选肯定是非常失望，虽然他还很年轻，但他认为自己应该去参加比赛。为了排解情绪，他约上几个队友一起出去（夏天没有球可踢）。自此他就学会了用喝酒来麻醉自己，他的妻子也嗜酒如命，并遭到亚当斯的殴打，因此想要离婚。现在亚当斯认为他的前妻能敢于面对问题，而当时他还以为她的离去是因为软弱。托尼一度并没有意识到问题的存在，也不肯承认，这也是因为他酗酒。后来酒精影响到了他的足球事业，在训练时他感到宿醉或是不适。在1996欧洲杯后，他意识到了自己的问题，这比面对希勒、欧文、巴蒂或克鲁伊维特这些前锋加起来更难，我很高兴，他能有勇气站出来面对一切。他参加了‘嗜酒者互戒会’，后来再也没喝过一口酒！尽管作者并非第一流的，但在书里还是诚恳清晰地提到亚当斯是戒酒的人的榜样，他能顶住舆论的压力坚持下来了。对于以往的一些错误，亚当斯很是懊悔，从字里行间能体会到他真诚的想法，使这本自传显得更为与众不同。
I am a big football fan, so enjoyed all the details about the beautiful game, but that is not to say other people who are not football fanatics will not enjoy it. I am not an Arsenal fan, but still see Tony Adams as a great role model for kids (the new Adam’s, not the alcoholic that is). He is not only a great player, strong, inspirational and good defensive tackle with timing and strength, but also to over come such big problems in his life, and emerge a stronger player.
作为一个疯狂的球迷，我喜欢看精彩的比赛，当然了，其他球迷也一样会为比赛而狂。我并不是阿森纳的球迷，但一直认为亚当斯是孩子们的偶像（当然是指重生的亚当斯，而不是那个酗酒的）。他不仅是优秀的球员，非常强壮、有天赋且防守中抢断及时，当他的生活中遇到那么大的问题时，他仍能克服，说明他更为强大了。
‘Addicted’ is constantly interesting and there are no slow moving parts at all. It is very honest, he has come to terms with all his problems, and is now sharing them, but at the same time he remains humble, and never arrogant, although he is one of the best English players for a long time. You do not need to love football as passionately as he does, as there is plenty of enjoyment and is not just about the football statistics. It is a great book, and having read it once, I instantly went and re-read it. ‘Addicted’ may be the title, but I found it very true, it really is an addictive read, and a great book.
《沉迷》全书都非常吸引人，没有任何拖沓。他诚恳地提到了他的问题，与读者分享，但他不再像以前那样傲慢，而变得非常谦逊，尽管他一直是英国最好的球员之一。足球除了那些数据外还有其他很多乐趣，也许我们对于足球不可能有亚当斯那样的热情。这本书真的太棒了，读完一遍以后，我立刻又读了一遍。《沉迷》是这本书的标题，我觉得非常贴切，因为真的是一本让人沉迷的好书。
[此贴子已经被Shirley7于2004-4-23 17:15:55编辑过]
