弗格森:曼联已不能像90年代那样有统治力

Sir Alex Ferguson believes United's dominance of Nineties is thing of past

弗格森爵士认为曼联已经不能像90年代那样有统治力了

James Ducker

詹姆斯.达科尔

Manchester United may be chasing a tenth Barclays Premier League title in 16 seasons, but Sir Alex Ferguson believes that the days of domestic domination are all but over.

曼联本赛季可能获得他们16年来的第10个联赛冠军，但弗格森爵士相信曼联已经不能再统治国内联赛了。

With Chelsea not in action until Monday, when they play Newcastle United at St James’ Park, United will move three points clear at the top of the table should they beat West Ham United, their bogey side, at Old Trafford this lunchtime.

切尔西周一之前都不会比赛，如果曼联今天中午能够获胜至少可以暂时抛开切尔西3分。

Given their vastly superior goal difference, tantamount to an additional point, such a scenario would leave United in pole position going into their final league game of the season, away to Wigan Athletic a week tomorrow, but Ferguson cannot envisage a time where a team will again dominate as his did during the 1990s, even if they regain their crown this term.

鉴于曼联的净胜球有巨大的优势，相当于他们多了额外的一分。这让曼联在冠军争夺中取得杆位。只要他们赢下剩余的2场比赛就肯定夺冠。但弗格森爵士已经不认为曼联还能像90年代那样统领群雄仂。即便他们本赛季可能卫冕。

“Domination is not a word that will be used again,” Ferguson said. “It’s very difficult and there are signs that it won’t get easier, with teams like Everton and Aston Villa getting better.”

“不会再有那样的统治了，”弗格森爵士说。“这很难，埃弗顿和维拉这样的球队越来越厉害，拿冠军不容易了。”

Such thoughts are unlikely to concern Ferguson for the moment, however, as he eyes a Premier League and Champions League double for the second time in nine years. Despite being left emotionally drained by their efforts against Barcelona at Old Trafford on Tuesday, Ferguson feels that United’s victory in the Champions League semi-finals will provide the perfect boost before three games that will define the club’s season.

这种想法不会困扰弗格森爵士很久，不过他还想9年中第2次拿到联赛和欧冠的双冠王。虽然周二击败巴萨的比赛消耗了很多。弗格森爵士觉得曼联在欧冠半决赛上的胜利将极大地提升球队的士气。剩余的3场比赛将决定整个赛季。

And while United will again be without Nemanja Vidic, the Serbia defender, who has yet to recover from concussion, and possibly Wayne Rooney, whom Ferguson is keen not to rush back for fear of aggravating a hip injury, the manager thinks that his squad is better positioned to handle the run-in than the one he had during the 1998-99 season, when the club won an historic treble.

曼联将再次失去塞尔维亚中卫维迪奇，他还没有伤愈。鲁尼大概也上不了。弗格森爵士可不想用他冒险。经理觉得球队现在比98-99赛季的收官阶段好些。那时候他们拿到了历史性的三冠王。

“Tuesday’s match will have taken quite a bit out of the players, the emotion of it all, but winning that game has given us the biggest boost of all,” Ferguson said. “It has given everyone a lift. We needed it at the right time as they were all disappointed to lose to Chelsea [2-1 at Stamford Bridge last Saturday]. Maybe we won’t need a team talk against West Ham.

“周二的比赛消耗了不少。但赢球让我们士气大振，”弗格森爵士说。“这让每个人振奋。我们需要时期，输给切尔西1-2让我们失望。也许我们在打西汉姆之前都不用开准备会。

“In 1999, we did not have as big a squad - nothing like it – but we did not really have any major injuries. This season we have had injuries, but because of the size of the squad they have not been that noticeable.” Still, Ferguson will hope that Vidic has recovered in time for the Wigan game and that Rooney is fit, although the Scot believes that his team are firmly “in the driving seat”, even if he will not be taking West Ham lightly. United lost the title on the final day of the season in May 1995 after being held to a 1-1 draw at Upton Park and have lost their past three league games to Alan Curbishley’s team. Ferguson, though, remains optimistic. “It’s a big occasion and hopefully we can win the match and go a long way to winning the league,” he said. “We do ourselves our own favours now by winning our games, irrespective of what happens elsewhere.”

“1999年我们可没有这么大的阵容，差远了。但我们却有不少伤病。本赛季我们也有些伤病，但因为阵容够大，所以没有什么影响。”而且弗格森爵士还希望维迪奇能够及时复出，赶上和维根的比赛。虽然苏格兰人相信自己的球队还有优势，但这样他也没有轻视西汉姆。曼联1995年最后一场失去冠军就是因为在厄普顿公园1-1被西汉姆逼平。而且最近3场和科比什利的比赛曼联全输了。弗格森爵士还是保持乐观。“现在很重要，希望我们能赢。赢得冠军。”他说。“我们现在得帮自己一个忙，那就是赢下所有的比赛，不要管别人。”

Although there are fears of trouble in Moscow on May 21, when United will face Chelsea in the Champions League final, Ferguson is unconcerned and, while he believes that the defeat by the West London club in the league last weekend could prove a motivating factor, he does not think that the bad blood surrounding the previous game will overshadow the final.

虽然担心21号在莫斯科面对切尔西会有麻烦，弗格森爵士并不在意。他相信上周在西伦敦输球能让队员们更加清醒。他不认为这会给决赛造成什么阴影。

“They were all gutted after the Chelsea game,” he said. “It was an angry dressing-room and the players will remember that, but it will not affect the final. Composure is a very important part of the game. We set out every season to win a trophy. It is very difficult to win more than one, but hopefully we will win one.”

“他们在和切尔西赛后都更清醒了，”他说。“大伙都憋着火，但这不会影响决赛。沉着冷静很重要。我们就是靠这个才能过关。赢下超过1个冠军很难，但希望我们能拿下。”

Domination may be the farthest thing from his mind, but somehow it is difficult to envisage Ferguson settling for anything less than two trophies this season.

也许统治联赛早已是过去时了，但不管怎样弗格森爵士会全力争取本赛季的剩余2个冠军。