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[新聞] 北京時間周日晚上,英格蘭足壇傳來噩耗,現任威爾士主帥斯皮德,懷疑在

北京時間周日晚上,英格蘭足壇傳來噩耗,現任威爾士主帥斯皮德,懷疑在
家裏上吊自殺身亡。現年42歲的斯皮德,生前被譽為“英超活化石”,見證英超
從創立到輝煌的時代,如今卻已經黯然離世。斯皮德的一生,是破紀錄的一生,
將職業生涯的最美好時光都獻給威爾士,甚至倒在威爾士的帥位之上。
    1988年在利茲聯開始職業生涯的斯皮德,兩年後獲得威爾士隊的垂青,成為
威爾士國腳。與吉格斯一樣,由于威爾士隊整體實力不足,在14年的國腳生涯裏,
斯皮德幾乎一無所獲。14年裏,斯皮德代表威爾士隊出場達到85場,打進7 球,
在威爾士歷史上僅次于出場92次的門將索夏爾。
    2004年10月14日,2006年世界杯歐洲區預選賽第四輪,威爾士在主場2-3 負
于波蘭。這場比賽成為斯皮德在威爾士隊的絕唱,賽後35歲的斯皮德宣布退出威
爾士隊。在退役後,斯皮德被視為未來執教威爾士隊的最佳人選之一,馬克- 休
斯和薩維奇等名將都對斯皮德極為推崇。
    2010年12月14日,歷史性的時刻到來,斯皮德正式成為威爾士隊的新任主帥,
承擔起帶領威爾士衝擊2012年歐洲杯的任務。在上任後,斯皮德曾經多次邀請吉
格斯出山,希望其回到威爾士隊擔任球員和教練的職務,但卻遭到後者的拒絕。
在邀請老將無果的情況下,斯皮德走上年輕化的道路。今年3 月,斯皮德出人意
料地任命年僅20歲的阿森納中場拉姆西成為威爾士史上最年輕的隊長,重用貝爾、
科裏森、萊德利、柯林斯和亨內西等年輕國腳。
    在已經結束的2012年歐洲杯預選賽中,威爾士在G 組中不敵英格蘭和黑山,
無緣出線。縱觀整個預選賽歷程,斯皮德率領的威爾士可謂低開高走,從負于黑
山、保加利亞、瑞士和英格蘭取得四連敗開始,到主場擊敗黑山、小負英格蘭、
擊敗瑞士和保加利亞,幾乎實現完美的復仇。在斯皮德執教威爾士的最後一場比
賽中,11月12日,威爾士在熱身賽主場4-1 大勝挪威。經過近期的完美表現,威
爾士的世界排名也從8 月份最低的117 位飆升到第45位,斯皮德居功至偉。
    可惜,天妒英才,斯皮德已經永遠離開熱愛他的球迷,也永遠離開其畢生效
What a sad news. Gary Speed RIP

A nation was left in shock on Sunday when it discovered that Wales manager Gary Speed was found dead at his Cheshire home. He was 42 years old.

Just hours after the news broke Swansea City - the first Welsh team ever to play in the Premier League - paid tribute to one the country's greatest footballing sons with a moving minute-long tribute that began in reverent silence and ended in a heartfelt ovation.

A tearful Shay Given, a close friend of Speed's from their time together at Newcastle, was inconsolable as he took his place in goal for Aston Villa at the Liberty Stadium.

Later that day Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish - who signed Speed for Newcastle in 1998 - confirmed he had decided not to name Craig Bellamy in his squad for one of the club's biggest games of the season, such was the extent of the Wales forward's grief for a man whom Dalglish described as "like a mentor" to Bellamy.

Those are just two examples of how much the former midfielder from the small village of Mancot meant to those in the game. His untimely passing overshadowed everything that happened on the pitch yesterday.

The sense of mourning in his own country was reflected in England, where he spent his entire club career with such distinction. The wide range of figures who formed the flood of tributes, from Howard Wilkinson to Xabi Alonso, show just what an impact Speed had on the game.

For those of a certain age, Speed was someone who was just always there. Whether playing in the white of Leeds and Bolton, the blue of his beloved Everton or the stripes of Newcastle and Sheffield United, Speed the player was a constant across more than two decades which have seen such dramatic change in football.

He did more in his career than any player could reasonably dream of. In 22 years on the pitch he won the league title, played in the FA Cup final, scored in a derby for his boyhood club, captained his country and was awarded an MBE for his outstanding service to the game.


Speed made the first of his 830 professional club appearances for Leeds in 1989 as a 19-year-old, and soon established himself as an integral part of a steely yet gifted midfield which helped end the club's eight-year exile from the top flight by winning the Second Division in 1990. It was as though they had never been away.

Howard Wilkinson's team finished fourth on their first year back in the First Division before winning the title the following year, a quite exceptional achievement the likes of which will never happen again.

In that side which secured Leeds their third championship Speed played alongside David Batty, Gary McAllister and Gordon Strachan, arguably one of the finest midfield units of the modern era, and an all-British one to boot.

At Elland Road Speed established himself as one of the best and most consistent players in the country. Few midfielders could be relied upon to cover every blade of grass and also to pop up with a well-timed run into the box to head home for his team. In all, he scored 57 goals in his 312 appearances for Leeds.

Speed's eight years at Leeds ended in 1996 when he left for the one club that could prise him away. A boyhood Evertonian, he grew up just 20 miles from Goodison Park. Former Toffees captain Kevin Ratcliffe's house was on his paper round.

"He was mates with my cousin so I used to take them for kickabouts down the end of the street," Ratcliffe told the Evening Standard. "Even at that age he had a beautiful left foot. I thought straight away he had a chance."


When Joe Royle offered £3.5 million - at that time still a significant transfer fee rather than an average player's salary - Speed could not resist.

Speed scored on his debut, and in November that same year he followed up the only hat-trick of his career against Southampton with a late equaliser against Liverpool at Anfield. That season Everton were battling against relegation, and in the run-in Speed scored the only goal to claim a win against Tottenham. Everton avoided the drop by a single point.

However, despite being installed as club captain for his second season on Merseyside, Speed moved to Newcastle the following February, and kept a dignified silence as to his reasons when so many others would have created a fuss.

"You know why I'm leaving," he told the Liverpool Echo, "but I can't explain myself publicly because it would damage the good name of Everton Football Club and I'm not prepared to do that."

During his six years at St James' Park he helped the Magpies twice qualify for the Champions League via finishing fourth in 2001/02 and third a year later.

While the second of those campaigns ended at the qualifying stage, the first saw Newcastle make history in the competition as the first side to lose their first three group games and win their final three, including a victory over Juventus. Sadly for those on Tyneside, that was the year of the ill-conceived second group stage, pitting Speed and co against Internazionale, Barcelona and the previous year's finalists, Bayer Leverkusen. It was a bridge too far for Newcastle, although Speed hardly looked out of place amongst such exalted company.

Speed was one of the few British footballers who paid meticulous attention to nutrition and fitness despite turning professional in an era when 'team bonding' was still a euphemism for players to indulge in a club-endorsed bender together.

As a result he was able to perform at the highest level for an extraordinarily long time. He played a major part in cementing Bolton's Premier League status after joining them at 34 years of age. He made 139 appearances in his four seasons at the Reebok Stadium including his 535th and final Premier League game. Only David James and Ryan Giggs have since passed that mark, a record at the time.

Speed only announced his retirement while at Sheffield United a few weeks after his 41st birthday, in September of last year. By that time, he had already been appointed manager of the Blades, having previously had a player/coach role under Kevin Blackwell.

Despite only being in charge at Bramall Lane for four months, Wales came calling. It was no surprise that he answered.

During his playing career he never eschewed the honour of playing for his country or became embroiled in petty rows as several of his more talented compatriots had done. As a result he won 85 caps over the course of 14 years representing Wales, a record for an outfield player.


After a tough start in the dugout for Speed - with back-to-back defeats to Ireland and England - Wales slumped to 117th in the FIFA rankings, their lowest ever position. He responded by instilling a renewed sense of belief among his young players and made Aaron Ramsey captain. Perhaps he saw something of himself in the young Arsenal midfielder, but the move worked.

Despite losing again to England, it was a much-improved performance, with Ramsey showing plenty of the commitment and drive at Wembley that characterised Speed's career. In all, Speed's Wales won five of their 10 matches under him, including each of their last three, and reached the world's top 50.

From sitting in the press conferences he gave after those two games against England, it was abundantly clear just how highly regarded he was among the media as well as those inside the game.

Never short of work as a pundit, he always had something worthwhile to say, as you would expect from a man who played more than 1,300 hours of professional football.


However, the impact of Speed's death on the future of Welsh football is an issue for another time. This is no time to speculate as to the circumstances surrounding such a tragic loss and needless waste of life. Perhaps that time will never come, and nor should it. His wife, two children and those others close to him deserve the privacy and time to mourn their loss.

All we as fans of football can do is remember Gary Speed as a shining example to any aspiring player of how to do things the right way, and a man who gave so much to the game we all love.

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