富有的中國足球俱樂部在韓國搶購人才
SEOUL, South Korea — The South Korean soccer league is the most successful in Asia, with its clubs winning a combined total of 10 continental championships, five more than any other country.
韓國首爾——韓國足球聯賽是亞洲最成功的聯賽，旗下各俱樂部總共贏得過十個洲際冠軍，比其他任何國家多出五個以上。
But the last title came in 2012, and a new end-of-season tradition is developing in its place. As soon as the last ball has been kicked, K-League clubs are becoming increasingly accustomed to dealing with wealthy Chinese rivals on the hunt for new players.
不過他們上回奪魁是2012年的事了，而如今該聯賽的季末新傳統正在成形。踢完最後一腳球，K聯賽的俱樂部立刻就得開始和富有的中國對手打交道。這些中國隊伍是來尋覓新隊員的，而K聯賽對此也越來越習以爲常。
South Korean clubs are unable to compete financially with their newly rich counterparts in China. Guangzhou Evergrande Taobao, owned by the property developers Evergrande and the founder of Alibaba, one of China’s biggest e-commerce companies, started the spending in 2010. Since then the club has invested over $150 million on players and coaches. The reward has been five consecutive domestic titles and, on Nov. 21, the team, led by 2002 World Cup winning coach Luiz Felipe Scolari, won its second Asian Champions League title in three years.
韓國的足球俱樂部在財力上無法和中國的新貴匹敵。譬如廣州恆大淘寶俱樂部是由地產商恆大與中國最大電商公司阿里巴巴所有的。他們自2010年開始砸下重金，至今在球員與教練上已投入了超過1.5億美元。投資所得的回報就是該隊連續五年囊括國內冠軍，而在11月12日，球隊在2002年世界盃冠軍隊教練路易斯·菲利佩·斯科拉里(Luiz Felipe Scolari)率領下，三年內二度榮獲亞洲足球俱樂部聯賽(Asian Champions League)冠軍。
Encouraged by a government that wants to see China start punching its weight after years of underachievement in the global game, other investors have become involved in Chinese teams and are spending big in a bid to catch the dominant Guangzhou franchise. Recruiting from the K-League has proved to be an easy way to start.
在國際足球賽場上失意多年後，中國政府希望自己的球隊能開始闖出成績。在官方鼓勵之下，其他投資人也開始涉足中國球隊，他們投入巨資，好讓自己經營的隊伍也能趕上常勝軍廣州隊。自K聯賽招兵買馬已經證實是個方便的入門之道。
“For Chinese teams, players in South Korea are already proven,” said Lee Eun-ho, spokesman for one of Korea’s leading teams, Suwon Samsung Bluewings. “If they are Korean, there is only a small cultural difference and they can adapt easily and the level of the average K-League player is very good.”
“對中國隊伍來說，韓國球員已經證明自己，”韓國頂尖球隊水原三星藍翼的發言人李恩河(Lee Eun-ho)表示。“如果他們又是韓國人，那和中國的文化差異就很小，容易適應。此外K聯賽球員的平均水平也很高。”
Chinese clubs can sign a maximum of five foreign players, though one must be Asian. In 2015, of the 15 out of 16 teams that filled their so-called “Asian quota,” eight had South Korean players. Guangzhou has the center back Kim Young-gwon, Shanghai S.I.P.G. signed another central defender in Kim Ju-young and Beijing Guoan has midfielder Ha Dae-sung.
每個中國足球俱樂部最多可簽下五名外籍球員，不過其中之一必須是亞洲人。在2015年，中國16個隊伍中有15個補滿了這所謂的“亞洲配額”，這15隊中又有8隊的陣容裏有韓國籍球員。廣州隊有中後衛金英權(Kim Young-gwon)，上海上港集團簽下了另一箇中後衛金周榮(Kim Ju-young)，北京國安則有中場球員河大成(Ha Dae-sung)。
More are set to follow. As soon as the 2015 K-League season finished, newly promoted Yanbian signed young Korean internationals Kim Seung-dae from Pohang Steelers and Yoon Bitgaram from Jeju United.
接下來還會有更多韓籍球員加入這個行列。K聯賽的2015賽季纔剛結束，剛剛晉級的延邊長白山就從浦項制鐵(Pohang Steelers)簽下了年輕的國際級韓國球員金承大(Kim Seung-dae)，還有來自濟州聯(Jeju United)的尹光河(Yoon Bit-garam)。
“When it comes to Asian players, Koreans are the best in terms of price, and Chinese clubs can offer them much higher salaries than they were getting before,” said Luo Ming, deputy editor of Titan Sports Weekly in Beijing. “Korean clubs always play well in the Asian Champions League. The Chinese league is more physical than technical, and Korean players have more stamina than Chinese players.”
“就亞洲球員來說，韓國球員的價錢是最划算的，而中國俱樂部開出的薪水比他們之前的要高很多，”《體壇週報》副總編駱明說。“韓國俱樂部在亞洲冠軍聯賽的表現向來很好。中國聯賽對身體素質的要求高於技術，而韓國球員的體力比中國球員好。”
It is not just Koreans. Chinese teams are increasingly buying foreign players who have already succeeded in the K-League. “If they are foreign then they have already shown they can adapt to East Asia and they present much less of a risk for Chinese clubs,” said Lee.
不只是韓國籍球員，在K聯賽表現出衆的其他外籍球員，也越來越多地被中國球隊看上。李恩河表示：“既然他們已證明自己能適應東亞的環境，那對中國俱樂部來說，用這些球員的風險要小得多。”
In the summer of 2015, Hebei, then a second-tier team in China, bid so much money to Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors F.C. for its Brazilian striker Eduardo, that the Korean champion was unable to refuse. Here was an Asian soccer powerhouse backed by Hyundai Motors — the conglomerate owners of Korean teams have been reducing financial support in recent years — unable to keep one of its most important players in the face of interest from a second division and almost unheard of Chinese team.
2015年夏天，當時還身處次一級聯賽的河北華夏欲購全北現代俱樂部(Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors F.C.)的巴西前鋒埃杜(Eduardo)，開出了這個韓國冠軍球隊無法拒絕的高價。一家有現代汽車(Hyundai Motors)支持的亞洲足球豪門，面對中國次級聯賽的一支聞所未聞的球隊，居然無法保住本隊最重要的球員。近年來，韓國球隊的企業集團老闆們在削減對球隊的資金投入。
Dejan Damjanovic is the record goal scorer in the K-League and was F.C. Seoul’s biggest star in 2013, when he moved to Beijing Guoan. Damjanovic, a member of the Montenegro national team, finished the 2015 season as the third highest goal scorer in the Chinese Super League. Now 34 and interested in a return to Korea, K-League clubs struggled to match even half his salary.
德揚·達米亞諾維奇(Dejan Damjanovic)是K聯賽進球紀錄保持者，2013年以首爾足球俱樂部(F.C. Seoul)當家球星的身份轉會北京國安。這位黑山國家隊球員在中超聯賽2015賽季射手榜排名第三。如今34歲的他有意迴歸韓國，但K聯賽俱樂部連開出現在的一半的薪水都很勉強。
“To be honest China pays much better, and the chance for me to earn for my family was there, it was my chance,” said Damjanovic. “I still think that Korean players are tougher than the Chinese, and that is the main reason why Korean teams are still competitive with Chinese teams in the Asian Champions League.”
“說實話中國給的薪水更好，要養家餬口得去那裏，那是我的機會，”達米亞諾維奇說。“我仍然認爲韓國球員比中國球員更強硬，韓國的球隊至今在亞冠聯賽上可以跟中國有一拼，我認爲這是主要原因。”
As yet, Chinese teams have been less interested in Japanese players. “Japan’s attacking players are better than their defenders, but Chinese clubs buy attacking players from South America or Africa.” explained Luo. “Korean defenders are more suitable for Chinese teams.” Luo also pointed out that political relations between the China and Japan make it more difficult.
不過中國球隊對日本球員的興趣就沒那麼大了。“日本的進攻球員比防守球員好，但中國俱樂部會從南美或非洲買進攻球員，”駱明說。“韓國的防守球員更適合中國球隊。”駱明還提到，中日之間的政治關係加大了引進日本球員的難度。
While South Korean fans tend to be dismissive of Chinese soccer — in 30 meetings between the two national teams China has won once — the improving standards in the Chinese Super League mean the move is better both in soccer and financial terms than it once was. The central defender Kim Young-gwon has excelled at Guangzhou and is tipped for a move soon to the big leagues of Europe.
韓國球迷對中國足球往往是不以爲然的——兩國國家隊遭遇過30次，中國只贏了一次——然而隨着中超聯賽的規格提高，轉會無論在足球還是金錢方面都變得更誘人起來。中後衛金英權在廣州隊表現出衆，有人預測他很快會轉到歐洲頂級聯賽。
Damjanovic believes that in the short term, if Korean teams invest the money they are receiving from China on better foreign players, they will find it easier to win more Asian titles. “Korean players are still the best in Asia, and that is why they are popular with other countries. They are professional and tough. If they can improve their foreign players they will be O.K.”
德揚認爲，如果韓國球隊能把從中國那裏得到的錢用於引入更好的外國球員，短期內應該有望贏得更多亞洲賽事。“韓國球員仍然是亞洲最好的，這就是爲什麼他們在其他國家很受歡迎。他們夠職業，夠強硬。如果能提高外援的水平，他們的球隊沒問題的。”
In the long term, the Samsung Bluewings’ Lee hopes that the growth of China is seen as much as an opportunity as a problem. “It could be good for the K-League. We need to think of another way forward for our game. We have to invest more money in our youth development and produce more and better players. If we can use the money to grow the football market here, it could be good.”
長期上，水原三星的李恩河希望中國的經濟增長在成爲一個挑戰的同時，也能帶來機遇。“K聯賽是可以受益的。我們需要換一種思維去看待我們的賽事。我們要在青訓上有更多的投入，產生更多、更好的球員。如果我們能用錢來培育這裏的足球市場，會有很好的效果。”
