Setbacks
But not without setbacks. Thomas Headley, a strong-willed youth who grew up looking after his Jamaican mother and younger brothers, isconstantly being tested: by the bright lights, by pressures from the media, and for a while by the frustration of being played out of position. Some of his team mates also have familiar traits, such as Drew Stilton, the arrogantstriker, and Paul Claudel, the Frenchman who has a touch of the Eric Cantona about him.
However, says Bob, in real football characters like Cantona are the exception. "Most players tend to be viewed through the media as somewhat one-dimensional characters who are focused purely on the game. To me as an author, what is interesting is how those young players cope with pressure. Will they buckle under or pull through?" And will Thomas Headley pull through? "Ah", teases Bob, "that would be telling".
Bob himself supports Aston Villa. One of his earliest memories is, while on a caravanholiday in Norfolk, shivering as he and his father listened to the car radio relay Villa's triumph over Manchester United in the 1957 FA Cup Final. Even though it was May, outside the car it was snowing. As he says, you couldn't put that in a book because no one would believe it!
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| | | Glossary | | | | strong-willed (adj.) | | 意志坚强的 | |
| | be played out of position | | 自己的位置被更适合的球员（人选）取代 | |
| | | one-dimensional | | （大家只了解他的）一面的 | |
| | that would be telling | | 那就提前泄密了。 | |
| | | FA | | 英足总 （Football Association 的缩写形式） | |
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ad.经常地；不断地 (初中英语单词)
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