The Football Season has started here in the UK. My husband is a keen Arsenal supporter and for the next few months I have the joy of listening to him shout at the television whenever a player doesn’t do what is expected of him!
英國的足球季開始了。我的丈夫是個狂熱的阿森納粉絲，接下來的幾個月，只要有球員的表現讓他不滿意，我就會聽到他沖著電視機大喊大叫。

The start of the season has also given me the excuse to introduce you to 10 football idioms that we often use in Business English. As I mentioned in a previous post, sports and business are closely related in many ways including language.
這賽季一開始，讓我有能有機會向你們介紹在商務英語中經常使用的10個足球術語。體育和商務在包括語言在內很多方面都緊密相關。

1. To keep one’s eye on (or to take one’s eye off) the ball – to keep (or fail) to keep one’s focus on a particular matter
1. To keep one’s eye on or to take one’s eye off the ball—把重點(或者沒有把重點)放在特定的事上

Ex: “In this business if you want to be successful, you need to keep your eye on the ball”.
例句：如果你想在這份生意上成功，你需要集中注意力。

2. To know the score – to know the essential facts of the situation
2. To know the score—了解重要的事實和情況

EX: “I was going to bring Jane up to date with the situation but she already knows the score”.
例句：“我本來要告訴簡最新的情況，但是她已經知道了?！?/div>

3. A game changer – an event or procedure that could have a dramatic effect on the current policy or thinking
3. A game changer—能對目前的政策或者是想法產生重大影響的事或者步驟

Ex: This new contract with The States could be a real game changer for our business.
例句：和美國的新合同對我們的生意來說扭轉了局面。

4. To blow the?whistle?on someone – to expose an illegal activity and the person(s) responsible within an organisation (A Whistle-Blower – Noun)
4. To blow the whistle on someone—揭露組織內某人的不法行為（名詞：A Whistle-Blower 告發(fā)者）

Ex: “She was fed up with the way things were going and decided to blow the whistle on the company’s illegal activities”
例句：“她受夠了所有事，決定告發(fā)公司的不法行為?！?/div>

5. League – a class or category of excellence and quality
5. League—高質量和品質的代表

Ex: “When it comes to showmanship, David is in a league of his own”.
例句：當說到主持能力，大衛(wèi)獨樹一幟。

6. To score an own goal – an act that unintentionally harms one’s own interests
6. To score an own goal—烏龍球，無意識地損害自身利益的舉動

Ex: “Philip scored an own goal when he quit his job before signing a new contract.”
例句：菲利普在簽新合同之前就辭職這種行為就像是踢了個烏龍球。

7. To be on the ball – to be aware and quick to respond to new ideas
7. To be on the ball—能迅速意識到和對新想法做出反應

Ex: “You need to be on the ball in this job”.
例句：你在這份工作上要夠機靈。

8. To watch from the sidelines – to be an observer rather than actively involved in a situation.
8. To watch from the sidelines—作為旁觀者，而不積極參與

Ex: “Harry never gets involved in anything. He’s always watching from the sidelines.”
例句：哈里從不參與任何事情。他總是站在場外旁觀。

9. To move the?goalposts?– to unfairly move the conditions or rules of procedures during its course
9. To move the goalposts—在進行過程中不公平地改變條件或者規(guī)則

Ex: It’s impossible to plan anything in this company if management keeps moving the goalposts.
例句：如果管理層總在更改規(guī)則，在公司里什么都不可能實現。

10. To kick something off – to start something
10. To kick something off—開始

Ex: “Right. I’d like to kick this meeting off by welcoming our guest.”
例句：“好的。讓我以歡迎我們的嘉賓作為這場會議的開場白吧。

Enjoy the Football Season, folks.
希望你能享受這一賽季！