New football season 2008-2009
1241So when Terry went off after that Eboue challenge, I says to my wife, "Wife," I says, "that feller there will not be walking off the pitch this afternoon." Thank you, Joe Cole, for making me a prophet in my abode.
New football season 2008-2009
1242I now convinced that Stuttgart is trying to kill me. Extended crap start, run of good form, now they are losing to shit sides at home. ARRRRGGGGHHH!
Also, I despise Man Utd and was quite disappointed to see that Liverpool were once again not able to get the job done.
Also, I despise Man Utd and was quite disappointed to see that Liverpool were once again not able to get the job done.
New football season 2008-2009
1243Rainer24 wrote:Also, I despise Man Utd and was quite disappointed to see that Liverpool were once again not able to get the job done.
You and me both.
Liverpool should have kept Danny Murphy just to throw him on the pitch during games with United. He wouldn't have to play any other games all season. He could be washed up, overweight (wait a minute...), and have a peg leg, but as long as he turned out against Man U, then Liverpool would win.
New football season 2008-2009
1244kenoki wrote:Goldstar wrote:Hello Ladies and Gents
I've been reading the updates on this post since last fall, and figured it was time to say hello. American football is one long commercial anymore (or 3 yards and a career-ending injury), so real football is on the tube way more these days in my house. Between that and reading Nick Hornby's "Fever Pitch", I'm becoming hooked. Any other literary suggestions for a history of the grand game? I have heard "Soccer in Sun or Shade" is a good one, but haven't found it locally.
Cheers,
Frank
hey frank,
fever pitch and sun and shade are the only football books i've read! but i have to admit fever pitch is pretty much directly responsible for my relatively new love (4 yrs?) of epl (before that it was just chivas or club america on univision). what a great book... in my top twenty of all time. he really makes you interested in his obsession, almost envy it.
i found soccer in sun or shade at borders books, so you should be able to order it there on their computers or through amazon.com. very quick little read. and then there's 442 magazine which you can find at any ole' borders or barnes and nobles.
anyway, most of the guys in this thread seem to know everything about the game, so i'm sure they will be much more helpful to you.
welcome to the board!
I have been thinking about this over the week or so since this was posted. FourFourTwo is definitely a good magazine, I don't read it often but whenever I pick a copy up I'm impressed. The back issues are always good value, which is the sign of a good magazine I reckon.
There are three classic books that immediately came to the mind. For an understanding of how a football club works, try 'The Glory Game' by Hunter Davies - more well known for his writing about The Beatles. He spends a season with full access at Tottenham Hotspur in 1971, and he writes about every aspect of the club and it's players from bottom to top.
From the same era is 'Only A Game?' by Eamon Dunphy. This is a similar behind-the-scenes book, but with the distinction of being written by an actual player. Dunphy kept a diary of his season, published it, then got into a load of trouble. The book is helped tremendously by the fact that Dunphy is an egotistical prick. It starts in summer, but only gets as far as November; by that time, things aren't going well.
('Full Time' by Tony Cascarino is a more recent book by a footballer with a similar warts and all philosophy, although the revelations were more to do with Cascarino's personal life than the football.)
The one I'd most recommend, though, is 'Football Against The Enemy' by Simon Kuper. It's a sort of travelogue, examining the relationship between football and politics worldwide. That's something that I think is important to understand if you want to fully appreciate the game. It was published in the early nineties, so doesn't deal with the last decade or so of astronomical changes, but it provides a lot of historical information (and trivia) and afterwards I bet you'll feel like you've got a fuller grounding in what football is all about.
I'd also suggest looking for anything by Brian Glanville; anything that interests you from WSC Books - in fact, I've just noticed [url=http://www.wsc.co.uk/wscbooks/hdfb.html[/url]this[/url], which I haven't seen before but could in fact be just the book you're looking for; 'The Goalkeeper's History Of Britain' which compares Britain's place in Europe to a goalkeeper's place in a football team; and 'Ajax, Barcelona, Cruyff' because it is about Johan Cruyff.
And then you can treat yourself to the Billy Bremner Picture Book from Leeds United AFC.
Twenty-four hours a week, seven days a month
New football season 2008-2009
1245Actually, now I've seen it, if you want to know about British football I bet the 'When Saturday Comes Half Decent Football Book' will contain everything you need to know. I don't often read WSC magazine these days but it was always consistently good; and I bet this book will be superb. I'm actually wondering if it'll be too late for my mum to get me this for Christmas...!
Twenty-four hours a week, seven days a month
New football season 2008-2009
1246jongoodwin wrote:Well done Chasetown!
In other Non-league news, on Saturday Gateshead face the mighty Farsley Celtic FC in the FA Trophy First Round. Farsley are my adopted Yorkshire team and (see earlier in the thread) may soon change their name to FC Leeds, although its looking unlikely that they'll catch up with Leeds United in the divisional pecking-order anytime soon, as may have looked feasible 6 months ago.
12 years on from that one night we spent top of the conference, Gateshead are now a full two divisions below the Conference / Blue Square Premier / Farsley so its a bit of a challenge ahead of us.
Farsley aren't doing that well though, so we've got a chance.
With Newcastle away and not playing til 5.15, we might get a few bored Magpies coming along to boost the crowd too. Haway the heed!
Possible interesting fact:
My ex-boss is the chairman of Gateshead FC.
New football season 2008-2009
1247Aberdeen 4 - 0 FC Copenhagen
Salut Aberdeen!
Salut Aberdeen!
Twenty-four hours a week, seven days a month
New football season 2008-2009
1248Aye, it were worth getting stuck in the traffic on the way home for too.
They need some luck, bless 'em.
They need some luck, bless 'em.
run joe run wrote:Kerble your enthusiasm.
New football season 2008-2009
1249Great result for then Dons. Well done.
gjhardwick wrote:shut up you massive baptist
New football season 2008-2009
1250Football Corruption Probe Continues
The long-running investigation into football corruption took a new twist tonight when four more men were arrested by fraud squad detectives. Most notable among those detained was Los Alpacas manager Tommy Dski.
A source said that the decision to detain Mr. Dski was made after he turned out a side that featured a midfield containing Gerrard, Ronaldo, and Fabregas, as well as a frontline which featured both Tevez and Adebayor. Mr. Dski was also seen having dinner with Sam Allardyce and an unidentified "agent" who later left with a brown paper bag under his arm.
"Very suspicious" said the source, "Very suspicious."
In other news Wharfedale Generals were denied permission to rebuild the main stand of their stadium by the local city council as it abuts Mrs. Tinsdales Famous Curry Pies Shop, which is a listed building. The plans would have increased the seating at Wharfedale Tsingtao Beer Arena (formerly known as "that empty lot over there") from roughly 50 to 100.