The following article first appeared in Issue Eleven, released in December 2017. How Roy Hodgson transformed the face of the Swedish game Roy Hodgson — young, unknown and unproven — got his first experience of front-line coaching in November 1975 when he was appointed by the Swedish no-hopers Halmstads Bollklubb. A year later he could light […]
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Building The Dream, James Corbett
The following article first appeared in Issue 16, released in March 2016. As the political wrangling continues over Qatar’s World Cup, what’s the reality on the ground? At the edge of an empty man-made lagoon near to the shore of the Arabian Gulf, I count skyscrapers looming from the dust. The road, lined on one […]
The Bomb and the Bowler Hat
"It’s possible something brilliantly illuminating happened there, part Escape To Victory, part footballing salon, part late-colonial Woodstock distilled through sternly moustachioed men of empire." In Episode Eight of the Blizzard Podcast we bring you Barney Ronay’s ‘The Bomb and the Bowler Hat’ from Issue Three, looking back at the extraordinary collection of football minds interred […]
Island Games
This is an extract from World In Motion: The Inside Story of Italia ’90 by Simon Hart and published by deCoubertin. You can win a copy of the book by entering our competition here. Island games Part 2 – Republic of Ireland The rain came down in Cagliari. Occasionally, so too did the ball. It […]
The Duellists
An edited extract from Paolo Conde’s new book, looking at the relationship between Pep and Jose as played out in 2011’s 4 clásico’s in 18 days.
The Rejected Retraction, Richard Jolly
What if Alex Ferguson had retired in 2001, and Sven-Göran Eriksson had replaced him at Old Trafford? Sir Alex Ferguson rang Maurice Watkins. He had changed his mind, the Manchester United manager reported. Or rather it had been changed for him. The Ferguson family, corralled by Cathy, his wife, had informed him he was not […]
For the Want of a Nail, Jim Keoghan
What if Everton had followed up initial interest in Ian Rush in 1980? “And it’s played across for Rush… that’s another one! And that will make it safe for Liverpool.” Brian Moore’s words cemented what those watching had felt for some time, that the 1986 FA Cup was Anfield-bound. Outplayed by Everton and 1-0 down […]
Turkish Delight
Below is an extract of John Toshack’s autobiography Toshack’s Way, published by deCoubertin, which looks at his time in Turkey, as manager of Besiktas, between 1997 and 1999. Turkey is a unique country. If you go to Turkey to work, in any line of business, then you’ve got to have your sensors on. You’ve got […]
Issue Forty One
Introduction Issue 41: Editor’s Note – Jonathan Wilson Jonathan Wilson’s Editor’s Note from Issue Forty One Ownership The President Ultra – Aleks Eror Aleksandar Vučić and the uneasy relationship between football and politics in Serbia Out of the Frying Pan – Heather McKinlay How escaping Roland Duchâtelet took Charlton to the edge of extinction The Forgotten Founder – Reiss […]