“In some ways Iceland has been lucky. Had the country’s banks collapsed a few years earlier than they did in 2008, there would not have been the same level of investment in football and none of this would have been possible. But by then the pitches were already built, the indoor complexes well established, the coaches already at work. There is even an argument that the crash may have helped the national team by forcing clubs to rely on cheap young talent instead of expensive foreign signings.”

In Episode Seventy Six of the Blizzard Podcast we revisit “Where Now For Iceland?” by Paul Brown, originally published in Issue Twenty Two in September 2016.

The feelgood story of an otherwise somewhat stilted Euro 2016, will the small island nation be able to capitalise on their success and head to Russia 2018, and tournaments beyond?

Issue Twenty Two, like all issues of The Blizzard, is available on a pay-what-you-like basis from www.theblizzard.co.uk. Digital downloads cost as little as 1p each (RRP £3), while a print versions are available from £6 + postage. You can also find us on the Kindle and Google Play stores.