Association football (Soccer) Books
Taylor & Francis The Global Football Industry
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£128.25
Taylor & Francis Sports Agents and Labour Markets
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£43.69
Taylor & Francis Ltd Association Football and English Society 18631915 revised edition
Association football, as it developed rapidly in the late-nineteenth and early-twentieth centuries, both reflected British society and helped to reshape it. In this newly released edition of Tony Mason's essential account of the game's rise, focusing on issues such as the amateurprofessional divide, social class and mass spectatorship are seen as fundamental to our understanding of what is now a global phenomenon. Dilwyn Porter supplements this classic text with a brand new introduction.
£34.19
Taylor & Francis Ltd Science and Soccer
Book SynopsisNow in a fully revised and updated fourth edition, Science and Soccer is still the most comprehensive and accessible introduction to the physiology, biomechanics and psychology behind the world''s most popular sport. Offering important guidance on how science translates into practice, the book examines every key facet of the sport, with a particular focus on the development of expert performers. The topics covered include: anatomy, physiology, psychology; sociology and biomechanics principles of training nutrition physical and mental preparation playing surfaces and equipment; injury decision-making and skill acquisition coaching and coach education performance analysis talent identification and youth development Science and Soccer: Developing Elite Performers is a unique resource for students and academics working in sports science. It is essential reading for all professional suppoTable of Contents1. Physical Preparation2. Resistance Training 3. Aerobic and Anaerobic Training 4. Soccer in the Heat: Performance and Mitigation5. Nutrition for Match Play and Training6. Recovery Strategies7. Psychological Characteristics of Players8. Anticipation and Decision-Making 9. Skill Acquisition: Player Pathways and Effective Practice 10. Sociological Influences on the Identification and Development of Players11. Player Wellbeing and Career Transitions12. Developing (Adaptive) Coaching Expertise13. Injury Epidemiology, Monitoring, and Prevention14. Infectious Diseases 15. Biomechanical Assessments16. Analysis of Physical Performance in Match-Play17. Technical and Tactical Match Analysis18. Monitoring Training19. Utilising Training and Match Load Data20. Growth and Maturation 21. Talented or Developmentally Advanced? Player Assessment and Evaluation22. Talent Identification and Talent Promotion 23. Modern Approaches to Scouting and Recruitment24. Working as a Director of Sports Science or High-Performance Director25. Working as a Sporting Director
£46.99
Taylor & Francis Ltd Science and Practice of Youth Soccer
Book SynopsisSoccer remains the world's most popular sport with significant numbers of the world's population engaged in grassroots soccer, particularly during childhood and adolescence. There is considerable scientific and practical data focused on soccer science available, most of which relates to elite performers and does not address the needs to grassroots coaches in understanding the science of soccer and translating this into practical messages and learning to help coaches maximise the experiences, enjoyment and development of the more than 250 million players who play grassroots soccer worldwide.Science and Practice of Youth Soccer presents a comprehensive and accessible introduction to key topics relating to effective player and team development in youth grassroots soccer. Written by international experts and practitioners in the field and with a particular emphasis on the development of children and youth, the book provides essential guidance of how science transTable of ContentsSection I: Coaching in Grassroots Soccer. 1. Pedagogical Approaches to Grassroots Coaching. 2. The Race to 11 vs 11: Structuring of Competition Environments in Grassroots Youth Soccer. 3. Planning and Practice Design in Grassroots Coaching. 4. Building Creativity and Decision Making into Coaching. 5. Working across Genders in Youth Grassroots Soccer. 6. Working with Disabilities in Youth Grassroots Soccer. 7. Talent Development in Grassroots Soccer. Section II: Physiology and Strength and Conditioning. 8. Growth, Development and Maturation in the Young Soccer Player. 9. Principles of Training. 10. Strength and Conditioning for Youth Grassroots Players. 11. Motor Competency, Physical Fitness, and Skill Assessments for Grassroots Football Coaches. Section III: Sports Psychology and Motor Development. 12. Effective Working with Parents. 13. Psycho-Social Development of the Grassroots Player, Including the Voice of the Child. 14. Effective Development of Fundamental Movement Skills as a Foundation for Soccer Performance. 15. Using Principles of Nonlinear Pedagogy to Develop Soccer Skills.
£36.99
Taylor & Francis Ltd The Use of Video Technologies in Refereeing
Book SynopsisFor a long time, various different lobbying sectors have claimed that the use of video technology is an effective aid in decision-making. Now the IFAB has taken a historic step in the approval of experiments on the use of video to provide support to football refereeing.The Use of Video Technologies in Refereeing Football and Other Sports analyses the capacity of audio-visual technology from different perspectives to help understand the best implementation of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system in football and, more generally, in other sports. This book addresses in-depth interdisciplinary viewpoints on the need and the opportunity of the implementation procedures regarding how to use it, considering that it could lead to very important changes.The book goes on to examine various approaches to the most interesting topics for players, amateurs, coaches, referees and referees coaches. Offering viewpoints from both academics and professionals, Table of ContentsPart 1: The Need for Video Assisted in Football1. Between Scepticism and the longed-awaited quest for "Football Justice"2. The Contribution of VARs to Fairness in SportPart 2: Video Broadcasting Limitations3. Is it the same for the TV Screen and for the VAR? Planning the Use of Cameras and Replays to Solve the Controversy 4. The Interaction Between Audio and the Video Assistant Referee in Football5. Replays in Football: A Technical Resource that Serves as a Narrative and Post-Refereeing SystemPart 3: Video Assisted Officiating in Other Sports6. Instant Replays in The Spanish Basketball League: ACB7. Instant Replay System in the National Basketball Association 8. Video Technology for refereeing in other sports: Tennis and Rugby 9. Instant Replay in the National Football LeaguePart 4: Experiments with Video Assistant Referees10. The Video Assistant Referee (VAR) Protocol11. VAR Experiments in International Matches12. VAR experiments in the Bundesliga 13. VAR experiments in the Italian SERIE A League14. VAR in the Major League Soccer (MLS)15. How Twitter has portrayed the VARPart 5: New Challenges in the Refereeing Performance16. Educating International Football Referees: The importance of Uniformity17. Didactic Teaching Strategies for the VAR. An Approach to Gamification and 21st-century Skills18. Psychological response of the referee to the introduction of VAR
£142.50
Taylor & Francis Ltd Football Corruption and Lies
Book SynopsisWorld football is in crisis. The corruption scandal engulfing FIFA is arguably the biggest story in the history of modern sport and a watershed for sport governance. More than a decade ago, John Sugden and Alan Tomlinson laid the foundations for subsequent investigations with the publication of Badfellas, a groundbreaking work of critical sport sociology that exposed the systematic corruption at the heart of world football. It was a book that FIFA and Sepp Blatter tried to ban.Now re-issued to combine the original contents of Badfellas with new chapters covering the current crisis, this book points to the ways in which FIFA's new administration can learn from the Blatter story. The prequel traces the course of Sugden and Tomlinson's game-changing investigation into FIFA, while the sequel updates the FIFA story from 2002 onwards and provides a chronology of crises and scandals within the FIFA narrative.Demonstrating the vital importance of critical investiTrade Review'A brave, evidenced and sustained account of the governing body of world football, FIFA. If you care about the fate of the most popular game in the world and want to understand what could be done to move on from 2015 read this book. Two of the most intrepid voices, who both understand how football can operate in the humanitarian arena, have re-issued and extended a book of uncommon power and uncompromising argument.' - Grant Jarvie, former acting University Principal and Chair of Sport, University of Edinburgh, UK'Long before the FBI swooped on FIFA, John Sugden and Alan Tomlinson were on the case. Combining critical sociology with gonzo journalism, they pursued corrupt and ethically bankrupt practices in association football’s governing body with the stubborn tenacity of ethnographically-inspired investigative newshounds. This book documents the many twists and turns of a strange road trip, bringing their feisty 2003 book Badfellas back into the spotlight that FIFA’s lawyers had tried hard to extinguish. Detailing recent developments leading to the fall of the house of Blatter and his associates, the authors unflinchingly appraise the challenges facing genuine reformers of football governance.' - David Rowe, Professor of Cultural Research, Western Sydney University, Australia'Without the pioneering work and brilliant forensic journalism of Badfellas and their subsequent books, it is a frightening possibility that the discredited Blatter regime which blighted FIFA for so long, could still be in place. They started the ball rolling and all true lovers of the game should thank John Sugden and Alan Tomlinson for the part they played in exposing football’s greatest ever scandal.' - Mike Collett, Reuters Global Soccer Editor, UK'Long before FIFA became synonymous with an unsavory mélange of corruption and greed, John Sugden and Alan Tomlinson were on the case. In their pioneering and prescient book Football, Corruption and Lies: Revisiting ‘Badfellas’, the Book FIFA Tried to Ban, Sugden and Tomlinson take us on a rollicking ride through the grisly annals of FIFA, full of shady characters, backroom deals, and Machiavellian mayhem. Blending gumshoe investigative work with toothy sociological analysis, they untangle the history of brazen chicanery that paved a platinum-plated path for ‘Blattergate’ in 2015. Through a rich sequel and coda that detail the great unravel at FIFA in 2015, they bring us full circle, all the while sifting the sins from the spin. Sepp Blatter and his phalanx of lawyers tried to ban the original Badfellas from distribution in Switzerland, where FIFA is headquartered, but their heyday is passé. Sugden, Tomlinson, and their ilk have won the day. Insightful and incisive, Football, Corruption and Lies is a must read for anyone interested in the history of FIFA’s profligacy, the modern-day malaise in which it is mired, and possible pathways forward.' - Jules Boykoff, Professor of Political Science, Pacific University in Oregon, USA'Football, Corruption and Lies is a brilliant rejuvenation of Badfellas. In its original form, the book was a courageous exposé of the septic nature of FIFA’s leadership and governance. This updated rendition prompts reflection as to how such corruption flourished and, moreover, why it fell to a handful of academics and supportive journalists to reveal a festering underbelly of deceit, profiteering and bullying. The book’s new sections, which evaluate the fall from grace of Blatter and his acolytes, are just as poignant. With the Badfellas having been marched off by the FBI, FIFA is in no position to try to ban Football, Corruption and Lies.' - Daryl Adair, Associate Professor of Sport Management, University of Technology Sydney, AustraliaTable of ContentsPreface to 2016 Edition/Re-issuePrequel: Badfellas Begins – Critical sociology and the purging of FIFABadfellas: FIFA Family at WarPreface [2003]1. Blattergate - Blatter consolidates power 2. The Blazer-and-Slacks Brigade – FIFA’s amateur roots 3. Goodbye, Colonel Blimp – Shifting political landscapes4. The Big Man - Havelange and the transformation of FIFA5. The Predator and the Protégé – Doing the business for FIFA 6. The Bounty Hunter – The American way 7. The Big Boss – Eastern horizons8. A Rumble in the Jungle – Johansson and the scramble for Africa9. From Protégé to President – Blatter takes the throne 10. The Politics of the Belly – Garnering votes and gaining loyalty11. Tout Heaven – Tickets, markets and corruption12. The Best Club in the World – Cocooning the FIFA Family13. Bidding wars – Winners and losers in the World Cup hosting game14. The Terminator – Blatter cleans out FIFA House15. Fifaland – Imagining world football’s futureSequel: Badfellas on the RunCoda: The End of a Dynasty - Badfellas re-formed?AcronymsCast ListIndex
£37.99
Cambridge University Press The Economics of Football
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£61.74
Cambridge University Press Arab Soccer in a Jewish State
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£85.50
HarperCollins Publishers Inc Beckham
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£17.09
HarperCollins Publishers Inc Go for the Goal
Book SynopsisFor the more than seven million girls—from knobby-kneed tykes to high school and college stars—who are tearing across the country chasing a soccer ball and dreams of glory, there is one name that eclipses all others, male or female: Mia Hamm. With her cheetahlike acceleration and lightning-bolt shot, Hamm broke nearly every record in her sport, while galvanizing a whole generation of fans and players.Go for the Goal is not only the inspiring story of how a tiny suburban sprite became a global terror with a ball (and the world) at her feet—it's also a step-by-step or dribble-by-dribble guide for any kid with the all-American dream of making the team and becoming a champion.Filled with personal anecdotes and fully illustrated with both action and instructional photographs, Go for the Goal shows readers exactly how to master the silky skills and techniques that made Hamm and her teammates the finest women's soccer team in the wo
£15.29
HarperCollins Publishers Inc Whats Wrong with US A Coachs Blunt Take on the
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£23.19
HarperCollins Publishers Inc Messi vs. Ronaldo
Book SynopsisTrade Review“Deep and intelligent…a portrait of football greatness.” — Arsène Wenger "A comprehensive primer into the entwined histories of the two titans and the commercial forces that have molded their careers and, by extension, the sport." — New York Times “While these two soaring greats are known for their transcendent wonder on the field, this rollicking narrative plunges into the complex backstories and entire ecosystems that propelled their colliding trajectories. With a pair of epic hero stories like The Last Dance or Homer’s Odyssey in cleats, this book traces the journey from aspirational prodigies to global commercial billboards, explaining how these two juggernauts and their rivalry shaped the most popular, and lucrative, era of the world’s most beloved sport.” — Roger Bennett, founder, Men in Blazers Media Network "This rigorously researched book avoids becoming hagiography. The result is an ambitious and valuable study for all those who want to understand the modern world of football that Mr. Messi and Mr. Ronaldo have helped forge." — The Economist “This book explains the brilliant backstory behind how each player became a start and how that stardom changed the footballing landscape not just in Spain but in the wider world as well…I read it in a day.” — Rebecca Lowe, NBC Sports "Excellent... A brilliant follow-up to The Club." — The Independent (UK) "Impressive." — Boston Globe An absorbing cautionary tale for soccer fans and students of sports finance alike. — Kirkus Reviews
£22.50
Penguin Putnam Inc Football Clichs Decoding the Oddball Phrases
Book SynopsisA fun, intelligent, and useful guide to understanding the nuanced language of soccer Every week, year-round, legions of devoted soccer fans across the country rise at the crack of dawn or quietly sneak out of work to watch their favorite teams play across the pond—complete with a soundtrack of two cheeky Englishmen spouting a stream of trite phrases and curious words that make maddeningly little sense. They’ll chat about flying teacups and cultured left feet, or point out a player who’s jinking through the corridor of uncertainty, hoping to bag one with aplomb. Confused? Many Brits are, too.In Football Clichés, London-based soccer writer Adam Hurrey amusingly translates the idioms of the sport, from the quaint to the ridiculous. Here you’ll find words for parts of the field and parts of the body; for ways to score a goal and ways to run, walk, or fake an injury. You’ll learn to read the shifting moods of fans at a soccer ma
£13.60
Random House USA Inc Messi
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£13.50
Random House USA Inc Outcasts United
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£17.00
Arcadia Publishing Soccer in Oneonta Images of Sports
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£21.24
The History Press Ltd Never Mind the Toffees 2
Book SynopsisIF you enjoyed the first volume of the definitive quiz book on Everton Football Club, this all-new sequel is for you.
£16.72
McClelland & Stewart Inc. The Fix Soccer and Organized Crime
Book SynopsisThe Fix is the most explosive story of sports corruption in a generation. Intriguing, riveting, and compelling, it tells the story of an investigative journalist who sets out to examine the world of match-fixing in professional soccer.From the IntroductionUnderstand how gambling fixers work to corrupt a soccer game and you will understand how they move into a basketball league, a cricket tournament, or a tennis match (all places, by the way, that criminal fixers have moved into). My views on soccer have changed. I still love the Saturday-morning game between amateurs: the camaraderie and the fresh smell of grass. But the professional game leaves me cold. I hope you will understand why after reading the book. I think you may never look at sport in the same way again.
£17.06
Pan Macmillan The Worlds Biggest Cash Machine
Book SynopsisIn The World’s Biggest Cash Machine, award-winning journalist Chris Blackhurst weaves together iconic personalities, sporting drama and boardroom deals to deliver a must-read narrative on the world’s most influential football club.Trade ReviewJaw-dropping revelations . . . The incredible story of [Man United] laid bare in new book * Daily Mail *A gripping tale, full of insight. Blackhurst is an enormously talented writer * City A.M. *Packed with insights and details that will both amaze and appal you. This is the inside story of how the City of London really operates and if it doesn't make you angry, you need to check your pulse -- Oliver Bullough, author of Moneyland and Butler to the World, on Too Big to JailBlackhurst’s tale would make an exciting novel. But alarmingly, this is a true story, carefully researched and told with gusto -- Baroness Patience Wheatcroft, former editor of The Sunday Telegraph, on Too Big to JailHighly entertaining . . . told with pace, gusto, and a strong sense of moral outrage -- The Critic Magazine, on Too Big to JailIf you want to understand how Manchester United got into its current total mess, you should read Chris Blackhurst's timely new book on the Glazers -- Michael CrickBrilliant . . . [a] very insightful account -- Simon Jordan, author of Be Careful What You Wish For
£20.90
National Geographic Kids Its a Numbers Game Soccer
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£25.55
Amberley Publishing Manchester United 190711
Book SynopsisA nostalgic examination of the first truly great period of Manchester United's illustrious history
£18.99
Amberley Publishing The Hooligans Are Still Among Us
Book SynopsisA thrilling look at how hooliganism continues to blight the beautiful game
£16.99
History Press The Unforgettable San Jose Earthquakes
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£21.24
Ebury Publishing Haaland: The incredible story behind the world’s
Book SynopsisThe man who can't stop scoring goals for funIn his debut season with Manchester City, Norwegian sensation Erling Haaland has set the footballing world ablaze. The 23-year-old striker, known for his unique blend of speed and strength, has redefined the art of goal-scoring.Highly regarded football journalist Lars Sivertsen follows Haaland’s meteoric rise to stardom in this biography, a tale that begins in the small Norwegian town of Bryne where they both grew up. Born to former Manchester City player Alfie Haaland, Erling started his journey at hometown club Bryne FK in 2016 and later moved to Molde FK, Red Bull Salzburg and Borussia Dortmund before Manchester City announced his arrival in the Premier League.In his first Premier League season with Manchester City, Haaland has shattered records and achieved his ultimate dream: winning the treble in his first season with the club. This accomplishment solidifies his status as one of the most exceptional talents in football history, and demonstrates that a boy from Bryne can indeed conquer the world of football.In Haaland, Sivertsen delves into Haaland's roots, providing insights from those close to him, and gets to the heart of what makes him tick.
£28.23
Ebury Publishing Haaland: The incredible story behind the world’s
Book SynopsisThe man who can't stop scoring goals for funIn his debut season with Manchester City, Norwegian sensation Erling Haaland has set the footballing world ablaze. The 23-year-old striker, known for his unique blend of speed and strength, has redefined the art of goal-scoring.Highly regarded football journalist Lars Sivertsen follows Haaland’s meteoric rise to stardom in this biography, a tale that begins in the small Norwegian town of Bryne where they both grew up. Born to former Manchester City player Alfie Haaland, Erling started his journey at hometown club Bryne FK in 2016 and later moved to Molde FK, Red Bull Salzburg and Borussia Dortmund before Manchester City announced his arrival in the Premier League.In his first Premier League season with Manchester City, Haaland has shattered records and achieved his ultimate dream: winning the treble in his first season with the club. This accomplishment solidifies his status as one of the most exceptional talents in football history, and demonstrates that a boy from Bryne can indeed conquer the world of football.In Haaland, Sivertsen delves into Haaland's roots, providing insights from those close to him, and gets to the heart of what makes him tick.
£23.54
Cornerstone My Wrexham Story: The Inspirational Autobiography
Book SynopsisThe memoir from Wrexham super striker, Paul Mullin - as seen in Welcome to Wrexham, a Disney+ documentary series by Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.In July 2021, shortly after being named League Two's Player of the Season and Golden Boot, Paul Mullin sent shockwaves through the EFL by taking a downwards move to National League team, Wrexham AFC. Since then, 'Super Paul Mullin' has helped transform the Wrexham team, scoring goal after goal, helping secure promotion, and capturing the imaginations of football fans across the world in the process.Here for the first time, Mullin tells his own story: his roots in Liverpool, the highs and lows of English football's promotion race, lessons learnt from his young son's Autism diagnosis, and what happens when Hollywood comes knocking at your door.Trade ReviewA superior memoir * i *
£27.83
Bold Type Books The Barcelona Inheritance: The Evolution of
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£18.99
Bold Type Books My Turn: A Life of Total Football
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£16.99
Bold Type Books Zonal Marking: From Ajax to Zidane, the Making of
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£17.09
Penguin Putnam Inc The Ball is Round: A Global History of Soccer
Book SynopsisThe definitive book about soccer, from the author of The Games: A Global History of the Olympics. There may be no cultural practice more global than soccer. Rites of birth and marriage are infinitely diverse, but the rules of soccer are universal. No world religion can match its geographical scope. The single greatest simultaneous human collective experience is the World Cup final. In this extraordinary tour de force, David Goldblatt tells the full story of soccer's rise from chaotic folk ritual to the world's most popular sport-now poised to fully establish itself in the USA. Already celebrated internationally, The Ball Is Round illuminates soccer's role in the political and social histories of modern societies, but never loses sight of the beauty, joy, and excitement of the game itself.
£28.50
Penguin Putnam Inc Golazo!: The Beautiful Game from the Aztecs to
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£14.40
Triumph Books Soccer Stars
Book SynopsisThe stars of the most popular sport in the world are featured in this fun guide to soccer's prime athletes that includes personal information to get to know the talent behind the sport as well as important stats and facts. Going above and beyond the player biographies offered through the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA), the book details the brightest stars from around the globe through entertaining biographies, fun trivia, and thrilling action photography. Readers from any team allegiance will enjoy the information presented.
£7.59
Triumph Books Soccer Skills
Book SynopsisAimed at parents as well as their children, Soccer Skills: Way to Play is a step-by-step guide to the techniques the professionals use to enhance their skills, with expert advice on the tactics of the game and clear analysis of the rules. It contains hints, tips and training drills designed to hone individual skills as well as develop team play alongside practical advice for parents who want to help their children get the most out of the world's most popular game.
£11.35
Arcadia Publishing (SC) The San Jose Earthquakes A Seismic Soccer Legacy
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£18.69
Triumph Books (IL) A Woman's Game: The Rise, Fall, and Rise Again of
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£23.80
Bold Type Books Soccernomics (2022 World Cup Edition): Why
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£22.30
John Blake Publishing Ltd Diego Costa: The Beast
Book SynopsisTAKE A LOOK INTO THE RICH HISTORY OF ENGLISH FOOTBALL AND THE GRAND OLD NAME OF CHELSEA FOOTBALL CLUB WILL INEVITABLY ENJOY MORE THAN A PASSING MENTION. AND AFTER A FRUSTRATING SEASON WHICH SAW THE CLUB FINISH TANTALISINGLY CLOSE TO WINNING THE PREMIER LEAGUE TITLE, THE SUMMER OF 2014 WITNESSED THE ARRIVAL OF A NEW STAR IN WEST LONDON. Fresh from an outstanding season in Spain, where his thirty-six goals had propelled Atletico Madrid to a first La Liga title since 1996 and to within seconds of a maiden Champions League crown, Diego Costa arrived at Stamford Bridge for GBP32 million. Brazilian by birth, Costa had caused an enormous wave of controversy in his homeland after opting to take Spanish citizenship and a subsequent place in Spain's squad over the opportunity to represent the Selecao in a home World Cup in 2014. An early exit for Spain ensued but, undeterred, Costa arrived in the English capital tasked by manager Jose Mourinho with scoring the goals that had eluded many of his predecessors the previous season. And with a Premier League record of seven goals in his first four starts he took to the physical nature of England's top division with typical aplomb.Costa began his nomadic rise to the top via the lower echelons of Portuguese and Spanish football, before establishing himself as a force under Diego Simeone's rejuvenated Atleti. Affectionately nicknamed 'El Cholo', 'the Beast', his pace, power, aggression and deadly finishing have swiftly seen him become a crowd favourite at 'the Bridge'. Diego Costa: 'The Beast' is an in-depth look into the life of this spectacular footballer and his rise to the very top.
£12.27
Pitch Publishing Ltd The Ugly Game How Football Lost its Magic and
Book SynopsisSomewhere along the way football took a wrong turn, losing touch with fans. In a passionate, funny book of essays, The Ugly Game sets out to put football right by comparing it, often unfavourably, with American football, a sport, perhaps surprisingly, that's showing how money need not destroy fairness and competition.
£19.51
Pitch Publishing Ltd Odd Man Out: The Fascinating Story of Ron
Book SynopsisRon Saunders is the one manager in over a century to guide Aston Villa to English football's summit. The Odd Man Out is an exhaustive account of how he did so. How he took the Midlanders to promotion from the old Division Two in his first season. How he created and dismantled arguably the most exciting Villa side of modern times - one that inflicted Liverpool's heaviest defeat of the entire 1970s. How he achieved two League Cup triumphs in three years, including a three-game final with Everton that will remain the longest in history. How he battled with 'Deadly' Doug Ellis - and won! Then, how he fell out with and ultimately sold fans' favourite Andy Gray and replaced him with a journeyman striker in Peter Withe, before steering the club to its first league title in 71 years. It also explores the mystery of his sudden resignation with Villa on the brink of European Cup glory, joining their bitterest rivals only nine days later. Saunders's tough-guy reputation has overshadowed his achievements. The Odd Man Out casts a whole lot more light upon them.
£18.99
Pitch Publishing Ltd Ben Thornley: Tackled: The Class of '92 Star Who
Book SynopsisWho was the standout player when the Class of '92 won the FA Youth Cup? David Beckham? Paul Scholes? Ryan Giggs? Think again. Ben Thornley: The Class of '92 Star Who Never Got to Graduate is the compelling autobiography of a teenager who had the world at his feet, only for one tackle to shatter his knee - and his dreams of playing for Manchester United. A supremely gifted winger with pace to burn, he played in every round of that Youth Cup run and finished as top scorer. It wasn't long before Alex Ferguson, keen to unleash this prodigious talent, gave him his first-team debut - but just six weeks later came the moment that would change the path of Ben's career, and life, forever. This tale is not only told from Ben's perspective but also with exclusive insights from those who witnessed him in action first hand. They include family and school friends, as well as Beckham, Giggs, Scholes, Gary Neville and many more. This is the Class of '92 as you've never heard it before - from a player who was a class apart.
£19.99
Pitch Publishing Ltd The Gaffer Tapes: The A-Z of Fantasy Football
Book SynopsisIf you've secretly logged in at work to set your line-up, or if you can't wait to gloat in the group chat, then this unique and hilarious book about the national obsession of fantasy football is for you. The A-Z of Fantasy Football is a journey through the hobby that has people across the world scrambling for their phone every matchday morning. Fantasy footy has come a long way since it entailed scouring through the newspapers in the 90s - and, as the game has grown, so have the lengths players will go to in order to win! You'll read about the eye-watering forfeits, the labour-ward transfers, interviews with footballers who refuse to bet against themselves, and tales of woe from those who take things that little bit too far. Littered with insightful dos and don'ts from the nation's leading fantasy football podcast, this guide will have you in stitches half the time and in disbelief the other. There's no promises that the book will help you win the whole thing, but it has all you need to help you beat your mates.
£18.23
Pitch Publishing Ltd Walsall Match of My Life: Saddlers Legends Relive
Book SynopsisSixteen Walsall legends tell the stories behind their most memorable games for the club, enabling fans of all ages to relive these magic moments through the eyes and emotions of the men who were there. Stretching from Allan Clarke's memories of FA Cup glory to Adam Chambers's account of how Walsall finally reached Wembley after almost a century of trying, this unique collection covers some of the most enthralling encounters in the club's history. Along the way, Alan Buckley tells of how the mighty Saddlers conquered Manchester United, Peter Hart and Craig Shakespeare recall how Arsenal and Liverpool trembled as Walsall came within a hair's breadth of reaching the Milk Cup Final, David Kelly returns to the afternoon when his hat-trick won a play-off final, while Chris Marsh and Adi Viveash look back on the day Walsall pipped Manchester City to promotion. Spanning half a century of Saddlers history, Walsall Match of My Life captures the precious memories of the heroes who mean so much to the fans.
£16.99
Pitch Publishing Ltd Hugging Strangers: The Frequent Lows and
Book SynopsisWhat is it like to follow one of English football's perennial non-achievers? Hugging Strangers is a celebration of what it means to support your club through thick and thin. It speaks to all who love the game but are lumbered - by way of family, geography or plain bad luck - with a team whose glory days are few and far between. At the end of the 1963/64 season Birmingham City stayed in the first division by winning on the last day of the campaign. In the 55 years that followed, the Blues kept either survival or promotion for the final fixture on a further 12 occasions. Stir in nine relegations, eight promotions, along with play-off failures and embarrassing exits from cup competitions and you'll have an idea of what it means to be a Blues fan. But you don't have to be a Birmingham fan to enjoy this book. This light-hearted collection of tales from a lifelong, hopeless football addict will strike a chord with anyone who has asked themselves quite why they allow this simple game to assume such importance in their lives.
£16.85
Pitch Publishing Ltd Two Thousand Games: A Life in Football
Book SynopsisBrian Horton is one of the most respected managers in English football. As a player, manager and assistant, he took part in over 2,000 games - in Britain only Sir Alex Ferguson can claim more. Horton's career started in the World Cup summer of 1966 and ended over half a century later. His playing career began unceremoniously when Port Vale bought him from non-league Hednesford for the price of a pint of shandy. But later, as Brighton captain, he became a club legend, skippering the Seagulls from the Third to the First Division. He continued this success at Luton and Hull, before managing the Yorkshire side. Horton further distinguished himself as boss at Oxford and then Manchester City, keeping the Citizens in the Premier League for two thrilling seasons. Spells at Huddersfield, Brighton, Port Vale and Macclesfield followed before Brian was catapulted back to the Premier League at Hull City as assistant manager to Phil Brown. He continued to work with Brown at Preston, Southend and Swindon until his retirement in 2018.
£19.99
Pitch Publishing Ltd The Fifty: Football's Most Influential Players
Book SynopsisThe Fifty tells the story of football through its best and most influential players, from the 19th century to the modern day. Most of the 50 are household names - Pele, Charlton, Maradona, Jimmy Hill, Matthews, Best, Zidane and Messi - and those who aren't certainly deserve to be. You'll read about football's first black superstar Jose Andrade, a 1930 World Cup winner with Uruguay who died in poverty. There's Lily Parr, a Woodbine-smoking behemoth of the women's game who is more famous now than when she died. Then there's Robbie Rogers, the second male footballer in Britain to come out as gay. Though Rogers wasn't a great player, his story will restore some faith after Justin Fashanu's appalling experiences as a gay footballer in the 1980s. Similarly, Jean-Marc Bosman made an indelible mark, not on the pitch but through the courts, changing the way footballers are treated forever. It's not about the stats, tactics or managers - this is the players' story, from war heroes and match-fixers to superstars and an African president.
£19.97
Pitch Publishing Ltd An Ode to Four Four Two: Football's Simplest and
Book SynopsisAn Ode to Four Four Two: Football's Simplest and Finest Formation examines how coaches in Europe, and particularly England, settled on the 4-4-2 formation to build iconic teams which would dominate both domestically and in Europe. Formations have continually evolved since the birth of the game in the mid-19th century. From teams playing with four or five forwards, to the modern era of teams with just the one, arguably the greatest formation has been 4-4-2. Some of the greatest teams have lined up in this multi-functional system. Flick through the football history books and it is filled with teams like AC Milan, Manchester United, Liverpool, Leeds United and Barcelona, all enjoying glorious eras playing 4-4-2. But it isn't just the elite of world football. Who can forget Leicester City, led by Claudio Ranieri, reviving the system against all odds to outperform the Premier League's big six to claim a historic title in 2016? Author John McNicoll looks at how and why these teams used the formation to such effect. How they dominated in their era to stand out from the rest. It is the story of how teams, both big and small in status, have played the system to perfection.
£16.75
Pitch Publishing Ltd Euro Summits: The Story of the UEFA European
Book SynopsisPanenka's pearl of a penalty in Belgrade, van Basten's volley of a lifetime in Munich, Gazza's agonising near-miss at Wembley: over its six decades, the UEFA European Championship has thrown up many of the most memorable stories in football lore. Now it gets the history it deserves. Euro Summits is the first full retelling of the tournament, from its tentative beginnings in the late 1950s to its elephantine expansion in the mid-2010s. Taking in the USSR's early success, the grim violence of 1968, France's cavalier feats on home soil in 1984, the sensational triumphs of no-hopers Denmark and Greece, Spain's modern-day dominance, all the way up to Portugal's shock victory in 2016, it's a panoramic portrait of an event that captures a whole continent's imagination every four years. Dramatic, detailed and teeming with compelling personalities like Michel Platini, Gunter Netzer, Hristo Stoichkov, Zinedine Zidane, Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo, this is the complete story of a footballing event second only to the World Cup.
£23.57
