View Full Version : Best Football Book?
Irish Fan
19/12/2006, 1:56 PM
Seen a topic about this on the Rovers Mb just taught id bring it up for people in this forum.
What is the best football book out there these days?????
My personal favourites are : Gazzas Autobiography, Keanes Auto, Football Against The Enemy & The Miracle of Castel Di Sangro.A few people on there site saying the Morbo is a great book anybody know were to get it??
There's Only One Red Army.
Still.
Morbo available in Easons anyway.
Football Against the Enemy and Calcio are the best two I've read.
id say you'd get morbo in any highstreet bookshop
Season With Verona by Tim Parks is hands down the best football book ever written, trust me on that one and go out and buy it
Season With Verona by Tim Parks is hands down the best football book ever written, trust me on that one and go out and buy it
Good book but wouldn't get in my top three.
WeAreRovers
19/12/2006, 2:28 PM
This year - Calcio by John Foot and My Father and Other Working Class Heroes by Gary Imlach. And if you're feeling flush, this beauty -
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Match-Day-Programmes-Bob-Stanley/dp/0955006147
BTW DO NOT under any circumstances buy Paddy Agnew's dross Forzis Italia. Terrible, terrible book - anti-Rome and anti-Tifosi. Idiot.
KOH
BTW DO NOT under any circumstances buy Paddy Agnew's dross Forzis Italia. Terrible, terrible book - anti-Rome and anti-Tifosi. Idiot.
It's too late for me on that one, read the first few chapters and threw it away in disgust, I mean the guy only got into football properly in his 40s for ****'s sake, hasn't a ****ing clue about the game.
3rd book would be the Gary Imlach book. Dunphy's book is good too
Frankly Speaking is a sedate read if that's your fancy!
some classics of the genre if I may......
It's all about a ball: An autobiography
by Alan Ball
Captain Fantastic
where Mick McCarthy sums up his time in French Football in one paragraph
The Paul McGrath book is utter crud but if you're a ManYou fan you should hunt down Andy Mittens latest offering
Ozymandias
19/12/2006, 2:53 PM
who stole our game
DaveyCakes
19/12/2006, 2:53 PM
I like Tor! (about German football).
I thought Mobo was a bit dull, and the Miracle of Castel di Sangro is appalling
Paraic
19/12/2006, 2:56 PM
BTW DO NOT under any circumstances buy Paddy Agnew's dross Forzis Italia. Terrible, terrible book - anti-Rome and anti-Tifosi. Idiot.
KOH
too late - just bought it for my Dad for Christmas
not sure about top three, but some I've really enjoyed include
Matt Busby biog by Dunphy
Football Factory by John King - much better than the film, although it is fiction
Only one red army - Eamonn Sweeney
Fever Pitch - Nick Hornby predictable for a top five, but the parts of the book when he was following Cambridge United were classic
Apparently Niall Quinn's book was very good - havn't got round to it yet
I'm reading the McGrath one at the minute and must say I'm enjoying (is that the right word ?) it.
I've got Michael Owen's autobiog, A Game of my Owen, for a present last christmas....
haven't touched it...
I've got Michael Owen's autobiog, A Game of my Owen, for a present last christmas....
haven't touched it...
Took pride of place in your old living room too.
WeAreRovers
19/12/2006, 3:02 PM
too late - just bought it for my Dad for Christmas
Bring it back and swap it for Calcio. Your dad already knows more about Italian football and Italian culture than Agnew will ever know. How a man can spend 20 years in a country and completely miss the point is beyond me. Then again he's a Milanista.... :rolleyes:
KOH
BTW DO NOT under any circumstances buy Paddy Agnew's dross Forzis Italia. Terrible, terrible book - anti-Rome and anti-Tifosi. Idiot.
I wouldn't agree with that. I thought it ok, not brilliant, but ok.
Tim Park's is still the best for me, although Only a Game by Dunphy was good too. The miracle of Castel di Sangro was pretty good, as was the strings of my Harps by Patsy McGowan. The latter gets very bitter towards the end though.
CharlesThompson
19/12/2006, 3:25 PM
1. Football against the enemy
2. Hand of God
3. Tony Cascarino's autobiography
GuisaSaigon
19/12/2006, 3:25 PM
Tony Adams - Addicted was a good read , better than the usual english football autbiography drivel, Steaming in was ok, im reading Who stole our game at the moment , despite hardly mentioning football outside dublin, its holding my attention. Theres only one red army has to be the most enjoyable football book i've read. if you are a football fan theres no way you cant relate to it.
Bring it back and swap it for Calcio. Your dad already knows more about Italian football and Italian culture than Agnew will ever know. How a man can spend 20 years in a country and completely miss the point is beyond me. Then again he's a Milanista.... :rolleyes:
KOH
By all means havbe a pop, but it's not really a football book written for football anoraks though is it? Is the title even trying to be? Not really. More of a flippant blog, and the bloke's trade, after all, is foreign freelance correspondent, not football writer. His 5 minute slot on Champions League Tuesday/Wednesday mornings on Dunphy's old show used to be a lesson to Dunphy in something he's totally ignorant of (Italian football in general), which he'd happily repeat that night on RTE (who as we all know like to employ pantomime characters in place of football analysts).
And anyway, how exactly to you expect a mainstream IT journo to treat a subject such as knife-wielding Romanisti merde? :ball:
Partizan
19/12/2006, 3:48 PM
My 3 fav of all time in my preferential order.
1. The Miracle of Castel di Sangro by Joe McGinnis.
2. Football Against the Enemy by Simon Kuper.
3. A Season with Verona by Tim Parkes.
The Miracle of Castel di Sangro, best footy book I ever read. ****es on anything by Dunphy or the Premier**** drivel that is currently in stock.
Took pride of place in your old living room too.
That was just to make me appear learned.
Or is that learn-ed.
MyTown
19/12/2006, 3:53 PM
Impressed that at least 2 of my fellow GUFC die hards are naming Eamon Sweeney's book as their #1. It is in keeping with the very civil excahnges bwtween ourselves and the Sligo supporters in recent times. No doubt we'll all revert to type once hostilities resume in March.
While I can relate to 'There's only One Red Army' (as posted by Saigon), I just didn't enjoy it as much as Dunphy's 'Only a Game' and Horby's 'Fever Pitch'. Heard great things about Gary Imlach's book & will probably press the book token into service if one comes down my chimney.
Larry 'da' Wyse
19/12/2006, 3:53 PM
1. Puskas on Puskas (signed :)
2. Brilliant Orange
3. White Storm - spells Madrid as Madird all though the final chapter
4. Barca: a peoples passion
5. Tor!
6. Football behind the curtain (not sure if correct title but some great info on Commie football)
Still to read 'Who stole our game' but looks good. Never got the one by Billy Bagster or the Rod de Khors bewk yet.
RogerMilla
19/12/2006, 3:53 PM
the tim parks book was a great read , he knows his stuff and brought in the political and cultural element, i would highly recommend it. I am going to buy tony cas's book again as i gave away my copy , a cracking warts and all look at his life. obviously i would encourage everyone to buy paul mcgraths book !
Never got the one by Billy Bagster or the Rod de Khors bewk yet.
Tut tut ;)
Tadgh Carey is currently writing a book on the history of Athlone Town FC
from 1921-1928 and Kevin O'Neill is working on a book about St Mels Park.
Good reads, in no particular order
1. A Season With Verona
2. Football Against The Enemy
3. Theres Only One Red Army
4. Pointless
5. Strings Of My Harp
6. Baghdad FC
Currently in the middle of
- Who Stole Our Game
- Stamping Grounds
- We Are Rovers
- Whats The Story
I got McGraths book for Christmas so its still unopened under the Christmas tree :)
None of them would compare to the rare wit of your website's old match reports Ash!
red bellied
19/12/2006, 4:19 PM
They Think Its All Over a seasons review of Sligo Rovers 94-95. Great read all together, deadly photographs. Its done like a magazine, any Rovers fans remember it.
Sandro
19/12/2006, 4:50 PM
My favourite book is definitly Stadi d'Italia, if only because I wrote it :) . More seriously, Paolo Di Canio's biography is simply a cult to me.
Sandro
19/12/2006, 4:53 PM
I was in Ireland last week, in Dublin I got in at Eason looking for books about Irish clubs but I couldn't find any. I know there are some, maybe they are on sale only at club shops or locally? Does anybody know if the LOI annual will ever appear again?
Billy Lord
19/12/2006, 4:54 PM
Agnew's wilful ignorance of - for example - the circumstances surrounding the abandoned Rome derby summed it up for me. He doesn't understand, and doesn't want to understand, hardcore football fans, and treats anyone who doesn't suck sweets in Monte Mario with contempt. He was full of the same garbage on Leagues Apart. In the book he also shows a very provincial attitude towards the city of Rome and its people. He's basically a calcio Kevin Myers.
My favourites:
A Season With Verona
The Red Army Years
Brian Glanville's The Story of The World Cup
holidaysong
19/12/2006, 5:30 PM
My Favs:
A history of Dundalk FC.
Stamping Grounds.
1 9 2 8
19/12/2006, 5:36 PM
They Think Its All Over a seasons review of Sligo Rovers 94-95. Great read all together, deadly photographs. Its done like a magazine, any Rovers fans remember it.
Yeah I've a copy of it. It's a pity we don't put out one like that every season
GuisaSaigon
19/12/2006, 6:07 PM
I was in Ireland last week, in Dublin I got in at Eason looking for books about Irish clubs but I couldn't find any. I know there are some, maybe they are on sale only at club shops or locally? Does anybody know if the LOI annual will ever appear again?
we are rovers is available here http://www.amazon.co.uk/We-Are-Rovers-Voices-Irish/dp/1845885104/sr=1-1/qid=1166555428/ref=sr_1_1/203-1745287-3523918?ie=UTF8&s=books
Who stole our game herehttp://www.amazon.co.uk/Who-Stole-Game-Daire-Whelan/dp/0717140040/sr=11-1/qid=1166554993/ref=sr_11_1/203-1745287-3523918 one red army here http://www.amazon.co.uk/Theres-Only-One-Red-Army/dp/1874597480/sr=1-3/qid=1166555046/ref=sr_1_3/203-1745287-3523918?ie=UTF8&s=books
Eason in Galway had a few copies of who stole our game a few days ago but they didnt have much else
Di Canio's book was a good one alright , great Tiramisu recipe too !
SeanDrog
19/12/2006, 6:26 PM
One of my fav Irish soccer books is A history of Dundalk FC., even though its another clu, it is excellently written, some amount of detail - fully recommend it
Réiteoir
19/12/2006, 6:33 PM
Stamping Grounds (about one man's travels from London to follow Liechtenstein in a recent qualification campaign)
Who Stole Our Game (the new one on the League of Ireland) - working through that atm - pretty good so far
Tor! (History of German football)
Cascarino's book
plus some others
floatinghoop
19/12/2006, 11:39 PM
Only a Game was a terrific book, I remember our manager made us read it as kids in case any of us got ideas about football being a glamourous business. (Which was rather optimistic on his part, none of us were near good enough...)
Goalkeepers are Different is another I remember enjoying as a kid.
Sheridan
20/12/2006, 12:43 AM
Imlach's books is probably the most mature meditation on the game I've ever read, I had no idea he was capable of such profundity and approached the book with few expectations. He avoids the hyperbole and specious correlations between football and life which so many authors espouse.
Tor! is a great primer on German football (despite writing in what is obviously his second language, Lichtenberger displays a mastery of English which is beyond most Irish journalists.) Stamping Grounds is very enjoyable too, if a trifle twee. Jonathan Wilson's Behind the Iron Curtain is a startling insight into the corruption of Eastern European football, and Simon Kuper's Ajax, The Dutch, The War is still worth a read.
stann
20/12/2006, 12:49 AM
The miracle of Castel di Sangro was pretty good, as was the strings of my Harps by Patsy McGowan. The latter gets very bitter towards the end though.
Towards the end!!!! :eek: :D
Only One Red Army is the best LOI / eL / Superduperleague book I think, though Singing The Blues by Brian Kennedy that's just out is very good too, may be slightly partisan with that one mind you.
McGrath's book is great, but not a feel good read. Quinn's one is very enjoyable, and has the best line, the one along the lines of "not every player would give their lives for the green shirt, we know that now".
Cascarino's book is the best autobiog (or ghost written, whatever) bar none, though Dunphy's is almost up there too.
I've just got Hand of God by Jimmy Burns about Maradona but haven't started it yet. Am encouraged by the preface about him sending solicitors letters to anyone who contributed to it though, bodes well. :D
Sheridan
20/12/2006, 12:52 AM
I've just got Hand of God by Jimmy Burns about Maradona but haven't started it yet. Am encouraged by the preface about him sending solicitors letters to anyone who contributed to it though, bodes well. :D
I started that and gave up halfway through. Difficult to read, Burns' tone is crude and bitter throughout.
I started that and gave up halfway through. Difficult to read, Burns' tone is crude and bitter throughout.
:( Looking forward to it now! :D
Forgot one, for any goalkeepers on here, Only The Keeper To Beat. Forgot who it's by and ain't going to go looking for it now. Thought it was a bit whingy at first but after years of playing behind crap defences it suddenly made perfect sense.
Quick review of the Irish books I’ve read (that I can remember!)…
The History of Dundalk FC is fantastic, is just crammed full of facts and information, and little gems of anecdotes.
We Are Rovers is very good, specially if you’re a hoop
Dyed in the Wool is one for Rovers fans only really
Strings of My Harps is very interesting
The Rod de Khors autobiog which somebody mentioned is rubbish, theres not enough interesting material to stretch beyond 2 pages, never mind 100.
Eamonn Sweeney’s One Red Army is a great book, highly recommended.
Of the rest of football… A Season with Verona stands out. Parks understands football and paints a picture of Italy in general thru his love of Hellas Verona. Castel di Sangro is a great book and a great story, if you can put up with a football book written by a mad American. Another excellent book is Dynamo, Defending the Honour of Kiev, about the Kiev team that played and beat the occupying Nazis during the War.
Dunphy’s Only A Game is worth a look, way ahead of its time and well written, but delusions of adequacy were evident even back then. Morbo and Futebol the Brazilian Way of Life are both highly entertaining, if not really in-depth. Futebol has some laugh out loud moments. Ajax The Dutch The War (by Simon Kuper, Football Against the Enemy) is fascinating, not really about Ajax though. I thought Agnew’s book was ok.
Starting into Behind the Iron Curtain, looks very good.
Irish Fan
20/12/2006, 8:44 AM
Im think im gona buy Calcio is it recommended?
bluemovie
20/12/2006, 11:22 AM
I think my favourite would be Jonathan Wilson's "Behind the Curtain" - full of corruption and mystery and perfect for anyone who was fascinated with teams from Eastern Europe when they were growing up.
Simon Kuper's "Football Against the Enemy" is class too and would suit a broader spectrum of people. For a novel, I still rate "Fever Pitch" as a really good read.
I only like autobiographies of complete gougers and best of them all is Frank McAvennie's "Scoring". Hilarious stuff on and off the pitch. Collymore's "Tackling my Demons" is a laugh too. Neither of them ever admit that sometimes it was their own fault!
"Singing the Blues" is probably only of interest to Waterford fans, but it's a great chronicle of life as a Blues fan and has researched our early days excellently. Could be interesting for people who like reading about Irish football history too.
bohs til i die
20/12/2006, 11:28 AM
Hand of God [Jimmy Burns book about Diego]
A season with Verona
Dynamo - Defending the honour of Kiev
Other notable mentions go to
Calcio
Football against the enemy
Forza Italia
Ajax - The Dutch, The War
They Think Its All Over a seasons review of Sligo Rovers 94-95. Great read all together, deadly photographs. Its done like a magazine, any Rovers fans remember it.
Not the best-written book in the world but as a young League of Ireland fan at the time I enjoyed it alot.
Dodge
20/12/2006, 11:49 AM
Im think im gona buy Calcio is it recommended?
Highly.
oriel
20/12/2006, 12:37 PM
Ireland - 'theres only one red army'
by eamonn sweeney, see also his excellent article written last sunday in the sun indo !!!!!!!!
Also heard 'we are rovers is excellent'
UK - The Greatest Footballer You Never Saw: Robin Friday Story
Synopsis
Robin Friday was a footballer bent on self-destruction. Always in trouble with the referee, in and out of prison, owner of a drug habit, he never fulfilled his potential, and died in 1990. This book provides a full appreciation of the football genius of Robin Friday.
Jaime
20/12/2006, 12:38 PM
Also heard 'we are rovers is excellent'
:confused:
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