The Blizzard - The Football Quarterly: Issue Nine


Book Description

The Blizzard is a quarterly football publication, put together by a cooperative of journalists and authors, its main aim to provide a platform for top-class writers from across the globe to enjoy the space and the freedom to write what they like about the football stories that matter to them. Issue Nine Contents ----------- Iran ----------- * The Vacant Lot, by Gwendolyn Oxenham—The search for a kickabout in Iran is complicated by religion and gender politics * Conflict Management, by Noah Davis—Dan Gaspar is a key part of Iran's qualifying campaign for Brazil 2014 despite holding a US passport --------------- Interview --------------- * Zbigniew Boniek, by Maciej Iwanski—The Polish great discusses Juventus, the modern game and his friendship with Michel Platini ------------------------------------------- For the Good of the Game ------------------------------------------- * The Only Way is Ethics, by Philippe Auclair- Fifa's super-cop Michael J Garcia explains his mission to wash the corruption out of football * Power Play, by James Corbett—The Asian Football Confederation's presidential elections highlight football's murky governance * Genesis, by Davidde Corran—How a tournament in China in 1988 changed women's football forever ------------- Theory ------------- * The Weight of the Armband, by Joel Richards—The Argentina coach Alejandro Sabella explains why he made Lionel Messi national captain * Pep's Four Golden Rules, by Simon Kuper—How Guardiola made Barcelona the masters of the pressing game * Taking the Initiative, by Nick Ames—Andy Roxburgh, the former Uefa technical director, on how football tactics are changing --------------- The North --------------- * City and the City, by David Conn—What does Sheikh Mansour's investment mean for the city of Manchester? * Meanwhile Back in Sunderland, by Jon Spurling—How a Tyne Tees documentary on Cup final day 1973 captured the spirit of the town * That Grandish Pile of Swank, by Anthony Clavane—Tracing Leeds United's place in the tradition of Northern Realism ------------------ Lev Yashin ------------------ * The Jersey That Wasn't Black, by Igor Rabiner—Lev Yashin's widow and Eusébio remember the great Soviet goalkeeper --------------- Polemics --------------- * Partisans and Purists, by Charlie Robinson—Do fans experience football differently to those who watch without a vested interest? * The Lager of Life, by Tim Vickery—Football is haunted by violence, but can it be blamed for it? -------------------- Past Glories -------------------- * The Nearly Men, by Ian Hawkey—Zimbabwe's nostalgia for the Dream Team of Bruce Grobbelaar and the Ndlovu brothers * The Grand Griguol, by Dan Colasimone—How El Viejo defied accusations of boringness to inspire the golden age of Ferro Carril Oeste * A Dream Denied, by Antonis Oikonomidis—But for the politics of Greek football, Ferenc Puskás might have ended up in Athens not Madrid --------------- Fiction --------------- * In Search of Punditaria, by Scott Oliver—An anthropologist heads into the jungle to discover a society founded by stranded football journalists ---------------------------- Greatest Games ---------------------------- * Bari 4 Internazionale 1, Rory Smith—Serie A, Stadio San Nicola, Bari, 6 January 1996 ------------------ Eight Bells ------------------ * Goalless Draws", by Jonathan Wilson- A selection of the best 0-0s in history




The Blizzard - The Football Quarterly: Issue Twenty


Book Description

First published in March 2016, Issue Twenty contains 20 articles in 10 sections, including: Robin Bairner explaining why Hampden Park's old goalposts have pride of place in St-Étienne's club museum; the playwright Patrick Marber discusses football, drama, and his football drama; and Nick Miller with the unusual story of how a united Ireland side took on Brazil at the height of the Troubles and almost won.




The Blizzard - The Football Quarterly: Issue Fifteen


Book Description

The Blizzard is a quarterly football publication, put together by a cooperative of journalists and authors, its main aim to provide a platform for top-class writers from across the globe to enjoy the space and the freedom to write what they like about the football stories that matter to them. Contents of Issue Fifteen ----------------------- The North-East ----------------------- * Jonathan Wilson, A Sentimental Journey - In a world of superclubs, what’s the point of the ordinary teams? * George Caulkin, The Great Betrayal - Mike Ashley and the cheapening of the Newcastle dream * Harry Pearson, The Van Basten of Hartlepool - Adam Boyd and the glory of a flickering talent * Michael Walker, Bob Paisley and the Red Kennedys - The north-eastern influence that underlay Liverpool’s period of domination ------------------ Strikers ------------------ * Dominic Bliss, A Season in Turin - Denis Law remembers his year playing in Serie A * Jim Davies and Juan Felipe Rubio, The Lost Weekend - Spending two days on Faustino Asprilla’s Colombian ranch * Thierry Marchand and Philippe Auclair, A Game for Individuals - Thierry Henry reflects on how football has changed in his 20 years at the top ------------------------------- Davids and Goliaths ------------------------------- * Luke Alfred, The Boys who never Grew Up - South Africa are African football’s greatest underachievers. What’s gone wrong? * Robin Bairner, When FFP Goes Wrong - Luzenac’s promotion to the French second flight should have been a joyous fair-story but it killed the club * Will Unwin, Defying the Odds - How tiny Eibar have taken their place in the Spanish top flight * Paul Watson, Fifa’s Exiles - For Pacific islands, football development can be a haphazard and fragile process ------------- Theory ------------- * Nicholas Blincoe, The Roundhead’s Paradox - Tony Pulis and the conflicted character of British Puritanism * Amy Lawrence, Wengerball - Arsène Wenger, the Invincibles and the transformation of Arsenal’s philosophy * Jonny Singer, The Archduke and the Offside Law - Did the First World War lead to the most significant ever change to the Laws of the Game? * Marti Pararnu, Pep Talk - How Guardiola inspired Bayern Munich before the Super Cup shoot-out against Chelsea ----------------------------------- The Sense of an Ending ----------------------------------- * Ewan MacKenna, Fallen Eagle - The death of the former Nigeria striker Rashidi Yekini remains shrouded in mystery. * Alessandro Mastrolucca, Bergamini - 25 years ago the Cosenza midfielder Denis Bergamini was run over by a truck. Was it murder? --------------- Fiction --------------- * Iain Macintosh, Quantum of Bobby - Spinning through time and space, Bobby Manager finds himself at Roy Keane’s Sunderland ------------------------ Greatest Games ------------------------ * Scott Murray, Liverpool 3 Newcastle United 0 - FA Cup final, Wembley Stadium, London, 4 May 1974 ------------------ Eight Bells ------------------ * Rob Smyth, Dethronings - A selection of champions who surrendered their titles in decisive fashion




The Blizzard - The Football Quarterly: Issue Nineteen


Book Description

The Blizzard is a quarterly football publication, put together by a cooperative of journalists and authors, its main aim to provide a platform for top-class writers from across the globe to enjoy the space and the freedom to write what they like about the football stories that matter to them. Issue Nineteen contains 22 articles in 11 different sections: ---------------- Mourinho ---------------- * The Devil's Party, by Jonathan Wilson - The manager, his methods, and why it always goes wrong in the third season ---------------- Poetry ---------------- * The Unknown Football Fan, by Craig Smith * A Striker Fires Wide, by Craig Smith ---------------- Memories ---------------- * This Sporting Half-Life, by Alex Preston - Sport, ageing and the grudging acceptance of a novelist and his mortality * For the Love of the Honest Men, by Ally Palmer - An Ayr United fan reflects on decades of following the ups and downs at Somerset Park * Football v Alzheimer's, by Dermot Corrigan - How football is being used to stimulate the memories of Alzheimer's patients * The Immortality of Awfulness, by Javier Sauras and Felix Lill - In 1965-66, Tasmania Berlin played their only Bundesliga season becoming the worst team in German history * You are not Nacka Skoglund!, by Gunnar Persson - The meteoric rise and terrible fall of the Swedish Internazionale legend * The Stench of the White Elephants, by Jamil Chade - Only now is the full scale of the corruption that surrounded the Brazil World Cup beginning to emerge ---------------- Interview ---------------- * The Throwback, by Maciej Iwanski - Robert Lewandowski is proving the value of the old-fashioned striker. But what created him? ---------------- Photo Essay ---------------- * Going to the Match, by Przemek Niciejewski - A Kickstarter project to create a visual celebration of football culture; football without fans is nothing ---------------- Breeding Grounds ---------------- * Slaggy Island, by Harry Pearson - South Bank was a grim industrial pocked of Teesside - and the home to a wealth of footballing talent * At the Feet of the Master, by Kit Gillet - Gheorghe Hagi has established an academy to try to develop a new generation of Romanian talent * What's Wrong With Finnish Football?, by Paul Brown - As Iceland qualify for Euro 2016, Finland is asking, "Why not us?" ---------------- Theory ---------------- * Chaos Theory, by Alex Keble - With so many variables at play, does anybody ever know anything? * Late Style, by Arthur O'Dea - Taking the theory of Edward Said about mature artists and applying it Giovanni Trapattoni * The Peter Principle, by Rupert Fryer - Promotion to a level of incompetence is a common idea in business, but is it true in football? ---------------- Austria ---------------- * The Burden of History, by Peter Linden - For years, Austrian football has been struggling to live up to is glorious past * Restoring the Glory, by Vladimir Novak - Austria's coach Marcel Koller explains their first tournament qualification in 18 years ---------------- Fiction ---------------- * The Quantum of Bobby, by Iain Macintosh - Can Bobby stop David Beckham getting sent off at the 1998 World Cup? ---------------- Greatest Games ---------------- * Hajduk Split v Crvena Zvezda (abandoned), by Charles Ducksbury - Yugoslav First League, Stadion Poljud, Split, 4 May 1980 ---------------- Eight Bells ---------------- * One-Hit Wonders, by Richard Jolly - A selection of players who enjoyed a fleeting moment of fame




The Blizzard - The Football Quarterly: Issue Twenty Seven


Book Description

First published in December 2017, Issue Twenty Seven contains 22 articles in 7 sections, including: Tom Williams speaking to Gary Lineker about his time at Barcelona and his tempestuous relationship with Johan Cruyff; Toke Theilade on the story of the first American footballer to play in Russia; James Montague on how Miodrag Belodidici escaped Romania to win the European Cup for a second time, Andrew McKirdy on Subbuteo and more.




The Blizzard - The Football Quarterly: Issue Twenty Four


Book Description

First published in March 2017, Issue Twenty Four contains 19 articles in 7 sections, including: Anthony Clavane on the decline of heavy industry and the sad logic of Brexit in Yorkshire; Peter Frankopan looking at how in politics, economics and football the role of Asia is becoming more significant; and David Stubbs on the glorious summer of 1996 when all things seemed possible.




The Blizzard - The Football Quarterly: Issue Twenty Three


Book Description

First published in December 2016, Issue Twenty Three contains 18 articles in 6 sections, including: Paul Simpson on the end of Ron Knee and Private Eye's relationship with football; Joe Devine talks to David Icke about football's role as an opiate to suppress the masses; and Rupert Fryer with a selection of nutmegs for the ages.




The Blizzard - The Football Quarterly: Issue Eight


Book Description

The Blizzard is a quarterly football publication, put together by a cooperative of journalists and authors, its main aim to provide a platform for top-class writers from across the globe to enjoy the space and the freedom to write what they like about the football stories that matter to them. Issue Eight Contents ------------ Cyprus ------------ * The Wrong Side of the Border, by Jacob Steinberg—After decades of stalemate, Northern Cypriot football may be about to come in from the cold * The Hangover of War, by Cyrus Philbrick—Almost four decades after the Turkish invasion, the shadow of conflict hangs over the Nicosia derby -------------- Interview -------------- * Sepp Blatter, by Philippe Auclair—The president of fifa admits he may stand for re-election in 2015 and reveals his concerns over the Qatar World Cup ------------ Theory ------------ * Mourinho's Cult of Personality, by Roy Henderson—How the Real Madrid manager's charismatic authority fosters loyalty * The Lawnmower and the Teapot, by Iain Macintosh—Barry Fry discusses how to motivate players and how the world of management has changed * The Bicycle Thief, by Lars Sivertsen—Zlatan Ibrahimovic has always been an individual—it's how he fits in ------------ Fans ------------ * But You Can't Change..., by Mike Calvin—How a Watford supporter ended up being converted into a Millwall fan * In the Shadow of the Goldfish, by Gary Hartley—Having lived the dream, Leeds have slowly drifted into a protracted doze * Paying the Price, by Craig Anderson—Rangers' administration and relegation were about far more than a club that couldn't pay its debts ---------------------------------- In Appreciation of... ---------------------------------- * Franco Baresi, by Sheridan Bird—How the great libero staged a remarkable recovery from a knee injury to play in the 1994 World Cup final * Brian Glanville, by Philippe Auclair—The doyen of English football writing discusses the forefathers of modern sports journalism * Ireland's Pioneers, by David Owen—This year marks the centenary of Ireland's first victory over England ------------ Africa ------------ * Eat Them Like Bread, by Jonathan Wilson—Nigeria ended their 19-year wait for a third Cup of Nations but a familiar sense of chaos remains * After the Circus, by Luke Alfred—What was the legacy of the World Cup for South Africa * The Great Administrator, by Tom Dunmore—How Ydnekatchew Tessema led the fight to have African football taken seriously * Bamako Twilight, by Stuart Roy Clarke—Away from the war, football goes on in the Malian capital ---------------- Polemics ---------------- * In Praise of Football, by Alex Keble—For all the commercialisation and scandal, football remains the purest and most demotic of cultural modes * Financial Fair Play?, by Steve Menary—How Champions League revenues can devastate competition in Europe's smaller leagues ------------ Fiction ------------ * The Limping God, part 3, by David Ashton—His football career ended by injury, John Brodie's life is going nowhere until he is sucked into the world of crime -------------------------- Greatest Games -------------------------- * Boca Juniors 2 Real Madrid 1, by Rupert Fryer—Toyota Intercontinental Cup final, National Stadium, Tokyo, 28 November 2000 -------------------- Eight Bells -------------------- * Football on TV, by Scott Murray—Key moments in the history of televising the game




The Blizzard - The Football Quarterly: Issue Three


Book Description

The Blizzard is a quarterly football publication, put together by a cooperative of journalists and authors, its main aim to provide a platform for top-class writers from across the globe to enjoy the space and the freedom to write what they like about the football stories that matter to them. Issue Three Contents -------------- Spartak -------------- * Fallen Idol, by Igor Rabiner—The decline of Spartak Moscow is inextricably bound up with the fortunes of their former coach, Oleg Romantsev -------------- Interview -------------- * Zagallo and Tostão—Mario Zagallo and Tostão talk to Tim Vickery about 1970, Pelé and the Brazilian style ------------------------- New Beginnings ------------------------- * A Crisis of Legitimacy, by Brian Oliver—Kenyan clubs are leading the fight against corruption in their football association * For Richer, For Poorer, by Shaul Adar—How nationalism has shaped the rise and fall of Beitar Jerusalem ----------------------------- In Appreciation of... ----------------------------- * Angelo Di Livio, by Michael Cox—How the midfielder's loyalty inspired Fiorentina's return from bankruptcy ------------ Theory ------------ * The Mind has Mountains, by Lars Sivertsen—Egil Olsen talks about his conception of the game, Wimbledon and geographical trivia * The Harmony of the Sphere, by Philippe Auclair—An exploration of the links between football and music * Smash and Thunder, by Alexander Jackson—How a change of approach helped Newcastle cast off their chokers tag in the 1910 FA Cup final * The Head Case, by John Sinnott—Standard Liège's Michel Bruyninckx leads the way in developing footballers' mental capacity -------------------- Foreign Soil -------------------- * The Bomb and the Bowler Hat, by Barney Ronay—How modern football was shaped in an internment camp in Berlin * Tour of Duty, by Davidde Corran—With the Vietnam War at its height, Australia sent a team to play in a tournament in Saigon * The Kennedy Conundrum, by Paul Doyle—Ireland's 1986 tour of Iceland brough their first international trophy, but ended an international career * The Midfield, by David Ashton—A veteran remembers the no-man's-land football of the First World War * The Youth of Today, by Jonathan Wilson—Clouds, clubs and the collective: reflections on the Under-20 World Cup --------------- Polemics --------------- * Comparing Apple with Oranje, by Simon Kuper and David Winner—Were Johan Cruyff and Ajax the John Lennon and Beatles of Amsterdam? * The Race Card, by Gabriele Marcotti—Racist chanting is deplorable, but does the rush to condemn it obscure deeper issues? * The Dawson's Creek Principle, by Musa Okwonga—Could it be that a US teen drama helps explain anomalies of football history? * What's a Vote Worth?, by Steve Menary—How Fifa's attempts to devolve power could be a bribers' charter --------------------------- Football Manager --------------------------- * The Ballad of Bobby Manager: My Autobiography", by Iain Macintosh—When somebody takes their game of Football Manager just a little too seriously... -------------------------- Greatest Games -------------------------- * Denmark 4 USSR 2, by Janus Køster-Rasmussen—World Cup qualifier, Idrætsparken, Copenhagen, 5 June 1985 ------------------ Eight Bells ------------------ * Great Finishes in Japan, by Ben Mabley—A selection of the most gripping climaxes to the J.League and JSL season




The Blizzard - The Football Quarterly: Issue Four


Book Description

The Blizzard is a quarterly football publication, put together by a cooperative of journalists and authors, its main aim to provide a platform for top-class writers from across the globe to enjoy the space and the freedom to write what they like about the football stories that matter to them. Issue Four Contents ------------------ Barcelona ------------------ * The Inverted Sheepdog, by Graham Hunter—The inside story of how Xavi emerged as the central hub of the world's greatest team * Corrida of Uncertainty, by David Winner—How the cruelty of tiki-taka resembles bull-fighting * The Other Rival, Another Way, by Scott Oliver—When the nastiest rivalry in Spain was between Barcelona and Athletic ---------------- Interview ---------------- * Alex Ferguson—The Manchester United manager tells Philippe Auclair about his early start, the importance of continuity and his need to be alone --------------- London --------------- * Capital Failings, by Ian Hawkey—Football clubs in democratic capitals tend to underperform and London is no exception * A Very English Visionary, by Martin Cloake—How the understated radicalism of Arthur Rowe defined Tottenham's style * South of the River, by Nick Szczepanik—For a spell in the eighties, Charlton Athletic, Crystal Palace, Millwall and Wimbledon challenged the elite * The Bald Eagle and the Modern Way, by Bob Yule—How Jim Smith brough the 3-5-2 to Queens Park Rangers --------------- Theory --------------- * Deschamps-Suaudeau, by Patrick Dessault—Didier Deschamps and Jean-Claude Suaudeau debate the modern vogue for attacking football * The New Enganche, by Sam Kelly—Javier Pastore talks about his move to Paris Saint-Germain and living up to the playmaking ideal ------------- Africa ------------- * Unlikely Hosts, Unlikelier Winners, by Pablo Manriquez and Backpagepix—Images from the 2012 African Cup of Nations * Victory Song, by Jonathan Wilson—How Zambia's emotional triumph restored the zest to the Cup of Nations * The Barefoot Pioneers, by Gary Al-Smith—CK Gyamfi explains how a bootless tour to Britain helped shape the game in Ghana * Ultra Violence, by David Lynch—After the horrors of Port Said, the exact role of ultras in the downfall of Hosny Mubarak remains unclear ------------------------------- In Appreciation Of ------------------------------- * Ronaldo in Moscow, by Sheridan Bird—A slalom through the Luzhniki mud confirmed the genius of "O Fenomeno" * Toussaint on Zidane, by Juliet Jacques—What the World Cup final headbutt meant to the Belgian writer ----------------- Polemics ----------------- * Pelé v Beckham, by Pete Grathoff—Which of the icons had the greater impact on football in the USA? * The Other Cup, by Brian Phillips—How do you solve a problem like the Europa League? * Continental Drift, by Rob Langham—Kazakhstan has slipped behind Uzbekistan since it abandoned Asia ----------------------------- Football Manager ----------------------------- * The Ballad of Bobby Manager: My Autobiography, by Iain Macintosh—When somebody takes their game of Football Manager just a little too seriously... -------------------------- Greatest Games -------------------------- * Racing 1 Celtic 0, by Dan Edwards—Intercontinental Cup final play off, Estadio Centenario, Montevideo, 4 November 1967 ------------------- Eight Bells ------------------- * Shirt Tales, by Scott Murray—The history behind a selection of iconic kits