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Title: A sporting read. Post by: tikay on November 15, 2015, 09:01:58 AM A With the dreaded "festive season" approaching, you may fancy buying friends - or yourself - a good sporting read for Christmas, so if you have any suggestions, post them here. Title: Re: A sporting read. Post by: tikay on November 15, 2015, 09:06:15 AM This is not a bad read, it's really a sort of Barney Curley life story, all built around his big coup in 2010 (followed by another in 2014), & a brief reminder of his Yellow Sam coup many years previously.
A very light & easy read, if a bit sycophantic. What was interesting is to find that, if the author has told the tale correctly, Barney has done a great deal of wonderful charity work, mainly by helping provide education in Africa. A complex man, but essentially a good man, I'd suggest. (http://d20eq91zdmkqd.cloudfront.net/assets/images/book/large/9781/7808/9781780890715.jpg) Title: Re: A sporting read. Post by: tikay on November 15, 2015, 09:18:40 AM This, on the other hand, is as good as it gets, a truly fascinating read. It looks at - for the most part - at the stories behind the journeymen Managers in L1 & L2, though it also includes some EPL managers such as Hughes, Pardew & Rodgers. One chapter per Manager, & some of what it reveals is quite amazing. Chapter One looks at Martin Ling, who ended up with mental health issues, & underwent "electroconvulsive therapy" after he sort of lost the plot. If it does not bring a tear or two to your eye, you are a hard man. The chapter on Ian Holloway - "Ollie's Flying Circus" is superb, ending with a typical Holloway rant. You may have noticed the deafening wall of silence from EPL managers on the subject of Mr Blatter. Not so Mr Holloway. Do you know what I see football as? Yes Mr Blatter, no Mr Blatter. Do you know what? Fuck you., Mr Blatter. You've got no clothes on. That bloke who had told the emperer he is naked? That'll be me. Chapter after chapter peels away the veneer of being a football manager, & we get the bonus of a foreword by The Great Man himself, Arsene Wenger. Very highly recommended. (http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51eFa3chTKL._SX307_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg) Title: Re: A sporting read. Post by: Doobs on November 15, 2015, 10:04:37 AM I have just caught up on the Martin Ling story.
I don't know if you realises, but he has just got his first managerial job since the depression at Swindon. They won their first game in ages yesterday. Good luck to him. Title: Re: A sporting read. Post by: tikay on November 15, 2015, 10:06:06 AM I have just caught up on the Martin Ling story. I don't know if you realises, but he has just got his first managerial job since the depression at Swindon. They won their first game in ages yesterday. Good luck to him. No, I never knew that, I'm not a hardcore football fan, but that's great news. He really did go over the edge, so if he has recovered, that's wonderful. Title: Re: A sporting read. Post by: TightEnd on November 15, 2015, 11:24:38 AM this is a must read as a sports fan
(http://3vjhyn2i4tw93whkoj1sjvwx.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Screen-Shot-2015-09-14-at-2.22.25-PM.png) Title: Re: A sporting read. Post by: TightEnd on November 15, 2015, 11:26:09 AM i am a huge cricket fan, and grew up watching the great west indies teams of the 70s and 80s
this is a fabulous piece of writing (and the film is good) (http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51mvVI6MmsL._SX322_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg) Title: Re: A sporting read. Post by: TightEnd on November 15, 2015, 11:27:24 AM "Almost 40 years ago, there were two national Australian cricket teams existing in seemingly parallel universes: the glamorous, 'rock-star' players of World Series Cricket run by media mogul Kerry Packer; and the traditional Australian Test team made up of young, poorly paid men who represented their country in the establishment international Test arena. Incredibly, four decades later we know more than ever about the characters and plot-twists of the WSC "
says the blurb another fabulous read (http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51ch-zFIR1L._SX346_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg) Title: Re: A sporting read. Post by: tikay on November 15, 2015, 11:31:09 AM 3 good shouts there, Tighty. Will deffo try and get the 2 cricket books. Title: Re: A sporting read. Post by: hhyftrftdr on November 15, 2015, 12:36:48 PM A Life Too Short by Ronald Reng, about the German goalkeeper Robert Enke; his life, his career, and the events leading up to his suicide.
A very interesting read despite the tough subject matter. Highly recommended. (http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51RNElvnrcL._SX318_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg) Title: Re: A sporting read. Post by: typhoon13 on November 15, 2015, 01:18:57 PM The secrets of the UK's most feared professional punter
"Enemy Number One" Patrick Veitch (http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/5161YQQ8KdL._SX321_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg) Title: Re: A sporting read. Post by: typhoon13 on November 15, 2015, 01:20:41 PM On a more lighter note
"Winning it Back" Fatty Wiltshire (http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51nSOrQmK7L._SX319_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg) Title: Re: A sporting read. Post by: horseplayer on November 15, 2015, 01:22:08 PM A Life Too Short by Ronald Reng, about the German goalkeeper Robert Enke; his life, his career, and the events leading up to his suicide. A very interesting read despite the tough subject matter. Highly recommended. Read this 4 times now Read a lot of sports books this is easily in the top 5 Title: Re: A sporting read. Post by: TheDazzler on November 15, 2015, 02:09:06 PM It's a few year since I read it now but;
Morbo, the Story of Spanish Football by Phil Ball is an absolutely cracking read. (http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1175043225l/472615.jpg) Title: Re: A sporting read. Post by: TightEnd on November 16, 2015, 10:01:55 AM out today
its apparently very good (https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CT6s6SJXIAAwAWQ.jpg) Title: Re: A sporting read. Post by: TightEnd on November 16, 2015, 11:06:27 AM republished today on the 50th anniversary of its release
one of the classics (https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CT7I5_8WIAAgFRS.jpg) Title: Re: A sporting read. Post by: AlunB on November 16, 2015, 05:08:30 PM Not a sport book per se but a really excellent and surprisingly moving book. I'm pretty sure Tikay would love it if he could bring himself to read a novel
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51S8V13ACKL._SX311_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg) One of Michael Lewis' lesser known books, although they still turned it into a film, is this one. And it's excellent, albeit the pace drops a lot towards the end (https://vulpeslibris.files.wordpress.com/2009/02/blindside.jpg) This is also excellent (http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1328724801l/12434480.jpg) Title: Re: A sporting read. Post by: superwomble on November 16, 2015, 05:35:05 PM This, on the other hand, is as good as it gets, a truly fascinating read. It looks at - for the most part - at the stories behind the journeymen Managers in L1 & L2, though it also includes some EPL managers such as Hughes, Pardew & Rodgers. One chapter per Manager, & some of what it reveals is quite amazing. Chapter One looks at Martin Ling, who ended up with mental health issues, & underwent "electroconvulsive therapy" after he sort of lost the plot. If it does not bring a tear or two to your eye, you are a hard man. The chapter on Ian Holloway - "Ollie's Flying Circus" is superb, ending with a typical Holloway rant. You may have noticed the deafening wall of silence from EPL managers on the subject of Mr Blatter. Not so Mr Holloway. Do you know what I see football as? Yes Mr Blatter, no Mr Blatter. Do you know what? Fuck you., Mr Blatter. You've got no clothes on. That bloke who had told the emperer he is naked? That'll be me. Chapter after chapter peels away the veneer of being a football manager, & we get the bonus of a foreword by The Great Man himself, Arsene Wenger. Very highly recommended. (http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51eFa3chTKL._SX307_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg) Nice review tikay, that's gone on my Christmas list! Title: Re: A sporting read. Post by: superwomble on November 16, 2015, 05:38:18 PM This one was already on my Christmas list, can't wait to read it:
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51sNR2fKo8L._SX323_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg) Quote The Crazy Gang is the story of a football miracle. Promoted to the Football League in 1977, Wimbledon FC was a small team from south London that against the odds went all the way to the top of the First Division, then to win the FA Cup, in only just over a decade. With no money, scant resources and a blend of youth players and offcuts from other clubs, they were christened 'Rag-Arse Rovers'. They played hard on the pitch and partied hard off it. Dave 'Harry' Bassett was the manager who drilled a fierce fighting spirit into his players, an unbreakable team ethos, but he was also an underrated master tactician and pioneer of innovative training methods. Wally Downes was the midfield fulcrum of the Dons, but also the ringleader for the various acts of debauchery and general silliness that earned the club their reputation. In The Crazy Gang, Harry and Wally are joined by a host of former Wimbledon players and staff, both famous names like Vinnie Jones, Lawrie Sanchez and Dave Beasant, but also unsung heroes in the club's history, to tell it as it really was. This is real football, the way fans remember it, and a world away from multimillionaire Premier League primadonnas. Title: Re: A sporting read. Post by: Archer on November 17, 2015, 07:46:27 PM I picked this up by accident and surprisingly found it to be excellent. (http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51ASzdbRicL._SX320_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg) |