A sporting read.

[tikay]

A dog book is for life, not just for Christmas....


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. 

[tikay]

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.

[tikay]

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.

[Doobs]

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.

[tikay]

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.

[TightEnd]

this is a must read as a sports fan

[TightEnd]

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)

[TightEnd]

"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

[tikay]

3 good shouts there, Tighty. Will deffo try and get the 2 cricket books.

[hhyftrftdr]

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.

[typhoon13]

The secrets of the UK's most feared professional punter

"Enemy Number One"

Patrick Veitch

[typhoon13]

On a more lighter note

"Winning it Back"

Fatty Wiltshire

[horseplayer]

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

[TheDazzler]

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.

[TightEnd]

out today

its apparently very good

Click to see full-size image.