The Football.....

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PaulB

Legendary Member
Location
Colne
Footballer's autobiographies are normally dull and boring but I've got two on the go at the moment and they are both excellent.

The Kevin Keegan one reflects a long and varied career over a long period of time and the many changes in football in that time. A lot to reflect on in this one. I'm reading the Keegan one while I'm listening to the Peter Crouch one read by the player himself. This one's funny; self-deprecating and poking fun at himself it also contains valuable advice for would-be footballers on how to conduct themselves at various stages of development all from his own sometime bitter experiences such as buying a jumper he liked without asking for the price. When he was informed it cost £800, even he, a multi-millionaire at that time baulked not so much at the cost, but by his naivety in pressing ahead with the purchase without bothering to look at the price ticket.

Two footballers who've bucked the trend and written autobiographies worth reading.
 

AndyRM

XOXO
Location
North Shields
The Pirlo and Zlatan ones are a good laugh too. I read one about Collina too which I remember being excellent.
 
Hmmm....
Why shouldn't people support a club from afar, if they so wish? Might be their only option. I'm two miles from Fratton Park, I'm a lifelong fan, but I've been to two games, ever. Still my club, still (in the nicest possible terms) wish the lot down the road to be reduced to their correct place in the local pecking order. According to some, that isn't enough. I'm still also fond of a few other clubs in various parts of the world, because they have a decent ethos, a proper code of ethics regarding business and their communities, and (heaven forbid) try and play decent football. Wouldn't claim to be a fan of them, but I'll follow their results and be glad when they do well. And someone can have been born and live their entire lives thousands of miles away from a club and still feel a genuine passion for them.
I've been to one or two Liverpool games when I was younger and I have to say, I didn't actually enjoy it so never went again and now it's so expensive that even if I wanted too I wouldn't go. I've always been a lpool supporter though, used to live near Melwood and would go up and watch them train when it was half term and holidays back in the 70's but I'm well aware that lots of fans follow them home and away and love going, it's a passion and commitment I don't have, I still want them to win though.
 

Smokin Joe

Legendary Member
I'd love to read the Crouch book and I might have a look for Keegan's as well. He comes across as intelligent and honest in his opinions.

Have you read any of the "Secret footballer" books? They give an insight to the game that you don't find anywhere else.
 

Accy cyclist

Legendary Member
I've been to one or two Liverpool games when I was younger and I have to say, I didn't actually enjoy it so never went again and now it's so expensive that even if I wanted too I wouldn't go. I've always been a lpool supporter though, used to live near Melwood and would go up and watch them train when it was half term and holidays back in the 70's but I'm well aware that lots of fans follow them home and away and love going, it's a passion and commitment I don't have, I still want them to win though.

If you support big clubs like Liverpool you have an excuse not to go,like not being able to get tickets and if you can the cost of them,but if you support small clubs like Accrington you're expected to go and watch them. People think it's only a few quid to watch them 'so what's the excuse not to go' they'll say. I toyed with the idea of buying an 'early bird' season ticket that'd work out at £9.50 a match compared to £20 on the door,though with my old looking face I get away with paying £15 concession rates (65 and over). I decided not to buy one. I'll pick my matches next season as opposed to feeling that I have to go to every game to make the season ticket worthwhile. Besides,come the winter I just can't hack standing there in 5 and below Celsius for over 2 hours anymore.
 
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Slick

Guru
If you support big clubs like Liverpool you have an excuse not to go,like not being able to get tickets and if you can the cost of them,but if you support small clubs like Accrington you're expected to go and watch them. People think it's only a few quid to watch them 'so what's the excuse not to go' they'll say. I toyed with the idea of buying an 'early bird' season ticket that'd work out at £9.50 a match compared to £20 on the door,though with my old looking face I get away with paying £15 concession rates (65 and over). I decided not to buy one. I'll pick my matches next season as opposed to feeling that I have to go to every game to make the season ticket worthwhile. Besides,come the winter I just can't hack standing there in 5 and below Celsius for over 2 hours anymore.
Quite right Accy, pick and choose is the way to go. :thumbsup:
 

PaulB

Legendary Member
Location
Colne
I'd love to read the Crouch book and I might have a look for Keegan's as well. He comes across as intelligent and honest in his opinions.

Have you read any of the "Secret footballer" books? They give an insight to the game that you don't find anywhere else.


You should read both. Entertaining, funny and educational.

And I read the first Secret Footballer and you're quite right about an insight into the game you don't find anywhere else. I particularly liked the bit where members of one team bumped in to members of a Spanish team in a restaurant in the US - where players would go as they could be fairly sure not to be recognised there. Someone announced a game where one team paid the bills of everyone present and the other team had to do something more generous - they bought everyone present the most expensive Champagne and on it went, each team raising the stakes for the other one to trump! I'd love to have been in that restaurant and the beneficiary of such largess on that night.
 

postman

Legendary Member
Location
,Leeds
Tonight Matthew i watched USA v Thailand.Going to say the play of the American team was top quality,i had a soft spot for Thailand and felt sorry for them.Technique from America top notch.
 

Kempstonian

Has the memory of a goldfish
Location
Bedford
I didn't watch that match but generally speaking I don't care much for games which are so very one sided (unless its my team that are winning!). I think a team should ease up a bit once they get 6-0 up, because a) the game is won and they don't need to push for more, and b) they could end up looking like bullies who just want to humiliate a much weaker team.
 

AndyRM

XOXO
Location
North Shields
I didn't watch that match but generally speaking I don't care much for games which are so very one sided (unless its my team that are winning!). I think a team should ease up a bit once they get 6-0 up, because a) the game is won and they don't need to push for more, and b) they could end up looking like bullies who just want to humiliate a much weaker team.

What are they meant to do though? Just tap it around? If I was in the stands I'd be pretty hacked off if I ended up watching a training match. Also, I'd be more annoyed as a player if my opponent was just going through the motions.
 

Kempstonian

Has the memory of a goldfish
Location
Bedford
What are they meant to do though? Just tap it around? If I was in the stands I'd be pretty hacked off if I ended up watching a training match. Also, I'd be more annoyed as a player if my opponent was just going through the motions.
Fair point but they do have many more matches to play, as they are favourites to go all the way to the final. Conserving energy might not be a bad thing. Being 6-0 down I don't think Thailand would worry about not getting thrashed.
 

AndyRM

XOXO
Location
North Shields
Fair point but they do have many more matches to play, as they are favourites to go all the way to the final. Conserving energy might not be a bad thing. Being 6-0 down I don't think Thailand would worry about not getting thrashed.

True. But the US barely needed to get out of second gear and for all they are an excellent side, Thailand are nowhere near ready to be competing at that level. I'm all for expanding the game, but simply adding more spaces into international tournaments is not the way to do it.
 

Kempstonian

Has the memory of a goldfish
Location
Bedford
True. But the US barely needed to get out of second gear and for all they are an excellent side, Thailand are nowhere near ready to be competing at that level. I'm all for expanding the game, but simply adding more spaces into international tournaments is not the way to do it.
I agree. Even though it gives lesser teams a chance to play in a big tournament, its not always a good thing for their morale. Imagine how they must feel now, because they must know the USA didn't even need to try and they still won by such an enormous margin. They must feel like giving the game up.

There should maybe be a second tournament for the 'no hope' teams. They would do better in that and the main WC would also benefit from being more competitive, with (on paper) more skills and better games being shown.
 

Smokin Joe

Legendary Member
I didn't watch that match but generally speaking I don't care much for games which are so very one sided (unless its my team that are winning!). I think a team should ease up a bit once they get 6-0 up, because a) the game is won and they don't need to push for more, and b) they could end up looking like bullies who just want to humiliate a much weaker team.
I enjoyed it. The USA were playing like a team who were a goal down right up until the final whistle, they just did not let up.
 
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