Are you looking for the perfect gift for your favorite football fan? Trying to find something you know they will love? Look no further than The Footballer’s Guide to the Holidays, exclusively on ISNSoccer.com.
1. Big Jock: The Real Jock Wallace – “Simply a Great Footballing Book”
People like to throw around the name “legend” a lot these days. This person is a legend. That person is a legend. What does it mean?
When you look up the word “legend” in the dictionary, there should be a picture of Jock Wallace from his days with Rangers FC. He was a man of character and passion, loved Rangers with all his heart, and captured absolutely unprecedented amounts of hardware in his tenure there. That’s the definition of a legend.
David Leggat used his journalistic relationships to get down to the true story of Wallace’s life. He reveals why Wallace was so successful as a manager despite being an average player even on his best days.
Wallace had become known as a bit of an enigma, someone that wasn’t fully understood, that is until now. He was a fighter and a man of great integrity. He honored his country by serving in the military, spending time in the King’s Own Scottish Borderers. Fighting in the jungles of modern-day Malaysia was just the beginning for the Wallyford native. He would have to battle on so many other times on and off the pitch and later in life, outside of the football spotlight.
The author does a masterful job of storytelling throughout the book, constantly arguing and representing Wallace’s greatness. The biggest takeaway for us was that Jock Wallace was one of the first modern managers, a man and a mind years ahead of his time. He was also the definition of loyalty, not holding a grudge against his beloved Rangers despite an unfortunate end to his first run as manager. He would even come back to save the team from mediocrity in a second stint as manager.
My favorite story from the book was the most telling, one that revealed the true character and nature of Jock Wallace. After defeating rival Celtic FC, Wallace raced to his players to celebrate in great fashion, missing the outstretched hand of opposing manager Jock Stein. Three years later he was sure to not repeat the same mistake and made a point to acknowledge Stein, a legend in his own right, before celebrating with his men. All of this came after his mother chastised him for his bad manners, saying that was not how he was raised.
Wallace will always be remembered for the hardware claimed in his tenure, but his impact on Rangers and the Scottish football community is much greater and longer than any piece of footballing silverware. Simply put, his legacy and reputation as a modern manager of extraordinary character lives on after his death.
Black & White Publishing is always a great stop for Rangers FC titles. They truly know how to find the best experts and writers, ones that have the great insights into the club that is so revered on the global stage.
2. Football Manager 2015 – “A Classic for the Beautiful Game”
It’s hard to talk football and fun without mentioning the cult classic Football Manager series. This year’s edition, Football Manager 2015, is a true classic as it is every year. Our friends at Sports Interactive and Sega put so much time and so many resources into the game and as a result, it is always head and shoulders above the competition. That is, if you believe there is anything comparable to Football Manager. We sure don’t. Someone actually wrote a book about Football Manager and the impact it has had on popular culture and the lives of football supporters. It is that big of a deal.
You can’t argue with the basic concept behind Football Manager. You get to run your own club, whether it be an EPL side or a team in MLS, making all the decisions on the way to building YOUR team. This is the ultimate gift for someone that thinks they can simply do better than those that actually run the real clubs. It is for that person who spends their Saturdays yelling at the telly, telling the manager why they made the wrong choice on that lineup or for spending millions of pounds on that transfer.
Football Manager 2015 is the most intuitive and realistic edition yet, offering everyone (from hardcore FM addicts to beginners alike) a chance to enjoy the beautiful game in a different way. It provides a glimpse into the life of managers and front office staff, the world of tactics and strategy, and the overall complexity of the sport. Simply put, it is no longer about kicking the ball around. It is whether a 4-4-2 is the right choice for this match or if the team’s starlet is ready to make his debut in place of one of the club’s stalwarts.
It’s fun and intellectually stimulating, giving the consumer another option outside of FIFA and Pro Evo. Football Manager 2015 takes you deeper into the game, providing you endless hours of quality football simulation.
We found this year’s version of Football Manager Classic mode to be the best one we have ever seen. It streamlines the FM experience so you can enjoy the quicker if that is what you are looking for. There are those of us that want the full feature experience and they have that too. Literally there is something for everyone.
Director of Football Manager 2015 Miles Jacobson puts it best when he talks about the personal experience you’ll find with this year’s iteration of the game.
“Football management is a multi-faceted role nowadays and many of the new features in FM15 reflect this. Whether a manager wants to be old school, or a head coach, they can now dictate this from the very start of their managerial career – and improve their skills throughout by taking virtual coaching badges.”
The ability to buy Football Manager 2015 as a digital download makes this an easy and instant must-have gift for absolutely any football fan. There is also a lighter mobile version, which is still full of awesomeness, for those who prefer to have FM15 on the go. It is available for both Android and iOS users.
Giving your money to Sports Interactive is a no-brainer as the company invests so much in this series and the game of football itself. Over a thousand people are involved in some aspect of Football Manager each year; it is truly a massive undertaking. On top of that, SI supports actual football teams, including the sponsorship of AFC Wimbledon in England’s Football League. If you haven’t heard the story of AFC Wimbledon, you need to. It will become very clear why they were the perfect partner for Sports Interactive, the Real Madrid (or insert one of the world’s best teams here) of footballing companies. They are, like Football Manager 2015, simply the best.
