Paul Trevillion is a world-renowned sports artist, famous for the legendary comic strip character Roy of the Rovers and his cult classic “You are the Ref” column in The Observer. Trevillion is the artist behind the latest soccer title from Bloomsbury Publishing, the brilliant You are the Ref. 1. Why do you think “You are the Ref” became a cult classic? It was in 1957 when “You Are The Ref” first appeared in a UK national newspaper the Sunday People. It was
The referee is the most unappreciated person on the pitch, but often times the most important. The referee has to manage the game, the players, the managers, and even the expectations of the fans. Referees do change games and sometimes history. What would have happened if Ali Bin Nasser had seen Maradona’s “Hand of God” at the 1986 World Cup? What would have happened if Martin Hansson made a call on Thierry Henry’s handball that left the Irish out of the 2010
Welcome to the Blue Heaven: Don’t Bet Against the Goalkeeper by Jimmy Nielsen with Paolo Bandini is the story of a footballing journey, a journey that took Nielsen to Kansas City to become the best goalkeeper in MLS. It is a story of success and failure, of devastating mistakes and ultimately redemption. It is a story of soccer and of life and how the two go well together. It all started back in Denmark as a youngster with loads of potential and a
Guillem Balague’s Pep Guardiola: Another Way of Winning is a special title written about a special coach, player, and person. Some might call Guardiola a legend as a player and coach and that certainly would be fitting. This book sheds some light on the enigmatic Guardiola, an intellectual on the pitch and the sidelines. He is a man that brought honor and stability back to Barca, coming on board at a time of great turbulence. What he did was make
Why Always Me?: The Biography of Mario Balotelli by Frank Worrall is the story of an enigma. Balotelli is as controversial as he is talented, which makes him world-class in both category. Worrall knows how to get the job done, bringing in dozens of sources to tell the whole story. I have to say I have never seen anything about Balotelli’s childhood before and that is thoroughly dissected here. It helps you understand why Balotelli is
The Didi Man: My Love Affair with Liverpool by Dietmar Hamann is a candid look into the game of English football and more importantly, the greatness of the Liverpool experience. Hamann is a great storyteller, someone that recalls the greatest moments and players of the Modern Era. It is truly a LFC love affair with an unlikely main character, a German National Teamer that helped bring hardware home to one of England’s most storied teams. You get an insider’s look into
Everyone loves the SPL. It has a long and rich history, great derbies, and incredible personalities. But when you think of the Scottish game, you think of Celtic and Rangers. The fact Rangers went into administration and went into the lower leagues doesn’t change a thing. Even British prime minister David Cameron is talking about Celtic and Rangers; this time he wants to bring these two Glasgow giants into the England football system. Some call it a political move; others think
Rob Mason’s Sunderland AFC Miscellany is a treasure trove of Sunderland legend and lore. It is a pint-sized book full of big stories, from the well-known to the obscure. I think it is a safe bet to say that you will learn things you never knew before. Don’t take our word for it though. Just read the foreword from former SAFC player Len Ashurst. A legendary club like Sunderland has loads of history; it is after all a team built
Sports Interactive Studio Director Miles Jacobson gives ISN an exclusive look into the Football Manager series. 1. What do you think the biggest improvement is for FM 2013 over last year’s version? I don’t actually think it’s an individual feature – there are so many things that have been added this year, from transfer deadline day, through staff roles, directors of football, classic mode, challenge mode, the new network game and hundreds more. For me, it’s the way the new features, and improvements
