Showing results for "Football" in All Categories

Between 2012 and 2023, Ian Graham worked as Liverpool FC's Director of Research. His tenure coincided with the club’s greatest period of success since the 1980s, including winning the Premier League in 2020 – Liverpool’s first league title after an agonising 29 years. Here for the first time, Graham reveals the fascinating data that informed some of the club’s most pivotal moments of the past decade, from the appointment of Jurgen Klopp as manager in 2015 to the signing of Mohamed Salah in 2017.

Football management is like being a potato—you're never too far from the sack and everyone is constantly chipping away at you. It's not for the faint-hearted and unless you've got skin as thick as rhino and a wicked sense of humour, you've no chance of surviving. Ian Holloway—aka 'Ollie'—has all the above and more besides. He's been there, seen it and done it in his 40 years as player and manager. In the joyful How to Be a Football Manager, Holloway weaves a fantastically rich tapestry of hilarious anecdotes to reveal what being the boss is really like.

In 1985, 40 hooligan followers of Stoke City FC experienced a riotous trip to Portsmouth - and the Naughty 40 was born. It became one of the most notorious soccer gangs in Britain. Mark Chester was a founder member of the N40. Already a hardened fighter, he had been expelled from school after an unsettled childhood and joined the Staffordshire Regiment, only to be discharged for misconduct. Stoke City's emerging "casual" mob became his family. "Right or wrong, I was ready to be a committed football hooligan," he says.

THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER 'Wrighty's characteristic honesty means his book is far more engrossing than most bland football memoirs' Sunday Times Ian Wright, Arsenal legend, England striker and TV pundit extraordinaire, is one of the most interesting and relevant figures in modern football. His...

Cristiano Ronaldo overcame poverty and childhood illness to become one of the best football players ever. Escaping the hot streets of Madeira, Ronaldo first proved himself as a wonder-kid at Manchester United under Sir Alex Ferguson, before becoming a legend for Real Madrid and Portugal. This is the story of how the gifted boy became a man, a team player and a legend.

A WATERSTONES SPORTS BOOK OF THE YEAR 2025 SHORTLISTED FOR THE AN POST IRISH BOOK AWARDS: SPORTS BOOK OF THE YEAR 2025 ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 'O'Neill can talk the talk as he's walked the walk.' What sets the management style of Brian Clough apart? How did Alex Ferguson stay in post so long? Why...

In this extraordinary tour de force, David Goldblatt tells the full story of soccer's rise from chaotic folk ritual to the world's most popular sport - now poised to fully establish itself in the USA. Already celebrated internationally, The Ball Is Round illuminates soccer's role in the political and social histories of modern societies, but never loses sight of the beauty, joy, and excitement of the game itself.

Shortlisted for the William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award 2022 Football has always measured success by what you win, but only in the last twenty years have clubs started to think about how you win. Data has now suffused almost every aspect of how football is played, coached, scouted and...

Whether you are a football coach, a parent volunteer, or grassroots club official, this is your complete guide to grassroots and youth soccer football coaching. Learn how to become a BETTER football coach and lead with confidence in grassroots football. You don’t need years of experience — just the right guidance. Let the Football Coaching Academy walk you through the journey.

In this biography designed for children, your child will learn all about their football hero in a way that's enjoyable and easy to understand. We dive deep into the player's upbringing with the situations and circumstances that made them the player they are today. The highs, the lows, and everything in between. If your child loves football, we can assure you that they’ll love the My Football Hero Series. From the feedback we’ve received, we recommend that the ideal age group for these books are between eight and 13 years of age.

Lionel Messi is a legend - Barcelona's star player and the world's best footballer. But when he was young, he was so small that his friends called him 'Little Leo' and coaches worried he wasn't big enough. Yet through bravery, talent and hard work, he proved them wrong. Messi tells the magical story of how the tiniest boy in South America grew up to become the greatest player on earth.

When Declan Rice was released by Chelsea's youth academy at the age of 14, he was devastated. But he wasn't going to let that get in the way of his Premier League dreams. He worked harder than ever, and by the time he was 20, he was the captain and star of top-flight West Ham. Discover how the two-footed, high-energy, combative midfielder established himself as an irreplaceable member of the England national team and Arsenal's new record signing.

Journeying from Abu Dhabi to Newcastle, and onto London, Paris, Moscow and New York in search of the answers, Miguel Delaney follows the threads that surround the allegations of sportswashing and misconduct in the beautiful game. The result is an exploration of how European football clubs have been bought by some of the world's wealthiest businessmen and state-backed corporations. Drawing on exclusive interviews and unprecedented access to key stakeholders, Miguel has produced an all-encompassing exposé of modern footballs highest echelons.

Blessed with a natural talent and unwavering determination, Cole Palmer proved himself a footballing prodigy from a young age. Quickly rising through the youth ranks at Manchester City and later joining their main squad as part of the winning team who took home victories for the Premier League, FA cup and UEFA Championship all in the same year, he then signed with Chelsea FC in 2023. Known for his composure, this attacking midfielder is one of the best young footballers in the world.

The phenomenal Sunday Times bestselling autobiography by Kevin Keegan, one of the greatest players in English football history, famed for his style on the pitch, his relentless ambition and passion for the game. 'And I'll tell you, honestly, I will love it if we beat them. Love it!!!' Kevin...

From the funny to the poignant, this book has been specifically curated with great football stories for children who are just embarking on their journey through this beautiful sport. Whether you're a die-hard football fan or just enjoy a good story, The Most Amazing Football Stories - for Kids! is sure to keep both parents and children entertained.

Bukayo Saka has the world at his feet. Since breaking through the ranks at Arsenal, the young forward has gone from strength to strength, helping his team lift the FA cup for a record 14th time. His versatile style of play means he can help his team all over the pitch. Discover how the boy born in Ealing, went on to represent England at Wembley in the Euro 2020 final, achieved his dream of representing his country at such a young age and overcame adversity to become the ultimate football hero.

Want to know why octopuses can’t play football? And how to play the game across multiple dimensions? How about learning the real rules of how football is played, why Henry VIII banned it, plus where it came from and who the greatest players of all time are? Whether you love a game of table football, can’t get enough of back-garden ball, only enjoy the game from your sofa or would sooner swim with sharks than play it, if you love to laugh—then this is the audiobook for you!

Proving a gifted footballer from the age of four, Lamine Yamal overcame adversity to sign with La Masia at the age of seven. A talented right winger, Yamal's pace and powerful long-range shots have propelled him in his career to become one of the best young footballers in the world. Follow the story of Lamine Yamal, ultimate football hero, from humble beginnings in Catalonia all the way to being named as UEFA Euro 2024's Young Player of the Tournament.

Nicknamed 'Il Mago' (the Wizard) after bringing European Cup glory to Internazionale in successive years, Helenio Herrera was hailed as one of the finest minds in football. This explosive book explores the enigma of an incredibly charismatic figure: a philanderer, charlatan, trash-talker and serial winner mired in controversy, whose stellar career was halted by the death of one of his star players and his subsequent trial for manslaughter.