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Africa United is the story of modern-day Africa told through its soccer. Traveling across thirteen countries, from Cairo to the Cape, Steve Bloomfield meets players and fans, politicians and rebel leaders, discovering the role that soccer has played in shaping the continent. He recounts how soccer has helped to stoke conflicts and end wars, bring countries together and prop up authoritarian regimes.

Customer Reviews (2)

Limited but solid study of African soccer
Fascinating travelogue about Africa and its relationship to soccer. While Bloomfield neglects some important football-playing nations, such as Cameroon and Ghana, his attention to some of Africa's minnows is commendable. He also includes first-hand accounts of national and club-team matches, presenting a multifaceted study of soccer in ten African nations.

BEEN THERE, SEEN THAT
There are some very good things that can be said about this book. For a start it is very well written in a pleasant and informal way. As well as that, the author clearly knows what he is talking about, both as regards soccer and in respect of African politics, and it could be said of the latter that it takes a bit of getting to know. Add to that sound and level-headed judgment, and we have already got a formidable little catalogue of virtues. The other side of the issue, in my own view, is that the book does not live up to its title or to the author's objective, so far as I can understand that.

What Steve Bloomfield is aiming to do is stated in his Introduction. `Football in Africa often reflects the political and cultural struggles that a country is experiencing.' he tells us. It does that anywhere I guess, but a far more arresting statement follows `football can also have an incredible unifying effect.' He reinforces this with a claim that at a time of deep political division in the Ivory Coast football served as a unifying factor. Well, I'm sure it did to some extent, but the extent was probably the duration of the match. The very last words of the book are `For ninety minutes nothing else mattered.' (referring to a game in Somalia), and I read everything in between searching for anything that would give a more general significance to this unifying factor.

The front cover in my edition carries the subtitle `How football explains Africa'. This strapline may of course be editorial and not the author's own, but the book's very title has to be his and it is `Africa United'. Whatever Africa may be, united it ain't, and this choice of title, leading the reader to carry on in the hope of finding some grand overview, is not the best. Really, what I feel this book is crying out for but lacking is generalisation. What can be said about African football overall? Is the aim to illustrate African politics and social issues from football, or to illustrate football from the conditions in Africa? In some cases, e.g. Egypt, we are shown how football came to the government's rescue; but when it comes to Zimbabwe it is the political and economic environment that we are shown affecting the governance of football; and in general the two issues of politics and football seem to march along side by side, with only occasional and temporary interactions.

The book is always threatening to disintegrate into a string of instances and one-off reportage. In particular I felt that I could have done without most of the blow-by-blow reports of matches. There are certainly football supporters who relish and constantly relive this kind of thing, but I imagine that your average follower of the game can remember very little from before his team's most recent match, and that the laboured accounts of free kicks in such-and-such a minute, or time added for injuries on some other occasion, will satisfy neither kind of reader.

One particular theme, though, did strike me as helping to unify the book, though I'm not sure that the author intended this. Near the beginning he relates what may have been a narrow escape in Sudan, and right at the end he ponders the power of the beautiful game to provide another kind of escape, from the unpleasant realities of everyday life and, not infrequently, everyday death. I should not end what has been a comparatively critical notice without at least saying that the book is very readable and interesting, whatever limitations I seemed to detect. It may actually be that reading it as a continuous narrative in the way I did is not the best way of taking it. The chapters are laid out methodically country by country, and I can think of no particular reason why they have to be read in the order as presented. All the same, do please read the Introduction first. I think you will want to form your own idea of what the author may be intending. ... Read more

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German Football: History, Culture, Society provides unprecedented analysis and commentary on the place of football in post-war and post-reunification Germany, revealing the motives and drives underlying Germany's successful bid to host the 2006 World Cup finals.
The contributors explore the significance of football in German sporting and cultural life, showing how football has emerged as a major focus for the expression of a coherent national identity and as evidence of the restoration of German national pride in the post-World War II period. Major themes include:
DT German football's desire for success on the International stage
DT Football expressions of local, regional and national identity
DT The East European legacy
DT Ethnic dynamics, migrant populations and Europeanization
DT German football's commercial economy
DT Women's football in Germany
DT Literary and media perceptions of the German game
With contributions from a range of disciplinary perspectives, German Football illuminates key cultural moments - the 1954 victory, the founding of the Bundesliga in 1962, the 1972 World Cup victory as hosts, its third World Cup triumph in Italia '90, the winning bid for 2006 - from a variety of angles.
This is an innovative, open-minded and critical analysis of football's burgeoning significance in German cultural life, which will be enjoyed by readers of Sport Studies and German Studies alike. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (4)

Deserves a dual location on philosophy and sports shelves
Soccer and Philosophy provides an unusual pairing: soccer notes by philosophers - and offers insights on ethics, metaphysics, and issues of beauty and form in the soccer environment. By blending philosophical principles and inquiry with soccer specifics, this will reach an audience not ordinarily attracted to philosophy books, and deserves a dual location on philosophy and sports shelves alike.

Wonderful, Whimsical and Cogent
First, ignore the comments on the back cover. They are banal clichés (See Chapter 3: The Boy Done Good? Football's Clichés). I doubt the comments were written by people who actually finished the book.

Second, although this is a book about soccer, the analysis and conclusions may be applied to all sports. (See Chapter 8: What's Luck Got to do with it?).

Third, think about how sports overlap with life and demand the attendance of prominent politicians - to toss the first ball, etc. (See Chapter 24: When a Soccer Club Becomes a Mirror).

Fourth, think about how the officials on the field, in the ring or on the court influence the outcome of the game. (See Chapter 28: The Loneliness of the Referee).

Fifth, Consider whether prayer before, during or after the game influences its outcome. (Chapter 29: God is not a Referee)

This enumeration of thoughts about soccer could to go on without end, just like a 0 to 0 soccer game, requiring a shoot out (see Chapter 27: It's a Lottery!: Penalties and the Meaning of Winning). Oh, did I tell you about the wonderful creative writing in Chapter 26: Kierkegaard at the Penalty Spot?

This is a wonderful, whimsical and cogent book for soccer fans and soccer players, particularly those who enjoyed their philosophy courses in college. The book has multiple authors with uneven writing, but the good writers more than make up for the others.

Soccer in Football Country (Florida)
A great book with a different bent. An easy read even if you don't know a lot about either soccer or philosopy. I recommend it highly.

What a great collection!
What a great book!A collection of different philosophical treatments of the beautiful game from the sublime to the humorous.And just in time for the World Cup too! ... Read more

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In one generation, women's international soccer has taken its place on the world sports stage. This book traces its history from its first golden age in the late 19th century to the present. Along the way are such peak moments as the legendary 1991 first-ever Women's World Championship that pitted the U.S. against the Norwegians before 60,000 screaming fans, and the breathtaking 1999 battle in Pasadena, California, between teams from the U.S. and China. Memorable portraits of the teams and players that come from more than 130 countries are included, from North Americans Mia Hamm and Brandi Chastain, to China’s Sun Wen, to Germany’s Birgit Prinz. The statistics, schedules, and dozens of colorful photographs add more drama to this exciting story. ... Read more

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"I think [The Kickin’ Hoosiers] is great and needed. Indiana soccer is such a class program and can be a model for any college sport. To see what Coach Yeagley did, how he did it, and the family he created is incredible." —Brian Maisonneuve, Columbus Crew midfielder and former Hoosier soccer star

The Kickin’ Hoosiers chronicles Coach Jerry Yeagley’s 41 years of successful men’s soccer at Indiana University, culminating in IU’s sixth NCAA Championship in December 2003, which marked Yeagley’s final year as IU men’s soccer coach. At his retirement at the end of 2003, Yeagley was the winningest Division I coach of all time with a record of 544-101-45. The IU soccer team won back-to-back titles in 1982–83 and 1998–99. It also won a championship in 1988 and then surprised the country when, after a slow start to the season, it won it all in 2003.

The Kickin’ Hoosiers covers 41 years of determination, celebration, success, and class. It profiles IU’s All-American players, the Hoosier soccer family, and the challenges that came with building the program into the powerhouse it is today. Packed with photos, memories, facts, and figures, it celebrates a winning tradition at Indiana University. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Must Read for Coaches Wishing to Build Solid Program
This book is a Must Read for any coach, athletic department administrator or other person looking to find the "secrets" for building and sustaining a lasting National Powerhouse Program in any sport or any business organization.

IU has had it share of great coaches and great sports programs, such as Swimming & Diving, Track and even the sport of Basketball (of which some of you might have read about over the years).

Here, Kathryn L. Knapp captures the essence of the IU Soccer team and its success over the past 41 years. Woven into the fabric of her story are the essential elements needed to achieve organizational success. It is about leadership, motivation and hard work from a "top down" and "bottom up" perspective.

Her story is about IU Soccer Coach Jerry Yeagley, who built the program from a mere local club sport to national prominence and, along the way, captured 6 NCAA Championships. Incredibly, every varsity-era player who came to IU and stayed 4 years enjoyed a trip to the College Cup (the Final Four of College Soccer). These teams made Yeagley the winningest coach in NCAA history and, in a fairy tale ending, won him a national championship in his final game as coach.

How did Yeagley do it? Read the book and hear about the challenges and obstacles that he had to overcome and choices that he made. What you will find is that the program was never about one man; it was always about people, at all levels of the organization. Players, parents, assistant coaches, trainers, equipment managers, students, sports campers, fans, alumni, coaching mentors, administrators, faculty, friends, media and neighbors: all drawn together by Marilyn and Jerry Yeagley and their children.Learn about the IU Soccer Family; it teaches life lessons.

If you are looking for a guide to leadership, then pattern your efforts after the principles of team-building, integrity and community shown by Kathryn L. Knapp. Success will follow you.
... Read more

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Provides a brief look at some of the major players in men's soccer from its beginnings in the late 1800s to the 1990s, emphasizing the sport's relatively recent popularity in the United States. ... Read more

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A History of the World Cup: 1930-2006 chronicles this international phenomenon, providing vivid accounts of individual games, highlighting the players and coaches who left their mark on the competition over the past six decades, and featuring a glossary of terms, statistics for each competition, photos, and profiles of the most memorable-and controversial-figures of the sport. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Badly written and edited
This book shows none of the passion and excitement one would otherwise associate with the World Cup. None of the behind-the-scene stories are fully fleshed out, and it seems more like prose put together from scant newspaper clippings of the matches, especially the ones before the author started watching himself. It would be easier (and definitely less expensive) to get all the information presented here and much much more on either FIFA's website or the multitude of sites available and dedicated to soccer and the World Cup.

If you would like to read a unique perspective on the tournament, try Brian Glanville's "Story of the World Cup". It has been last updated through the 2002 tournament in South Korea-Japan, and provides very interesting insight into the teams, their history and tactics. Sure, there's an English slant, but given that the author has covered the sport for decades, his knowledge is almost unmatched.

Also, one extremely egregious mistake in Lisi's book is the listing of Italy as the winners of the 1990 tournament, which was in fact won by West Germany. If the author and editor cannot get that simple and important fact straight, how is one expected to value this book at all, much less at the exorbitant price being charged here ($32 at the time of this review.) ... Read more

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A complete reference book for players, parents, coaches, fans, and referees. This volume includes the history of the game, the 1991 World Cup Matches, the rules of the game, a directory of sports camps in the U.S., and a glossary of terms. ... Read more

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The history of Chelsea features glamour, controversy, hooligans, high and low fashion, huge excitement on the pitch and terrible disappointments. In the "Official Biography", Rick Glanvill brought the century of the UK's highest profile club to life in words. In this "Pictorial" "History", he has searched the never-before-made-public club archives to show the breadth of the club's 100 years in photographs. Fully integrated and highly designed, with over 200 colour and black and white photographs and fascinating accompanying text on the story of the club, "The Pictorial History of Chelsea" offers all fans, and anyone with an interest in the biggest story in British football, unforgettable images and legendary faces from the past 100 years. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Great for Chelsea fans
My husband loves Chelsea football club and from the moment he opened this present his head was buried in the book. It is good quality with plenty of photos - well worth the price. A good present for Chelsea fans. ... Read more

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All over the world, soccer is known as “the Beautiful Game” and is the most popular sport. But in the United States, professional soccer still has a hard time catching on.

It has had some successes here. The American Soccer League of the 1920s, Pélé and other international stars in the North American Soccer League’s glamorous 1970s, the indoor soccer phenomenon of the 1980s, and the U.S. women’s win in the Women’s World Cup of 1999 all hinted that the American public is ready to embrace pro soccer.

In its short history, Major League Soccer (MLS) has survived and even started to thrive, drawing steady crowds and loyal fans. In Long-Range Goals, Beau Dure profiles teams and players, including D.C. United, the Los Angeles Galaxy, Landon Donovan, Freddy Adu, and Coach Bruce Arena, who are all vital to MLS. Some of the triumphs include an expansion of the league and its ownership group, the contribution of MLS players to a strong U.S. World Cup showing in 2002, and the construction of soccer stadiums nationwide. At the same time, MLS has occasionally stumbled, during costly legal battles with players and seeing two teams fold, but its investors have remained strong, figured out how to make money, and support the league.

From the league’s formation in 1993 to the David Beckham era, this book reveals all the action on and off the pitch: the politics, the lawsuits, the management of its teams, and the savvy business deals that helped MLS rebound. It also revels in the big personalities of its stars, the grace of its utility players, and the obstacles the league faces in meeting its long-range goals. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

LONG RANGE GOALS: The Success Story of Major League Soccer
I was a bit apprehensive about a history of Major League Soccer because I've found too many times soccer journalism in the states speaks more to the non-fan than to those that are familiar with it. I was wrong to be apprehensive. This book provided a clearer context for the creation of the league than anything I have ever read previously and it did so without catering too the leaders of US Soccer. I found it to be an honest and unbiased look at what has made Major League Soccer a most unique sporting league: Single Entity. The only criticisms were that it was a bit limited with source material and it spent a little too much time on league results - particularly for someone who was an avid follower of the league since it's inception. That being said it was a joy to read something about MLS that was not written for the non-fan.

This book was okay.
For newcomers to the league, this book might be an interesting read that roughly summarizes the history of the 14-year old soccer league.But for fans of MLS, there are no real insights to be found here.As any fan knows all too well, there isn't a whole lot of compelling material in the short history of the league, and the book seemed padded out with long block quotes and uninteresting summaries of each MLS season.Much of these summaries seemed very similar to Dave Litterer's excellent US soccer history web page: http://homepages.sover.net/~spectrum/.

I am a fan of the league, and of sports non-fiction, but this book did not impress too much.It had all the information I expected, but fell short of being a good read.For casual US soccer fans wondering about MLS, I be much more likely to recommend Grant Wahl's "Beckham Experiment", which gives you all the background on MLS you really need, plus offers great insight into how the league operates, and includes profiles of Landon Donovan, Alexi Lalas, Ruud Gullit, Bruce Arena, and many every-day players from the 2007/8 Galaxy team.

Great book for any MLS fan or fan of US soccer!
Any fan of Major League Soccer will love this book. It's a detailed account of how MLS survived its infant years and is even starting to thrive now with new teams and stadiums being built all over the US. It really is a great league that doesn't get the attention it should. I recommend this book to any MLS fan or fan of soccer in America. Hopefully it'll bring more attention to this exciting league. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Fighting the establishment
Certainly having read this in depth over view on the female game of soccer in the United Kingdom and the pain that the players had to endure to simply take the field of play, I was enthralled and mystified how womens football(sorry soccer) ever suceeded without personalities such as Sue Lopez.

Itis amazing that I needed to search an American Web Site to discover thisEnglish Book but from wherever you come from you will learn more about asport that has been frustrated by the establishment but still managed towin in the end.

If you do not read this book and " In a League oftheir own " about the World Famous, Dick Kerr's Preston Ladies thenyou will not appreciate what they had to endure for us to watch orparticipate in female football in the UK.

In the USA you had Title IXwhereas we had Sue Lopez and Gail Newsham.

The pictures are worth thecost of this book alone but don't simply take my word for it..get a copy. ... Read more