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'A must-have' - The Telegraph 'Book of the Week' - The Independent 'Hilarious' - Sport Magazine From the host of the Football Clichés podcast comes the hilarious and ever-relevant debut book. In what other context do football fans use the words 'aplomb' or 'derisory'? Why don't we use 'rifle' as a verb on the other six days of the week? Why do aggrieved midfielders feel the instinctive need to make a giant ball-shaped gesture with both hands after a mistimed tackle is punished? The more football Adam Hurrey watched, the more he began to spot the recurring mannerisms, behaviours, opinions and iconography that were mindlessly repeated in the football media. Some clichés are ridiculous, some are quaintly outdated, some have survived through their sheer indisputability. Here, featuring gloriously pseudo-scientific diagrams and the inimitable writing style that made footballcliches.com a smash hit, they are covered in all their glory. And if you love this, Adam Hurrey's new follow-up book, Extra Time Beckons, Penalties Loom, is out this September.
Dark Horses, Dutch in-fighting, the Group of Death, taking on fluids, writing the Germans off (at your peril)... As the small matter of the World Cup approaches, Adam Hurrey turns his attention to the clichés that abound at football's world stage. FREE FOR A LIMITED TIME ONLY Featuring: - World Cup TV preview (BBC vs ITV) - England Expects (And Other World Cup Clichés) - The Perfect World Cup - A Speculative Effort: England at USA '94 Look out for Adam's full-length book, Football Clichés, coming soon.
'At last, the definitive guide to football phraseology across the world... Sparky and very funny' – Paul Hayward 'A reminder that there are few better means of celebrating both our differences and similarities than the game of football' – The Guardian A new edition of an expertly compiled and utterly fascinating compendium of the weird and wonderful words and phrases used to describe football around the world. In this revised glossary of football words and phrases, discover the rich, quirky and joyously creative global language used by fans, commentators and players. From placing a shot 'where the owl sleeps' in Brazil, to what it means to use your 'chocolate leg' in the Netherlands, via...
A sort of Robbie Fowler's Modern English Usage, 'The Football Lexicon' provides an A to Row Z of the language of football, with over 800 examples of the set phrases we use to talk and write about the beautiful game. Altercation; A rather euphemistic way of describing a bust-up, a dust-up, a situation where players square up, as in - 'Bit of an altercation off the ball there.' See also handbags. Z - Row Z is a long way from the pitch and so, by inference, the hypothetical destination of any no-nonsense clearance. Defenders who put safety first by playing within their limitations can be praised, but a reference to the back of the stand may also depict a badly over-hit pass - 'He tried to find Fredgaard on the other wing, but that's gone straight into Row Z.' Old-school managers may even condone their players putting the opposition into the stands along with the ball - 'County boss Billy Dearden was left fuming - 'O’Driscoll should have finished in Row Z but we were too nice'.
A fun, intelligent, and useful guide to understanding the nuanced language of soccer Every week, year-round, legions of devoted soccer fans across the country rise at the crack of dawn or quietly sneak out of work to watch their favorite teams play across the pond—complete with a soundtrack of two cheeky Englishmen spouting a stream of trite phrases and curious words that make maddeningly little sense. They’ll chat about flying teacups and cultured left feet, or point out a player who’s jinking through the corridor of uncertainty, hoping to bag one with aplomb. Confused? Many Brits are, too. In Football Clichés, London-based soccer writer Adam Hurrey amusingly translates the idioms of the sport, from the quaint to the ridiculous. Here you’ll find words for parts of the field and parts of the body; for ways to score a goal and ways to run, walk, or fake an injury. You’ll learn to read the shifting moods of fans at a soccer match and encounter the game’s oddly expressive gestures, which include the muted celebration and the beleaguered manager clap. Perfect for the die-hard or fair-weather fan, Football Clichés celebrates the world of soccer in all its glory.
CHELSEA FC: THE OFFICIAL BIOGRAPHY goes to the heart of what gives the club its personality. The author has access to all the key characters, including Mourinho, Abramovich and the star players, plus legendary names of the past. He addresses all the controversies, including: the near suffocation through lack of cash in the 1970s and in 2002; the impact of Abramovich's money; the club and fans' response to racism; how the hooliganism which dogged Chelsea for years has been tackled. On the lighter side, Chelsea is regarded as the country's glamour club, and fashions, good and dreadful, will feature alongside celebrity fans and the worlds of art and music. And then there is the football at the core of it all, creating moments of huge tension and excitement.
Keep your head in the clouds with this whimsical guide to the wonders of the sky from an award-winning science writer. In The Cloud Collector’s Handbook, cloud expert Gavin Pretor-Pinney catalogs a variety of clouds and gives readers points for spotting them and recording their finds. This fun and fact-filled book features gorgeous full-color photographs that showcase various types of clouds, from fluffy cumulus to the super rare horseshoe vortex to the wispy noctilucent clouds that hang at the fringes of space. Sure to be a hit with both aspiring and seasoned cloud gazers, this clever handbook comes from the bestselling author, BBC presenter, and founder of the Cloud Appreciation Society.
THE ABSURD ASCENT OF THE MOST IMPORTANT MAN IN FOOTBALL. THE MANAGER. 'Rich in detail and colour . . . a great read' Observer This book traces the remarkable journey of the football gaffer, from his humble beginnings as club secretary, to his modern incarnation - the man we all recognise, venting his spleen at the ref, or having a huff at a post-match press conference. THE MANAGER takes the reader beyond the well-worn anecdotes, deeper into the stories of football's top men and the world they inhabit. Barney Ronay asks the important questions about these compelling characters - Where did they come from? Why are they so miserable? Where do they get their suits? Hilarious and absorbing, this book contains enough revelations to provide the most avid fan with a library of fresh tales. You'll never look at the man on the touchline in the same way again.