Watch the Throne: The Tactics Behind the Premier League's European Champions, 1999-2019 lifts the lid on the tactics used by Premier League clubs on their respective journeys to Champions League glory. Beginning with Manchester United in 1999 and concluding with Liverpool's 2019 triumph, Watch the Throne provides detailed analysis of how Chelsea, Manchester United and Liverpool overcame their opposition to claim the ultimate prize in European club football. While United's 1999 victory was an outlier, Liverpool's win in 2005 began a period of domination for Premier League clubs, with eight English finalists in eight seasons from 2004/05 to 2011/12. Changes in tactical trends saw the absence of Premier League finalists between the 2012/13 and 2016/17 seasons as Spanish, German and French sides briefly overtook their Premier League rivals, before an all-English 2019 final between Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur marked the technical and tactical recovery of the world's wealthiest football league.

Put your Manchester United knowledge to the test with the ultimate quiz book for Red Devils' fans. Do you think you know it all about Manchester United? Could you name the colours the team originally played in? The most decorated player in the club's history? Do you know which sides United have beaten most, and vice versa? Or which foreign countries have supplied the most United players? Whatever your area of interest or depth of knowledge, this expertly assembled quiz will have some testing questions for you. From the club's earliest days right through to the Busby Babes, the glory years under Sir Alex Ferguson and beyond, Think You Know It All? Manchester United will challenge your knowledge of players, managers, records and more. Featuring an entertaining mix of questions and puzzles, this is the perfect test for new and veteran United fans alike. Proving you know it all about your club has never been such fun - or so tricky.

Who are the fifteen best players ever to represent Wales at rugby? We all know the answers, but all our answers are different! In pubs and clubs, in classrooms and chat rooms the length and breadth of this rugby-mad nation, this is a question that prompts energetic and entertaining debate; a question that has divided households and destabilized lifelong friendships. In The Greatest Welsh XV Ever, which includes over 130 full-colour photographs, Eddie Butler has gone where angels (and ex-international back-row forwards) fear to tread. Devoting a chapter to each position on the field, he produces a shortlist of the great players, before making his final, decisive, definitive choice in each case. So will it be Barry John or Phil Bennett at number 10? Jamie Roberts or John Dawes at number 12? Graham Price or Adam Jones at number 3? This is your chance to join in the greatest national debate since devolution.

Ever since different communities began processes of global migration, sport has been an integral feature in how we conceptualise and experience the notion of being part of a diaspora. Sport provides diasporic communities with a powerful means for creating transnational ties, but also shapes ideas of their ethnic and racial identities. In spite of this, theories of diaspora have been applied sparingly to sporting discourses. Despite W.G. Grace's claim that cricket advances civilisation by promoting a common bond, binding together peoples of vastly different backgrounds, to this day cricket operates strict symbolic boundaries; defining those who do, and equally, do not belong. C.L.R. James' now famous metaphor of looking 'beyond the boundary' captures the belief that, to fully understand the significance of cricket, and the sport's roles in changing and shaping society, one must consider the wider social and political contexts within which the game is played. Contributions to this volume do just that. Cricket acts as their point of departure, but the way in which ideas of power, representation and inequality are 'played out' is unique in each. This book was published as a special issue of Identities.

*Largt-format hardback edition* The 160th edition of the most famous sports book in the world - published every year since 1864 - contains some of the world's finest sports writing. It reflects on the extraordinary life of Shane Warne, who died far too early in 2022, and looks back at another legendary bowler, S. F. Barnes, on the 150th anniversary of his birth. Wisden also reports on England's triumph at the T20 World Cup, to go alongside their 2019 ODI success, and on their Test team's thrilling rejuvenation under Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes. Writers include Lawrence Booth, Gideon Haigh, James Holland, Jonathan Liew, Emma John, David Frith, Simon Wilde, Jon Hotten, Robert Winder, Tanya Aldred and Neil Harvey, the last survivor from Australia's famous 1948 Ashes tour of England. As usual, Wisden includes the eagerly awaited Notes by the Editor, the Cricketers of the Year awards, and the obituaries. And, as ever, there are reports and scorecards for every Test, together with forthright opinion, compelling features and comprehensive records. "There can't really be any doubt about the cricket book of the year, any year: it's obviously Wisden" Andrew Baker in The Daily Telegraph @WisdenAlmanack

Football is the most popular sport in the world. Globalisation and commercialisation of the game, however, have created new conflicts and challenges. This book explores the role of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) within the rising significance of football in Asia, drawing on three key theoretical perspectives: globalisation, neo-institutionalism and governance, as well as comprehensive data from interviews and archive material. It explores the organisational structure of AFC, its decision-making processes, relations with other actors, and policies put forward. To understand the specificities AFC has faced in its 60-year history, the broader historical, political, economic, socio-cultural and geographic contexts of football in Asia are taken into account.

Football clubs across the world continue to embody many of the collective symbols, identifications and processes of connectivity which have long been associated with the notion of 'community'. In recent years, however, the very term 'community' has become the focus of renewed interest within popular discourse and amongst academics, politicians and policy makers. It has become something of a 'buzz' word, wheeled out as both a lament to more certain times and as an appeal to a better future: a term imbued with all the richness associated with human interaction. 'Community' has also been employed increasingly within football, for instrumental reasons concerned with policy and stadium redevelopment, and in broader rhetoric about clubs, their localities and fans. This book brings together a range of key debates around contemporary understandings of 'community' in world football. Split into four sections, it considers political and theoretical debates around football and its connection with community; different national and ethnic football communities; instrumental uses of football to bridge gaps within and between groups; future directions in the football and community debate. This book was published as a special issue of Soccer & Society.

Today’s game of football is more physically demanding than ever. Every play is full speed, sideline to sideline, goal line to goal line, for four punishing quarters. To withstand the rigors of the game, today’s players must be better conditioned than ever. The team with the stronger, faster, more agile, and more powerful athletes is the one earning Ws on Friday nights and Saturday afternoons. Complete Conditioning for Football provides the modern training system needed to prepare your players to perform at their peak and win consistently. Former National Football League (NFL) strength and conditioning coach and current college senior assistant athletic director for football performance Aaron Wellman addresses every aspect of football conditioning—emphasizing strength, power, and muscle hypertrophy—to deliver results at every level of competition. From initial movement preparation to an integrated, comprehensive, year-round training plan, Complete Conditioning for Football offers ready-to-use research-based training methods and programs involving general and position-specific exercises, drills, activities, and progressions. This book is an ideal resource to help strength and conditioning coaches design training regimens for their team and each player. It is also a practical guide for coaches and athletes in a program without a full-time strength coach. Complete Conditioning for Football explains how to evaluate current fitness levels and monitor progress in each aspect and phase of training throughout the year. Included are team-wide and position-specific exercises, drills, and programs as well as training plans for preseason, in-season, and off-season workouts, all aimed at building speed, agility, strength, power, and stamina to achieve optimal performance. Useful nutritional information and recommendations are provided to boost the benefits of training, aid in recovery from workouts, and fuel players to perform their best in games. Guidelines and recommendations for sleep and rest are included to ensure athletes stay fresh and primed for every physical and mental challenge they’ll face. The book also features invaluable guidance for safely and responsibly reintroducing players to training and competition after an injury. The most comprehensive conditioning guide in the sport, Complete Conditioning for Football offers readers expertise from a top strength and conditioning coach to physically prepare teams and players to dominate on game day.

The University of Notre Dame is a special place, regarded by many as the world’s top Catholic institution of higher learning. Yet its modern reputation for excellence and service is only part of the legacy of Father Theodore Hesburgh, the university’s president from 1952 to 1987. Father Ted’s influence extended beyond Notre Dame’s campus in Northern Indiana. He worked with presidents, Popes, and Martin Luther King, Jr., and his guidance resulted in nuclear nonproliferation, immigration reform, and civil rights legislation. One of the many Domers influenced by Father Ted was Richard “Digger” Phelps, Notre Dame’s men’s basketball coach from 1971 to 1991. Phelps gives readers a seat at the table with Father Ted, from the basketball locker room in the 1970s to Father Ted’s final Mass before he passed away in 2015. This account is an intimate portrait of an unlikely friendship and a rare look at the private moments of a man Digger often describes as “a living saint.”

A writer and tennis player seeks insights and inspiration by traveling across Switzerland in the footsteps of Roger Federer. Roger Federer could live anywhere in the world, but he always returns to the place he loves most: Switzerland. Dave Seminara is a mad traveler and tennis lifer who has written about Federer for The New York Times and other publications. A pair of autoimmune diseases and a knee surgery kept Dave from playing tennis for years, but as he inched toward recovery, he had a bright idea: why not start his tennis comeback on hallowed ground-courts that his hero Roger Federer graced in Switzerland. Footsteps of Federer is a funny, novella-length account of Seminara's travels across seven Swiss cantons in search of insights into Federer's character, which is inextricably linked to his deep roots in, and love for, his country. Seminara timed his unique pilgrimage to the 2019 Swiss Indoors, where he had a chance to ask Roger a number of offbeat questions before and after Federer hoisted his record tenth title there. Seminara's Federer pilgrimage took him to Switzerland's most important abbey, where he prayed with Abbot Urban Federer; to the vineyard of Jakob Federer from Berneck, where the Federer clan originated from; to the stunning villa where Roger and Mirka were married; and to many of the neighborhoods and tennis clubs where Roger has lived and trained at over the years. Earphones Award Winner.

This book presents a synthesis of the work on early football undertaken by the authors over the past two decades. It explores aspects of a figurational approach to sociology to examine the early development of football rules in the middle part of the nineteenth century. The book tests Dunning's status rivalry hypothesis to contest Harvey's view of football's development which stresses an influential sub-culture outside the public schools. Status Rivalry re-states the primacy of these latter institutions in the growth of football and without it the sport's story would remain skewed and unbalanced for future generations.

An important and forgotten chapter in sports and African American history. Here is the first in-depth account of the birth of black baseball and its dramatic passage from grass-roots venture to commercial enterprise. In the late nineteenth century resourceful black businessmen founded ball teams that became the Negro Leagues. Racial bias aside, they faced vast odds, from the need to court white sponsors to negotiating ball parks. With no blacks in cities, they barnstormed small towns to attract fans, employing all manner of gimmickry to rouse attention. Drawing on major newspapers and obscure African-American journals, the author explores the diverse forces that shaped minority baseball. He looks unflinchingly at prejudice in amateur and pro circles and constant inadequate press coverage. He assesses the impact of urbanization, migration, and the rise of northern ghettoes, and he applauds those bold innovators who forged black baseball into a parallel club that appealed to whites yet nurtured a uniquely African American playing style. This was black baseball's finest hour: at once a source of great ethnic pride and a hardwon pathway for integration into the mainstream.

The American Dream is founded upon the ideological belief that 'you can be anything you want to be', regardless of your current class position, and is one of the most emotive, pervasive and ideologically embedded concepts championed by American citizens. Providing contemporary insight into the American Dream via the critical lens of soccer - the world's pre-eminent sport but still a minority interest in the US - this book challenges the notion that America is different, exceptional or unique in the global order, either in real socio-economic-political terms or in perceived cultural terms. Soccer and the American Dream offers an overview of soccer in the US and uses case studies to explore the motives of American university students in undertaking a soccer scholarship, considering the impact of family, social class and career development upon social mobility and upon the game itself. Providing a fascinating new insight into the nexus of sport, education, culture and society, this is a topical resource for students, scholars and practitioners across the fields of soccer, higher education, youth sport, sports development, sports coaching and sport management.

SHORTLISTED FOR THE SUNDAY TIMES SPORTS BOOK AWARDS 2022 'Anyone wanting an example of never being beaten should look at the incredible Francis Benali.' - Alan Shearer 'Honest, revealing story of a strong man who pushed his body to its limits and beyond on and off the pitch. Incredible read.' - Henry Winter, The Times 'The iron man with a will of steel and a heart of gold. Truly fran-tastic!' - Jeff Stelling, Soccer Saturday ------- Francis Benali is a Southampton Football Club legend and a celebrated charity endurance athlete, and he's ready to tell his story. Francis 'Franny' Benali played football for 20 years for Southampton FC in nearly 400 games, almost his entire career. His utter dedication to the club caused him to be a hero to Saints fans around the world. Written with the acclaimed Daily Mail sportswriter Matt Barlow, this book details Benali's humble beginnings and has countless tales involving players, managers, and matches detailing Benali's illustrious football career. But his story is much more than that. The intense commitment he had as a player found a new outlet in the world of endurance sport. Through Ironman triathlons and marathons, he has raised more than GBP1 million for Cancer Research UK. Benali's story shows us what can be achieved through dedication and commitment on and off the pitch. Through football and charity, he has made a positive difference in countless people's lives. His is truly an inspirational story.

Football. Bloody hell.'

The longest serving and most successful manager in British football history shocked the world by finally retiring in May 2013 and instantly created more column inches and twitter mentions that the death of Margaret Thatcher. And he wasn’t just the greatest, but also one of the most outspoken, engaging and witty voices from the game, as this book proves. Here is the history of his supreme verbal sparring during his years at Manchester United - the man in his own words (with a few additional thoughts from those who knew him best and crossed swords with him most).

'There's nothing wrong with losing your temper once in a while if it's for the right reasons'

'If he was an inch taller he’d be the best centre-half in Britain. His father is 6ft 2in – I’d check the milkman' On Gary Neville

'He could start a row in an empty house' On Denis Wise

'The list of gentle, naturally retiring men who have been successful in their attempts at running clubs isn't a long one, is it?

After 20 major league seasons--all with the New York Yankees--Derek Jeter is hanging up his spikes at the conclusion of the 2014 campaign. The Yankees' captain since 2003, the shortstop is considered the greatest Yankee of his generation. Jeter's Yankees teams won five World Series, including three in a row in 1998, 1999, and 2000. The all-time postseason leader in hits, doubles, and triples, Jeter earned the nickname "Captain Clutch" for his game-changing performances during the Yankees' championship era. Through stories and powerful images from the pages of the "New York Times," "Derek Jeter: Captain Clutch" celebrates the career of this New York icon from Jeter's debut in 1995 through his final game in 2014. This full-color pictorial keepsake also features an introduction by Tyler Kepner, the "Times"' award-winning baseball reporter.

"Imply you're a tennis ace with this stylish coffee-table book" - Evening Standard More than "just a game," tennis has always been a sociable pursuit where whom and where you play defines the whole experience. An entire culture has developed around this chic pastime. Witness a whole pantheon of tennis legends who combine athleticism with stylish flair while experiencing the charisma of such modern stars as Maria Sharapova and the charm of all-time great Arthur Ashe. From Wimbledon to other prestigious venues around the globe, tennis courts are a place to see and be seen - and admire the skill of the players, of course! Crisp, sporty tennis outfits by the likes of Lacoste and Fred Perry - beautifully showcased here - epitomise a relaxed yet active life. The Stylish Life: Tennis will inspire you to brush off your volley - or at least dream about taking part in this leisurely, sophisticated world.

Spanish soccer is on top of the world, at international and club level, with the best teams and a seemingly endless supply of exciting and stylish players. While the Spanish economy struggles, its soccer flourishes, deeply embedded throughout Spanish social and cultural life. But the relationship between soccer, culture and national identity in Spain is complex. This fascinating, in-depth study shines new light on Spanish soccer by examining the role this sport plays in Basque identity, consolidated in Athletic Club of Bilbao, the century-old soccer club located in the birthplace of Basque nationalism. Athletic Bilbao has a unique player recruitment policy, allowing only Basque-born players or those developed at the youth academies of Basque clubs to play for the team, a policy that rejects the internationalism of contemporary globalised soccer. Despite this, the club has never been relegated from the top division of Spanish football. A particularly tight bond exists between fans, their club and the players, with Athletic representing a beacon of Basque national identity. This book is an ethnography of a soccer culture where origins, nationalism, gender relations, power and passion, lifecycle events and death rituals gain new meanings as they become, below and beyond the playing field, a matter of creative contention and communal affirmation. Based on unique, in-depth ethnographic research, this book investigates how a soccer club and soccer fandom affect the life of a community, interweaving empirical research material with key contemporary themes in the social sciences, and placing the study in the wider context of Spanish political and sporting cultures. Filling a key gap in the literature on contemporary Spain, and on wider soccer cultures, this book is fascinating reading for anybody with an interest in sport, anthropology, sociology, political science, or cultural and gender studies.

Brian Scovell's 26th book "Our Beloved Cricket" will be a delight for cricket's aficionados. After spending a lifetime reporting on the game for the Daily Sketch and Daily Mail he knows a host of leading players whom he persuaded to play for his wandering side Woodpeckers and various press sides. And his hilarious accounts of these matches in lowly cricket - mainly on village greens - provide a richly entertaining and unique addition to cricketing literature. Among those mentioned are Sir Gary Sobers, Learie Constantine, Ian Bishop, Colin Croft, Don Bradman, Geoff Lawson, Mark Slater, Geoff Boycott, Trevor Bailey, Ken Barrington, Denis and Nick Compton, Ian Ward, Peter Roebuck, Ashley Giles, B.S. Chandrasekhar, Anil Kumble, Sarfraz Nawaz, Aftab Gul who was convicted of having Sam missiles, and many more. He has played on more than 500 grounds, including Lord's and the Oval and 26 other Test grounds around the world. He has also been on forty tours abroad and his experiences in India, Sri Lanka, Australia, NZ, South Africa, West Indies, Namibia, Italy and other cricketing countries make mirthful reading.

The Colours of Cricket showcases the finest photos of award-winning cricket photographer Philip Brown. In a prestigious 30-year career, Brown has captured 250 Test matches, numerous World Cups and other competitions around the world. Growing up in sports-mad Australia, he fell in love with cricket and photography at a young age and has spent most of his life shooting some of the most memorable moments in the history of the game and the characters who made them. This beautiful book features eye-catching images of some of the biggest names in cricket - stars such as Shane Warne, Brian Lara, Kevin Pietersen, Steve Waugh and Sachin Tendulkar. But beyond the celebrities Philip also has an eye for the people and places he has seen along the way. The Colours of Cricket documents the changing face of the sport over five decades, taking us on a nostalgic trip through time. Featuring more than 340 of Brown's favourite images, this is a stunning pictorial celebration that every cricket fan will treasure.

Geoff Shreeves is a giant of football. From reporting pitchside on the biggest matches to his iconic appearances in EA's FIFA series, Geoff's warmth, humour and expertise have made him a constant fixture of the sport. In Cheers Geoff! he shares hilarious, bizarre and moving stories from across his incredible career. A The Times Sports Books of the Year 'Cracking read . . . loved it' - Piers Morgan 'Packed with brilliant anecdotes about the biggest names' - The Mirror There are just a handful of people who have been ever-present for the thirty years of the Premier League, but only one person has been at the very epicentre for the entire period: Geoff Shreeves. From signalling the very first ball to be kicked on Sky's Premier League coverage to facing down Sir Alex Ferguson's wrath (on countless occasions), Geoff is an integral part of the football fabric, respected by everybody in the game while still asking the toughest questions. Geoff's interviews with the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Arsene Wenger, Frank Lampard and Alan Shearer have become the stuff of legend, but it is his close personal relationships with the game's star names that really sets him apart. Packed full of hilarious stories on and off the pitch - including trying to teach Sir Michael Caine how to act, a frightening encounter with Mike Tyson, as well as getting a lift home from the World Cup with Mick Jagger - Cheers, Geoff! is a must-read autobiography for any fan of the beautiful game. A natural storyteller, Geoff brings an astonishing catalogue of tales to life with his unique brand of experience, insight and humour. 'A legend' - Arsene Wenger 'No one handles the big moments better' - Jordan Henderson With a foreward from Alan Shearer.