The inside story of Jürgen Klopp’s astonishing revival of Liverpool Football Club, culminating in the 2020 Premier League title.

Featuring incisive and insightful reporting, along with interviews with players, management and club hierarchy, Believe Us paints a vivid picture of this stunning sporting success.

South African Sportscaster Melissa Reddy is now a regular contributor on Sky Sports, BBC and Premier League Productions and is also a senior correspondent at The Independent.

Every football training session and match should begin with a warm-up in order to improve performance and reduce the risk of injuries. Warm-up in Football provides scientific evidence for the effect of warming up and describes how performance is closely related to muscle temperature. Furthermore, the book explains how the right warm-up prior to a match and at halftime improves the outcome in football. This book provides a basic understanding of the value of warming up and presents a significant number of warm-up programs that can be used whether you are training professional, amateur or youth players. The warm-up programs and exercises are tailored to different training and match situations both on and off the pitch. Highlights from the book include: * New, inspiring and effective ways of warm-up for training. * Warm-up programs before matches. * Warm-up programs to improve performance at the start of the second half. Warm-up in Football is critical reading for all who have an interest in the coaching and physiology of football.

Julian Joachim burst onto the scene in 1992 and quickly became one of the most exciting and sought-after young talents in English football. Few players make the immediate impact that Joachim did. In his debut season, he scored in a Wembley final, finished as runner up in Match of the Day's Goal of the Season, won an international trophy and saw off competition from Patrick Kluivert, Robbie Fowler and Clarence Seedorf to win Player of the Tournament award at the under 18 European Championships. Joachim's blistering pace and down to earth attitude made him a fans' favourite wherever he played. One of only a handful of players to score in England's top four divisions, the FA Cup, League Cup and the UEFA Cup, Joachim's journey took him from Leicester City to Darlington, via Aston Villa, Coventry City, Leeds United, Walsall and Boston United. You Must Be Joachim provides an honest account of Julian's life as a footballer; from the goals, the glamour and the glory, to a darker side of the game rarely discussed - dealing with bullying, handling the media and what it's really like for a footballer when they retire.

Soccer is undeniably the most popular sport in the world. While we know much about its high-profile players and their increasing wealth and global influence, we know little about referees and the ways in which refereeing has changed throughout the history of the sport. This book provides an in-depth exploration of the evolution of the match official. It presents a comparative analysis of elite Association football referees in England, Spain and Italy, as well as offering insights into the involvement of UEFA and FIFA in referee training. Drawing on archive material, the book documents the historical development of refereeing and sheds new light on the practice of elite refereeing in the present day. Including exclusive interviews with elite and ex-elite referees, as well as with professional soccer managers and members of the broadcast media, it considers the current role of match officials and the challenges and controversies they encounter. Elite Soccer Referees: Officiating in the Premier League, La Liga and Serie A is fascinating reading for all students and scholars with an interest in soccer, sport history, sport policy, sport management and the sociology of sport.

Vincent Kompany relives a spectacular and unique season for Manchester City, in which as club captain he led the Blues to a unique Treble success of Premier League, FA Cup and Carabao Cup triumphs. Told from his unique viewpoint, this is the definitive account of a remarkable campaign. After Manchester City had won the Premier League title in 2018, collecting a record number of points along the way, the pressure was on for them to go one better in 2019 - but instead they went two better, winning every single major domestic trophy, starting with the Community Shield. In this frank and compelling book, Kompany tells the dramatic story of Manchester City's record-breaking season. In the league, they faced a formidable challenge from Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool that went all the way to the final game of the campaign. He takes the reader behind the scenes, to give them an insight into how manager Pep Guardiola inspired them and came up with the right decisions at the right time; he explains what made his team-mates, from Aguero up front to Ederson in goal, so special; and, having scored a spectacular thunderbolt of a goal to virtually secure the title, he explains how and why he decided that the time had come to move on from the club he had adorned for more than a decade. Vincent Kompany is a club legend, and now he has delivered an account of a special season that will be treasured by City fans everywhere.

Rangers Minute By Minute takes you on a fantastic journey through the Gers' matchday history. Relive all the breathtaking goals, heroic penalty saves, sending offs and other memorable moments in this unique by-the-clock guide. From Rangers' early years and successes to the days of domestic dominance and a European triumph, the book covers everything from the Jock Wallace and John Greig eras through to the days of Ally McCoist and Steven Gerrard. Revisit Rangers' most spectacular modern feats and learn things you didn't know about the club's proud history. From goals scored in the opening seconds to those last-gasp extra-time winners and Old Firm deciders that have thrilled generations of fans at Ibrox and around the world, Rangers Minute By Minute is packed with memorable moments. Read about the goals that secured many of the 54 SPL titles. From McCoist to Baxter and from Gascoigne to Cooper - all the club legends are here, with thrilling memories from kick-off to the final whistle.

South America is a region that enjoys an unusually high profile as the origin of some of the world's greatest writers and most celebrated footballers. This is the first book to undertake a systematic study of the relationship between football and literature across South America. Beginning with the first football poem published in 1899, it surveys a range of texts that address key issues in the region's social and political history. Drawing on a substantial corpus of short stories, novels and poems, each chapter considers the shifting relationship between football and literature in South America across more than a century of writing. The way in which authors combine football and literature to challenge the dominant narratives of their time suggests that this sport can be seen as a recurring theme through which matters of identity, nationhood, race, gender, violence, politics and aesthetics are played out. This book is fascinating reading for any student, scholar or serious fan of football, as well as for all those interested in the relationship between sports history, literature and society.

"Top man... I thought that I'd lived a colourful life until I read about Karl's adventures" - MICKEY THOMAS, WREXHAM AFC & WALES "Certified Twitter legend" - LADBIBLE Karl Phillips is just one of the lads - roofer by day, pilsner drinker by night. But as Bootlegger, he's scored hundreds of thousands of hits on YouTube with his hilarious matchday vlogs and keeps a huge number of followers on social media hooked with his humorous musings on life, work, the Flamethrower and his beloved Wrexham AFC. He even has a beer named after him - Wrexham Lager's iconic Bootlegger 1974 Pilsner, which has made its way onto the shelves of major supermarkets. From tough beginnings with teenage parents to a string of jobs in local factories, whether smearing butter on his headmaster's office window or getting a round of golf in during his shift as a street-cleaner, duckin' around shooting videos in football grounds and pubs across the UK or slightly overdoing it in holiday spots around the world, or in the throes of any of the other hilariously random antics described here, the Captain doesn't take himself too seriously and is mellowing with age, like a fine pilsner!

As athletes of today grapple with how to use their public platforms to fight for activist causes, Sport and Apartheid South Africa: Histories of Politics, Power, and Protest examines a set of longer histories of sport, 'race', and activism. The book seeks to uncover and understand new historical aspects of apartheid and sport, challenge myths, and rethink dominant narratives. It examines the subject of racially segregated sport in South Africa from national and transnational perspectives, asking questions about how athletes and administrators, transnational anti-apartheid groups and activists, and politicians around the world interpreted and internalized racial segregation in South Africa. By connecting the local to the global, this book illuminates the ways in which apartheid sport animated national and international debates, ranging from racism and human rights to Cold War politics and post-colonialism. Sport and Apartheid South Africa is a significant new contribution to the study of race and politics in sport and will be a great resource for academics, researchers, and advanced students of History, Politics, International Relations, Sociology, and Political Geography. The chapters in this book were originally published in The International Journal of the History of Sport.

How much do you really know about Arsenal? Put your Gunners knowledge to the test with this bumper book of brainteaser quizzes and fascinating facts, beautifully illustrated by one of the world's leading sports artists. It's packed with trivia on all the great Arsenal sides and players - from Chapman's champions to Mee's double winners and Wenger's 'invincibles', from Adams, Wright, Bergkamp and Henry to Pepe and Partey - providing hours of highly dippable fun and entertainment. Which player was nicknamed 'The Little Mozart'? Which England international appeared with Diana Dors and Thora Hird in a 1953 film? Who is the only World Cup Golden Shoe-winner to have played for Arsenal? Who was the only Arsenal player in the GB football squad at the 2012 Olympics? Which player fronted a worldwide ad campaign as a Calvin Klein underwear model? Trivquiz Arsenal holds the answers to all these questions and hundreds more.

'One day you'll write a book about this club. Or, more to the point, about me. So you may as well know what I'm thinking and save it up for later when it won't do any harm to anyone.' Brian Clough's twenty years as Nottingham Forest manager were an unpredictable mixture of success, failure, fall-outs and alcoholism. Duncan Hamilton, initiated as a young journalist into the Brian Clough empire, was there to see it all. In this strikingly intimate biography - William Hill Sports Book of the Year 2007 - Hamilton paints a vivid portrait of one of football's greatest managers: from Nottingham Forest's double European Cup triumph to the torturous breakdown of relations at the club and Clough's descent into alcoholism. Sad, joyous and personal, Hamilton's account of life with Brian Clough is a touching tribute to a brilliant man.

At turns lyrical, ironic, and sympathetic, Mario Filho's chronicle of "the beautiful game" is a classic of Brazilian sports writing. Filho (1908-1966)-a famous Brazilian journalist after whom Rio's Maracana stadium is officially named-tells the Brazilian soccer story as a boundary-busting one of race relations, popular culture, and national identity. Now in English for the first time, the book highlights national debates about the inclusion of African-descended people in the body politic and situates early black footballers as key creators of Brazilian culture. When first introduced to Brazil by British expatriots at the end of the nineteenth century, the game was reserved for elites, excluding poor, working-class, and black Brazilians. Filho, drawing on lively in-depth interviews with coaches, players, and fans, points to the 1920s and 1930s as watershed decades when the gates cracked open. The poor players and players of color entered the game despite virulent discrimination. By the mid-1960s, Brazil had established itself as a global soccer powerhouse, winning two World Cups with the help of star Afro-Brazilians such as Pele and Garrincha. As a story of sport and racism in the world's most popular sport, this book could not be more relevant today.

The gripping biography of one of the most successful managers in the game, Jose Mourinho, giving rare insight into the man and the manager - now completely revised and updated to include the tumultuous 2020-21 season. Jose Mourinho is undoubtedly one of football's most charismatic and controversial characters. His name is never far from the headlines and having worked at some of the biggest clubs in the world - Porto, Chelsea, Inter Milan, Real Madrid, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur - despite the challenges he has faced, he knows how to deliver when it matters. But is the way he conducts himself on the touchline and in front of the cameras the real Mourinho, or an act he puts on for the watching world? In this highly acclaimed biography, author and award-winning sports correspondent Robert Beasley reveals the man behind the scenes. Granted privileged access into the Special One's inner sanctum, Beasley delves into the workings of the famed manager's mind, as well as backroom antics and transfer sagas at some of the game's greatest clubs. Revealing the untold stories behind how close Mourinho came to getting the England job, his at times tumultuous relationships with the football establishment, his trials and tribulations at Tottenham and why he will always put family and friends before football, this is a side to Jose Mourinho you never thought you'd see.

The sports agent has become a highly significant figure in contemporary sport business. The role of the agent is essential to our understanding of labour markets and labour relations in an increasingly globalised sports industry. Drawing on extensive empirical research into football around the world, this book explains what agents do, how their role has changed, and why this is important for future sport business. Offering analysis from economic, legal, social and historical perspectives, the book explores key topics such as: the history of sports agents including the emergence of the modern agent in US sport typologies and demographic profiles of agents in football valuations and organisational analysis of leading European agents and agencies relations between agents and clubs future directions for research into sports agents. Focusing on the major European leagues, this book goes further than any other in illuminating an important but under-researched aspect of contemporary sport business. It is a valuable resource for any student, researcher or policy-maker with an interest in sport business, sport management, sport policy, the economics of sport or labour economics.

'Our incredible story under a supreme manager shared in all its glory.' Jordan Henderson The definitive account of Jurgen Klopp's astonishing revival of Liverpool Football Club FULLY UPDATED FOR THE 2020-2021 SEASON Liverpool Football Club's stunning Premier League title victory deserves a place in the official record of great sporting achievements. Talismanic manager Jurgen Klopp delivered a first title in 30 years as the Reds became the only team in British history to hold the European Cup, Super Cup, World Club Cup and domestic league title simultaneously. A difficult title defence followed, derailed by an unrivalled injury crisis during a thankless, Covid-shaped season. Still Klopp's Liverpool weathered this storm to secure Champions League football again, surmounting personal tragedy and endless professional setbacks. But what makes the club tick? Can the lessons of its success be replicated by others? Melissa Reddy reveals the inside story of Jurgen Klopp's astonishing revival of the Liverpool FC, weaving together the great highs and lowest points with incisive and insightful reporting. Believe Us offers unparalleled access behind the scenes, featuring interviews with everyone from fans and key backroom staff to players including captain Jordan Henderson, and of course Klopp himself. The perfect gift for any fan of the club or its inimitable leader, this is a story unlike any other: this means more.

All the fun of Portico's bestselling Strangest series, now in quiz form! Test your football knowledge with this handy book, packed with fun and challenging quiz questions based around the weirdest events from more than a century of football history. Quiz categories include: Outlandish scorelines Freaky weather Unfeasible goals Animals on pitches Cup madness Streakers Football's great eccentrics International antics Whether you're testing your friends, practising for pub quizzes or just reading it in an armchair, this book will take your football knowledge to a whole new level. Word count: 30,000 words.

Here are the best of the best: the stars of the dominant U.S. national team - like Megan Rapinoe, Alex Morgan, Julie Ertz, and Rose Lavelle - and their top competitors from around the world, like Sam Kerr of Australia, Lucy Bronze of England, Wendie Renard of France, and Marta of Brazil. This lively book features short biographies of 28 athletes in all, illustrated with colour photographs of the stars in action. Revised and updated from cover to cover, Stars of Women's Soccer is sure to whet the appetite of young fans who are eager to see the titans of the women's game battle it out (finally) at the Tokyo Olympics.

How did South Africa, a former pariah of the world, come to host the 2010 World Cup? Laduma! answers this question by telling the story of football in South Africa and how it was transformed from a British colonial export into a central aspect of the black experience. An immensely informative and vital account, the book explores the Africanization of the game with the introduction of rituals and magic, and the emergence of distinctive playing styles. Using archival research, interviews, newspaper and magazine articles, advertisements, and photos, Laduma! chronicles the impact of indigenous sporting traditions, such as stick fighting, and the power struggles between different football associations and white authorities. Soccer influenced class and generational divisions, shaped masculine identities, and served as a mobilizing force for township and political organizations. This new, updated edition of Laduma! embodies sporting history at its best and will be of interest to ardent soccer fans as well as general readers and scholars seeking to inform themselves ahead of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

Ben Smith: Professional footballer. Recognise the name? Of course you don't. That's because most of Smith's years in the game were spent outside the vaunted, big-money environs of the Premier League - and this sporting memoir is all the more entertaining as a result.1995: an adolescent Ben arrives at the training ground of one of England's biggest clubs to begin his journey and realise his dream of playing top-flight professional football. Aged just sixteen, he shares pre-season sessions at Arsenal with the likes of Dennis Bergkamp and Ian Wright. Surely this is the start of a stellar career?Instead, the next seventeen years saw the bright young star descend the ranks from Highbury to obscurity. With seasons playing for the likes of Reading, Yeovil, Southend, Hereford, Shrewsbury and Weymouth - and a career including three promotions, one relegation and some very memorable FA Cup games - Ben's story is one of a quintessential journeyman footballer.Candidly describing the negotiations, insecurities, injuries, relocations, personal implications and wet Saturday afternoons playing in front of 500 people, Journeyman offers a unique insight into the unvarnished life of a lower-league player - so far removed from the stories of pampered Premiership stars - as well as documenting the many teammates, opponents, managers and coaches who left an indelible mark on Ben's eclectic career. Refreshingly unsentimental and often hilarious, Smith's story is essential reading for all true fans of the not-always-so-beautiful game.

1. This book gives a strong academic theory base to the practical components and their applications 2. It demonstrates how different cultures approach football coaching 3. In-depth presentation of instruments and processes to assess and measure tactical performance of footballers. 4. Provides insight to applied implications and training ground approaches

'Immensely readable.' Observer 'Delightful.' Mail on Sunday 'Highly enjoyable.' Guardian 'Informative and emotive.' This Is Anfield 'A love letter to the great man himself.' The Times In the first book by a British writer about this extraordinary football manager, lifelong Liverpool fan Anthony Quinn has crafted a memorable love letter to Jurgen Klopp. Taking in all the drama of LFC's disrupted, but ultimately triumphant, 2019-20 season, it offers unique insight into one of football's most charismatic figures. 'Klopp isn't just for Liverpool, Quinn writes in his final pages. He is for all of us. I reckon this book can be too.' Hannah Jane Parkinson, Observer 'Klopp has worked his way into Liverpool's big sentimental heart like a German love bomb. And Quinn couldn't resist writing an ode, an unabashed fan's note: to Klopp and his boyhood city and the ghost of Shankly.' Irish Times