Eight-year-old Teko Modise didn’t mean to compete with his father, it was just that he was a soccer natural and everyone could see it. His father, in a fit of childlike jealously, kicked him out of the house, and when Teko tried to come back he kicked him out again. So little Teko made a plan. Every day he attended school as normal, and at night he slept out on the streets with other homeless children. This book is the true story of his rise to fame, to becoming ‘the General’, one of the best footballers South Africa has produced, and will allow readers to understand the story behind ‘the Curse’.

At the peak of his career the world seemed filled with Teko. His face was on every major billboard, TV advert and magazine cover in the country. Little boys from suburbs to townships everywhere were lining up at barbershops asking for The Teko haircut. With a house in Sandton and driving an Aston Martin, Modise was about to make history in the upcoming Soccer World Cup of 2010. He had gone beyond being football royalty, he became a super star. The tabloids have called him an abusive lover, a cheating ex-husband, a neglectful father and an alcoholic egotistical footballer. But beyond these headlines is a story about a boy who played his way out of poverty on talent alone.

Be inspired by this story of a young man with a resilient spirit who kept moving forward chasing his dreams, who not only survived, but made it, and made it big. The Teko Modise story is proof that anything is possible.

In the autumn of 2010, a little-known New Zealander called Joe Schmidt took over as head coach at Leinster. He had never been in charge of a professional team.

After Leinster lost three of their first four games, a prominent Irish rugby pundit speculated that Schmidt had 'lost the dressing room'. Nine years on, Joe Schmidt has stepped down as Ireland coach having achieved success on a scale never before seen in Irish rugby. Two Heineken Cups in three seasons with Leinster. Three Six Nations championships in six seasons with Ireland, including the Grand Slam in 2018. And a host of firsts: the first Irish victory in South Africa; the first Irish defeat of the All Blacks, and then a second; and Ireland's first number 1 world ranking. Along the way, Schmidt became a byword for precision and focus in coaching, remarkable attention to detail and the highest of standards. But who is Joe Schmidt?

In Ordinary Joe, Schmidt tells the story of his life and influences: the experiences and management ideas that made him the coach, and the man, that he is today. And his diaries of the 2018 Grand Slam and the 2019 Rugby World Cup provide a brilliantly intimate insight into the stresses and joys of coaching a national team in victory and defeat. From the small towns in New Zealand's North Island where he played barefoot rugby and jostled around the dinner table with seven siblings, to the training grounds and video rooms where he consistently kept his teams a step ahead of the opposition, Ordinary Joe reveals an ordinary man who has helped his teams to achieve extraordinary things.

A high-octane, no-holds-barred account of a year inside Formula 1 from Haas team principal Guenther Steiner, star of Drive to Survive, one of the most successful Netflix series of all time.

“People talk about football managers being under pressure. Trust me, that's nothing. Pressure is watching one of your drivers hit a barrier at 190mph and exploding before your eyes...”

In Surviving to Drive, Haas team principal Guenther Steiner brings readers inside his Formula 1 team for the entirety of the 2022 season, giving an unobstructed view of what really takes place behind the scenes. Through this unique lens, Steiner guides readers on the thrilling rollercoaster of life at the heart of high-stakes motor racing. Packed full of twists and turns, from pre-season preparations to hiring and firing drivers, from the design, launch, and testing of a car to the race calendar itself–Surviving to Drive is the first time that an Formula 1 team has allowed an acting team principal to tell the full story of a whole season.

Uncompromising and searingly honest, told in Steiner's inimitable style, Surviving to Drive is a fascinating and hugely entertaining account of the realities of running a Formula 1 team.

The ultimate guide to Real Madrid. The Real Madrid Handbook is an entertaining compendium of fascinating facts, match coverage, stories, personalities and trivia from the biggest club team on the planet. Rab MacWilliam traces the history of Real Madrid from the early 20th century, examining its progress in the domestic cup and league, and analyses the impact that the Republic, the Spanish Civil War and the repressive authoritarian aftermath had on the club. He relates how the stunning success in European football in the mid-1950s to the early 1960s was one of the factors that helped to ease Spain's integration into Europe and explores the club's rise to become one of the most skilful and dominant teams in the global game over the last thirty years. Fascinating, informative, irreverent and insightful, The Real Madrid Handbook is the perfect guide to the history of this extraordinary club.

The English rugby team has been scrummaging its way around the rugby fields of the world since 1871. James Stafford's An Illustrated History of English Rugby takes you on a thrilling journey through a century and a half of glory, failure, mediocrity and brilliance. Mixing stats and facts with player profiles, match reports and social history, this book is perfect for hardcore and casual fans aged eight to 80. Packed with delightful illustrations from Raluca Moldovan, this follow up to Stafford's best-selling An Illustrated History of Welsh Rugby will give readers a new appreciation of the stars of today and the pioneers of yesteryear.

Peterborough United have a proud and illustrious history in the FA Cup. In this book we cover every cup campaign that The Posh have played in, with match reports from the signi?cant games, plus all the facts and ?gures and many photographs of matches and players that have contributed towards Posh`s deserved title of a Giant Killersa

This is a complete history of the England rugby union team - told by the players themselves. Based on a combination of painstaking research into the early years of the England team through exclusive interviews with a vast array of Test match stars from before the Second World War to the present day, world-renowned rugby writers Stephen Jones and Nick Cain delve to the very heart of the English international rugby union experience, painting a unique and utterly compelling picture of the game in the only words that can truly do so: the players' own. This is the definitive story of English Test match rugby - a story etched in blood, sweat and tears; a story of great joy and heart-breaking sorrow; a story of sacrifice, agony, endeavour and triumph. Behind the Rose lifts the lid on what it is to play for England - the trials and tribulations behind the scenes, the glory, the drama and the honour on the field, and the heart-warming tales of friendship and humour off it.Absorbing and illuminating, this is a must-have for all supporters who have ever dreamed of walking the hallowed corridors of Twickenham as a Test match player, preparing themselves for battle in the changing rooms and then marching out to that field of dreams with the deafening roar of the crowd in their ears and the red rose emblazoned on their chest.

Aberdeen have competed on the European stage since season 1967/68 and have enjoyed some epic encounters along the way, culminating in the club's greatest ever victory - beating Real Madrid 2-1 in the 1983 Cup Winner's Cup final. Ally Begg charts a path through Aberdeen's storied history in Europe, vividly brining to life the most interesting, exciting, and unforgettable games by interviewing players from Aberdeen and their rivals and augmenting them with his own richly rendered memories. Aberdeen European Nights takes the reader on a nostalgic romp around the continent, crossing beyond the Iron Curtain and building a fortress at home at Pittodrie. Humorous, quirky and insightful, it is the perfect book for Aberdeen fans, young and old.

Got, Not Got: The Lost World of Leicester City is an Aladdin's cave of memories and memorabilia, guaranteed to whisk you back to Filbert Street's fondly remembered 'Golden Age' of mud and magic - as well as a City-mad childhood of miniature tabletop games and imaginary, comic-fuelled worlds. The book recalls a more innocent era of football, lingering longingly over relics from the good old days - Foxes stickers and petrol freebies, league ladders, big-match programmes and much more - revisiting lost football culture, treasures and pleasures that are 100 per cent Leicester City. If you were a Junior Fox, one of the army of obsessive soccer kids at any time from Gordon Banks lifting the World Cup to the early days of the Premier League, then this is the book to recall the mavericks - Worthington, Weller and Walsh, Lineker, McAllister and Shilton - and the marvels of the Lost World of Football.

Manchester City qualified for the European Cup following their League Championship success in 1967/68. Immediately after winning the title City manager Malcolm Allison said "We'll terrify the cowards of Europe." Inevitably therefore they lost their first-ever European tie against the unfashionable Turkish champions. Since that date the club's supporters have witnessed the highs and lows that European football can produce. Notable victories over the best teams in Europe, Gornik in the European Cup Winners' Cup in Vienna, remains clear in the memory as do those matches we would rather forget, Fenerbahce in 1968, Borussia in 1978, right up to present date, where the club promised so much but left the supporters disillusioned. This is an evocative collection of how the media perceived the games, player's memories, supporters European trips, action shots, programme covers and assorted memorabilia. Illustrating the story of City through the triumph and disappointment of epic struggles against the best teams on the continent. So as we head into the future we recall the past

'An intriguing study of the minds of some of rugby's greatest leaders' - Tom English, BBC Sport An Official Licensed Product of the British & Irish Lions A British & Irish Lions tour presents one of the greatest challenges in sport. Rugby is a game that rewards creative expression, toil, teamwork and a never-say-die attitude. It can be joyful, vibrant and beautiful. Equally, it can brutally expose human flaws and frailties - even more so in the hugely pressurised environment of a Lions tour. Every team, no matter how talented, will find itself in dark and difficult situations both on and off the field; the successful ones are those with a leadership group that can navigate these challenging moments. In Legacy of the Lions, former Lions captain Gavin Hastings draws on his own experiences in the famous red jersey and interviews other greats of the game - including, among many others, Sam Warburton, Warren Gatland, Paul O'Connell, Brian O'Driscoll, Martin Johnson, Finlay Calder and Sir Ian McGeechan, plus a selection of their illustrious opponents, such as Kieran Read, John Smit and John Eales - to explore how to forge a successful team in this most rarefied of environments, the difficulties they each encountered and what leadership lessons they learned. Inspiring, humorous and illuminating, Legacy of the Lions casts a unique light on leadership, team-building and elite performance and reveals a new perspective on touring with - and playing against - The British & Irish Lions in the modern era.

How much do you really know about the club you love? You can find out by exploring the 1,000 questions set out in 100 categories that make up this Chelsea quiz book. It s not often that books on football make reference to the CIA, Louis Armstrong, Goldfinger, Isaac Newton and David Bowie, but this one does! Call Yourself a Blues Fan? is a quirky, challenging affair for real Chelsea fans who can test themselves or take on each other, with the emphasis on enjoyment and discovery. Try this for size: Which nine Chelsea coaches and managers have scored in an FA Cup Final as a player? You will struggle to find anything as comprehensive as this eclectic collection. It s a must for Chelsea fans of all ages and you might not see anything quite like it again.

How much do you really know about the club you love? You can find out by exploring the 1,000 questions set out in 100 categories that make up this Everton quiz book. It s not often that books on football make reference to Bob Dylan, the London Underground, Pink Floyd, The Godfather, the Beatles, Shakespeare, Rising Damp and The Who, but this one does! Call Yourself a Toffees Fan? is a quirky, challenging affair for real Everton fans who can test themselves or take on each other, with the emphasis on enjoyment and discovery. Try these for size: in the 1966 FA Cup Final between Everton and Sheffield Wednesday, which surname appeared on both sides? What was unique about the 1962/63 season at Goodison Park? Who is the only Everton manager to score the winning goal in a European Cup Final? You will struggle to find anything as comprehensive as this eclectic collection. It s a must for Everton fans of all ages and you might not see anything quite like it again.

How much do you really know about the club you love? You can find out by exploring the 1,000 questions set out in 100 categories that make up this Liverpool quiz book. It s not often that books on football make reference to the Beatles, Napoleon, Roald Dahl, Moby Dick, 'The Big Bang Theory', Pete Townshend, Dylan Thomas and The Band, but this one does! Try these for size: add one letter to a Liverpool and England international from the 1960s and produce another Liverpool and England international from this century. Which Liverpool manager shares his name with a five-time Open golf champion? The first names of three 21st-century Liverpool players have won The Derby in 1972, the King George at Ascot in 2011 and the St. Leger in 2001, who are the three players? You will struggle to find anything as comprehensive as this eclectic collection. It s a must for Liverpool fans of all ages and you might not see anything quite like it again.

The name 'Everton' has a kind of mystical quality that you just don't get with any other team. The club embodies a fantastic footballing tradition: since 1878, Everton have played more top-flight league games than any other English team and have won the League title nine times. Great players like Dixie Dean, Alex Young, Alan Ball and Howard Kendall have all sworn allegiance and taken Everton to their hearts. For those who know their history, no club compares to Everton.

From is genesis as Newton Heath LYR Football Club founded in 1878 all the way to the global sporting and commercial superpower that it is today, this is the history of Manchester United Football Club as you have never seen it before. Lifelong Red Devils' fan Neville Moir has distilled this extraordinary history into an amusing, fascinating and easy to read anthology. This entertaining volume is an instructive, if sometimes irreverent - but always affectionate - guide to some of the groundbreaking firsts, controversies, innovations, characters, achievements and disasters that have shaped one the greatest sporting institutions on the planet. Whether an expert or a novice, this compendium is perfect for all Man United fans, young and old, around the world.

In May 1990 the unthinkable happened and Sheffield Wednesday were relegated to the second division of English football for the first time in six seasons. Ron Atkinson's talented squad - blessed with the likes of David Hirst, Carlton Palmer, Roland Nilsson and John Sheridan - could go one of two ways; stick together or fall apart. A year later they were back in the big time and holders of the League Cup having beaten Sir Alex Ferguson's Manchester United at Wembley. The collection of huge characters formed one of the most iconic sides in the club's rich history. For the very first time, '91 tells the inside story of that incredible season from those that were there; from training ground crisis talks to terrific goals, laughs, tears and beers on the open-top bus.

Relive the best stories of Chiefs football--newly updated through the 2019- 2020 season! Beginning with their founding as the Dallas Texans of the American Football League in 1960, the Kansas City Chiefs have been one of professional football's most storied franchises. In Tales from the Kansas City Chiefs Sideline, veteran sportswriter Bob Gretz brings the team's rich history to life. Gretz begins with the Chiefs' visionary, 27-year-old owner Lamar Hunt, who founded not only a team but an entire league. After the Texans won the AFL championship in 1962, Hunt moved the team out of his hometown to Kansas City. Two Super Bowl appearances as the representative of the AFL culminated in a Chiefs' championship in 1970, despite being a double-digit underdog to the Minnesota Vikings. It would be the final game featuring an AFL team, as the Chiefs and nine other teams merged with the NFL. Gretz covers the battles leading up to the merger along with the high and low points in team history--the lean years (1972-88); the "Carl and Marty" era, when the team made the play-offs in six consecutive seasons; the "Joe and Marcus" show of 1993; the dismal 2008 season; and the team's 2013 renewal under Andy Reid and John Dorsey. Tales from the Kansas City Chiefs Sideline is a must-have for any Chiefs fan!

How much do you really know about the club you love? You can find out by exploring the 1,000 questions set out in 100 categories that make up this West Ham quiz book. It s not often that books on football make reference to Inspector Morse, Dostoyevsky, Shredded Wheat, The Everly Brothers, Fawlty Towers, Catch-22 and EastEnders, but this one does! Try these for size: which West Ham United player in the 1980 FA Cup Final had already scored for another club in an earlier FA Cup Final? Which two players with West Ham United connections appeared in 43 games between them for Blackburn Rovers when they won the Premier League in 1994/95? And who is the only man to manage West Ham United in two different centuries? You will struggle to find anything as comprehensive as this eclectic collection. This quirky, challenging book is a must for West Ham fans of all ages, and you might not see anything quite like it again.

Packed full of trivia, facts and stats, The Top 10 of Everything England covers every aspect of the Three Lions' long and colourful history in dozens of ranked lists. With a star cast of past and present internationals, the lists include the most inspirational skippers, the most prolific goalscorers, the great managers and the biggest stars in the England Women's team. Among the many memorable moments revisited are England's most iconic World Cup matches, the most celebrated wins against arch-rivals Scotland, the finest goals scored by the likes of Bobby Charlton, Gary Lineker and Wayne Rooney and the most appreciated own goals gifted by the opposition. Additionally, a host of miscellaneous categories rank England's best (and worst!) kits, the funniest fan chants, the most striking and controversial player tattoos and the bizarre incidents on and off the pitch that left supporters bewildered. Fun, informative and thought-provoking, The Top 10 of Everything England is guaranteed to spark lively debate among football fans everywhere.

Manchester City On This Day revisits all the most magical and memorable moments from the club's rollercoaster past, mixing in a maelstrom of quirky anecdotes and legendary characters to produce an irresistibly dippable diary of Blues history - with an entry for every day of the year. From the club's Victorian roots as a church side right up to the Etihad era, City fans have witnessed Edwardian scandal, league and cup triumphs and embarrassments, hard-fought derbies and unforgettable European nights - all featured here. Timeless greats such as Francis Lee and Georgi Kinkladze, Colin Bell, Frank Swift and Billy Meredith all loom larger than life. Revisit 11th May 1968, when City clinched the league title with a 4-3 win at Newcastle. 7th November 1987, when the Blues hit double figures beating Huddersfield Town 10-1 at Maine Road. And 5th May 1956, when Bert Trautmann broke his neck in the Cup Final.

The Matilda Effect is the exciting, inspiring, sometimes infuriating and always colourful story of the Australian women's football (soccer) team, the Matildas, and their ultimately successful struggle, alongside other women from around the world, to compete in World Cup football. From the 1980s, when women had to pay to participate in the pilot Women's World Cup, to 2019, when the principle of equal pay for women players was finally accepted amid surging interest in their game, the voices of key figures emerge. A book at once about and not about sport, and with a throughline of human rights and gender equality history, The Matilda Effect takes the reader out of the stands and onto the pitch, into the team's hotels, buses, boardrooms and social media universe, where positive change has been wrestled into being.