Contents:
He also has a love of Eastern European Football that comes through in the book. The book covers Ukra Behind the Curtain: The book covers Ukraine, Poland, Hungary, the former Yugoslavia, Bulgaria, Romania, The Caucasus and Russia in long chapters that go through the history of national teams, major clubs, great players and great coaches. The political arrangements are followed by the deal and corruption of the modern era.
Despite being a football book it prompts the question of why organise football well at all if society is collapsing. In places where football is used as a political tool it makes sense but in corrupt broken countries it's hard to justify running a club well. It does make you realise that well run clubs that are not corrupt are in many ways stranger than a club run by a local rich man. The book wouldn't be fun for anyone who isn't interested in football.
It probably requires both an interest in football and an interest in Eastern Europe, but if you are interested in both then it's a well written, rewarding read. May 25, Helena Demirci rated it really liked it. As he raised his arms in celebration, though, the linesman raised his flag: What followed has come to symbolise both the madness of football under the Ceausescu regime and the intensity of the rivalry between Dinamo and Steaua.
According to most witnesses, Valentin Ceausescu, son of Nicol Favourite quotes: According to most witnesses, Valentin Ceausescu, son of Nicolae and president of Steaua, signalled from the Communist Party box for his players to leave the field. We were left standing around for half an hour waiting for somebody to tell us what to do'. Taking some kind of initiative, the Dinamo defender Ioan Andone dropped his shorts and waved his penis in protest at the Communist Party box, an act for which he received a one-year ban from football.
The referee eventually abandoned the match and the cup was presented to Dinamo. After thirty five minutes though, they found themselves down That, clearly, wouldn't do, so General Blinov, deputy minister of the Ministry of State Security, telephoned the government room at the stadium and ordered the Armenian Minister of the Interior, Comrade Grigoryan, to take measures to ensure victory for Dinamo Moscow When the teams came out for the second half, a sinister figure in a black coat took up a position behind the Yerevan goal, every now and again hissing 'Miss!
Mar 04, Ben Cullimore rated it it was amazing. There is little doubt that Jonathan Wilson is one of the finest football writers of our time, and he showcases it perfectly in Behind the Curtain: Travels in Eastern European Football , which is arguably his most impressive work.
Wilson's blending of political history and tales of some of the most important events in football is both fascinating and entertaining, and he perfectly guides the reader through his travels across this wonderful region. Through interviews and an impressive personal know There is little doubt that Jonathan Wilson is one of the finest football writers of our time, and he showcases it perfectly in Behind the Curtain: Through interviews and an impressive personal knowledge, Wilson paints a vivid picture of Eastern Europe, highlighting not only its interesting and, at times, problematic past but also the current landscape and what the future may hold for a region in which blood and football are intrinsically linked.
Buy Behind the Curtain: Football in Eastern Europe: Travels in Eastern European Football New Ed by Jonathan Wilson (ISBN: ) from Amazon's. Behind the Curtain [Jonathan Wilson] on www.farmersmarketmusic.com Behind the Curtain: Football in Eastern Europe and millions of other books are available for Amazon .
As summarized in the title, this book is an introduction to the tragicomedy Eastern Europe and the history of its football soccer. The fall of the iron curtain, the Bosnian war, intra-Soviet geopolitics, transitions from communism, disappointments in democracy, you get to see them all through the lens of football. Apr 14, Richard Todd rated it really liked it. A superb advertisement for east European football. Well judged balance between history, culture and football. Jan 23, Rob rated it liked it.
Writing any book about Eastern Europe must be a hazardous process. The chief problem involves a decision on whether to concentrate on life before the collapse of communism or what has ensued since. Most authors take the former course and so Wilson should be congratulated for attempting to tackling the chaotic, often anarchic, events of recent years. Wilson does well to capture the fast pace of change in Eastern Europe and the rise of previously unheralded clubs such as Litex Lovech and Groclin.
The pace of events also proves to be his downfall though. It is quite possible that he should have waited until he was a bit older before writing the book a mention of a school trip to Russia marks him out as startlingly young and it is not clear if he travelled to the eastern Bloc before the end of the old systems, and recent astonishing events such as CSKA's UEFA Cup win and the huge sums dished out by the likes of Dynamo Moscow are relegated to the epilogue. He also states that "..
Steaua secured themselves a place in the semi final of the UEFA Cup - merely weeks after this book was published. Another frustration is the selective nature of the coverage. To be more authoritative, the book could have been a good deal longer, with a statistics section at the back listing league title winners in the various countries. It might also have benefitted from broad brush analysis and less reliance on the personalized accounts of whichever personality Wilson managed to track down at any particular time interesting as some of these undoubtedly are.
East Germany - and Dynamo Berlin's run of league titles in the s - is a major omission. It would have been fascinating to have Wilson's opinions on how the likes of Hansa Rostock and Dynamo Dresden have struggled in a united league. And what of Latvia? Their achievement in reaching the finals of Euro isn't mentioned at all. Overall, however, the pace with which I read this book is a testament to how interesting it is and Wilson is certainly a football writer to look out for in the future. Aug 08, C M rated it it was amazing Shelves: Behind the Curtain is the ultimate book on football and politics in Eastern Europe.
Jonathan Wilson has long covered football in post-communist Europe for a variety of soccer blogs and magazines and combines rich historical detail with passionate and lively accounts of trips to the big and small teams of the region.
Divided into chapters on specific countries often within subregions , Wilson describes many famous historic stories about famous and mythical clubs, games or players -- often in exc Behind the Curtain is the ultimate book on football and politics in Eastern Europe. Divided into chapters on specific countries often within subregions , Wilson describes many famous historic stories about famous and mythical clubs, games or players -- often in excruciating and at times confusing detail -- but also tells lively stories of his personal trips through the region in which he interviewed the who is who in East European football.
While the book is at times overly detailed, and does require quite some previous knowledge about the region to fully appreciate, it is an amazing work that belongs to the best books on football and politics. Jun 25, Andhika Padmawan rated it really liked it Shelves: It took me a while to finish this book, since I'm only interested in Aranycsapat, the mighty Hungary national team in the s. This book is for people who want to understand the concept and history of football in Eastern Europe.
Jonathan was able to brought this fairy tale in It took me a while to finish this book, since I'm only interested in Aranycsapat, the mighty Hungary national team in the s. Jonathan was able to brought this fairy tale into the book. Jun 30, James Ware rated it really liked it. I really enjoyed this book, the mix of history and football culture was about right. The ex-players and people connected with the sport that he meets on his travels are interesting to say the least.
This really is a must for the type of fan who has a thirst for knowledge on the game in the darker parts of Europe. Add all three to Cart Add all three to List. One of these items ships sooner than the other. Buy the selected items together This item: Ships from and sold by Amazon. Angels with Dirty Faces: Customers who bought this item also bought. Page 1 of 1 Start over Page 1 of 1. The History of Soccer Tactics.
Soccer Against the Enemy: Soccer in Sun and Shadow. Here's how restrictions apply. Orion; New Ed edition November 1, Language: Start reading Behind the Curtain: Football in Eastern Europe on your Kindle in under a minute. Don't have a Kindle? Try the Kindle edition and experience these great reading features: Share your thoughts with other customers.
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Viewed as a collection of unrelated stories on the same topic triumph and tragedy in the football cultures of former Soviet republics , this book succeeds. It is not a tight continuous narrative, though. This makes for good airplane or beach reading. Take a country's chapter, read it on a short flight, and you can pick up a few weeks later with another country if you like. It is also a vivid depiction of these places and the people who inhabit them, which is a nice bonus in a football book.
There have been some real personalities over the years.
According to most witnesses, Valentin Ceausescu, son of Nicolae and president of Steaua, signalled from the Communist Party box for his players to leave the field. Book ratings by Goodreads. Published November 1st by Orion first published October 1st Fear and Loathing in La Liga: Jan 02, Robin Peake rated it liked it Shelves: Football in Eastern Europe on your Kindle in under a minute.
I recommend Behind the Curtain if you enjoy learning about this part of the world and if you like reading stories about football or sports in general. One person found this helpful. Kindle Edition Verified Purchase. Jonathan Wilson is a great author who investigated these stories so well! I've always been in love with Eastern European football, and it was great to learn about it in such entertaining and detailed fashion. Weaving history and culture with football, the big picture issues with money after the fall of communism are painted brilliantly.
The politics of historically politically significant Eastern European clubs are depicted wonderfully. I wish there was more to go from here and more Wilson books available on Kindle! Only thing is that the landscape in Russia has changed so dramatically over the past few years see Zenit, Rubin, Terek, Anzhi , it could perhaps use a bit of an addition to the Russian section. Other than that, an amazing book!
This is my favorite soccer book I've read. Part travelogue, part history and politics, and part sport, in 'Behind the Curtain' Jonathan Wilson travels through Eastern Europe and explores the people, the cultures, and the problems via the lens of football. Whether he is sharing a drink with former guerrillas in Belgrade, or traveling the back roads of Armenia, Wilson's book is enthralling and I couldn't put it down.
Extremely well-researched and educational, yet fun at the same time.