Outcasts! by Steve Menary
'Outcasts! The Lands That FIFA Forgot' examines the much tarnished reputation of FIFA, the governing body of world football, and just how they justify the exclusion of some 'nations' from their organisation while welcoming others. For two years, Steve Menary traced the incredible journeys of the teams that FIFA refuse to recognise - either for reasons of political expediency, or because FIFA just believed they could not compete with the likes of Montserrat on the world stage. Intrigued by just why anyone would want to play for such no hoper 'nations', he became drawn into a scene which surprised him in its positive approach to both the beautiful game and nationalism, and eventually resulted in the FIFI (Federation of International Football Independents) 'Wild Cup', featuring teams from officially non-existent countries such as Zanzibar, Greenland, Tibet and Northern Cyprus, being successfully staged in Germany prior to the FIFA World Cup in 2006. Along the way, he discovered the dentist from Greenland who risked his career to play for his 'country', the pitch battle amongst kit manufacturers to sponsor the Tibetan national football team and why the Gibraltan 'national' football team might just force an end to centuries of dispute over the rock between Britain and Spain.
Outcasts! is a must-read for all football fans- Sporting Life; One book that might intrigue the discerning reader this Christmas - Sunday Telegraph; Buy this - The Times; Lively, informative - The Independent on Sunday; Menary is an enthusiast with a talent for getting the best out of his interviewees and a keen eye for the encapsulating episode - Daily Telegraph; Thought provoking questions about the nature of national identity - Four Four Two; Menary is an admirably sure-footed guide ... he never loses sight of the human stories ... a gentle meditation not merely on the power of football, but also on what it means to be a country - When Saturday Comes; Once in a while a book comes along with an unusual subject matter that captures the imagination and Menary's Outcasts falls into that category - Yorkshire Post; A thoroughly absorbing and entertaining examination of the issues involved, never threatening to outstay its welcome - Isle of Man Today; A fascinating insight - Guernsey Press & Star; Outcasts is as good as it gets - Birmingham Post; Excellent! - The Scotsman.
Steve Menary is a freelance writer and journalist. A regular contributor to World Soccer and When Saturday Comes magazines, he has also written for Sport & Society journal and spoke at the Play the Game conference in Denmark on Non-FIFA affiliated football. He lives in the New Forest with his wife and two children.
| SKU | Unavailable |
| ISBN 13 | 9781905449316 |
| ISBN 10 | 1905449313 |
| Title | Outcasts! |
| Author | Steve Menary |
| Condition | Unavailable |
| Binding Type | Hardback |
| Publisher | Pitch Publishing Ltd |
| Year published | 2007-11-30 |
| Number of pages | 240 |
| Prizes | Short-listed for British Sports Book Awards: Best Football Book 2008 |
| Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
| Note | Unavailable |