The Outsider

Author: Jonathan Wilson
Publisher: Orion
ISBN: 1409123200
Category : Sports & Recreation
Languages : en
Pages : 411

Book Description
'The ever-readable Wilson explores the psychological pressures of being cast in the role of the scapegoat ... Thought-provoking and full of interesting detail ... this book scores on every level' INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY Aloof, solitary, impassive, the crack goalie is followed in the streets by entranced small boys. He vies with the matador and the flying aces, an object of thrilled adulation. He is the lone eagle, the man of mystery, the last defender' Vladimir Nabokov Albert Camus, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Yevgeny Yevtushenko, Pope John Paul II, Julian Barnes and not forgetting Nabokov himself ... it's safe to say the position of goalkeeper has over the years attracted a different sort of character than your average footballer. In this first-ever cultural history of the 'loner' between the posts, Jonathan Wilson traces the sometimes dangerous intellectual and literary preoccupations of the keeper, and looks at how the position has secured a certain existential cool. He travels to the Bassa region of Cameroon, which has produced two of Africa's greatest keepers, and also to Romania to talk to Helmuth Duckadam, who saved four penalties for Steaua Bucharest in the 1986 European Cup final. His absorbing tactical and technical insights into football history even take us back to the days when matches were contested without a man between the sticks. THE OUTSIDER is the definitive account of that most mysterious of footballing personalities - the goalkeeper.

My Greatest Save

Author: Briana Scurry
Publisher: Abrams
ISBN: 1647005485
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 204

Book Description
A deeply moving and painfully honest memoir from the trailblazing, World Cup–winning, Olympic gold medalist, and US Women’s soccer goalie Briana Scurry Briana Scurry was a pioneer on the US Women’s National Team. She won gold in Atlanta in 1996, the first time women’s soccer was ever played in the Olympics. She was a key part of the fabled “99ers,” making an epic save in the decisive penalty-kick shootout in the final. Scurry captured her second Olympic gold in 2004, cementing her status as one of the premier players in the world. She was the only Black player on the team, and she was also the first player to be openly gay. It was a singularly amazing ride, one that Scurry handled with her trademark generosity and class—qualities that made her one of the most popular players ever to wear a US jersey. But Scurry’s storybook career ended in 2010 when a knee to the head left her with severe head trauma. She was labeled “temporarily totally disabled,” and the reality was even worse. She spiraled into depression, debt, and endured such pain that she closed out her closest friends and soccer soulmates. She pawned her gold medals. She walked to the edge of a waterfall and contemplated suicide. It seemed like the only way out until Scurry made her greatest save of all. A memoir of startling candor, My Greatest Save is a story of triumph, tragedy, and redemption from a woman who has broken through barriers her entire life.

Twelve Yards

Author: Ben Lyttleton
Publisher: Penguin
ISBN: 0698188373
Category : Sports & Recreation
Languages : en
Pages : 354

Book Description
An all-encompassing look at the penalty kick, soccer’s all-or-nothing play—its legendary moments and the secrets to its success No stretch of grass has been the site of more glory or heartbreak in the world of sports than the few dozen paces between goalkeeper and penalty kicker in soccer. In theory, it’s simple: place the ball beyond a single defender and secure a place in history. But once the chosen players make the lonely march from their respective sides of the pitch, everything changes, all bets are off, and anything can happen. Drawing from the hard-won lessons of legendary games, in-depth statistical analysis, expert opinion, and the firsthand experience of coaches and players from around the world, journalist Ben Lyttleton offers insight into the diverse attitudes, tactics, and techniques that separate success from failure in one of the highest-pressure situations sports has to offer.

G.O.A.T. Soccer Goalkeepers

Author: Alexander Lowe
Publisher: Lerner Publications TM
ISBN: 172845350X
Category : Juvenile Nonfiction
Languages : en
Pages : 32

Book Description
Prepare to field one of the toughest questions in soccer: Who is the greatest soccer goalkeeper of all time? Goalkeepers might be soccer's most important players. Learn about incredible goalkeepers and the saves, scoreless streaks, and championships that make them the greatest of all time. Go deep with stats and action-packed text to discover the best soccer goalkeepers of the past and present in a fun, top-ten format. Study the evidence for yourself, and research your own G.O.A.T. list. Then have fun convincing your fellow soccer fans that your list is the best!

The Complete Soccer Goalkeeper

Author: Tim Mulqueen
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781492537847
Category : Soccer
Languages : en
Pages : 195

Book Description
Shut down the opponent and stop every shot. Only The Complete Soccer Goalkeeper will show you how to combine awareness, technique, and physical conditioning to anticipate the opponent's every move. In The Complete Soccer Goalkeeper, renowned goalkeeping coach Tim Mulqueen shares his secrets and provides unparalleled instruction for developing the skills, techniques, and mental mind-set for mastering the game's toughest position: - Stance, positioning, and footwork - Leaping, diving, and saving shots at various heights - Orchestrating the defense and distributing the ball - Reading the game, including shooters, angles, and set plays - Penalty kicks and situation-specific tactics - Specific conditioning exercises to develop explosive power, sharpen eye-hand coordination, and improve reaction time The Complete Soccer Goalkeeper also includes advice from leading goalkeepers, analysis of many of the game's stellar saves, and exclusive insights from today's top attackers on the defensive weaknesses they try to exploit. From tactics to strategies, The Complete Soccer Goalkeeper is simply the most complete guide available for players and coaches of the game's most challenging position.

The Goalkeeper's Revenge

Author: Bill Naughton
Publisher: A&C Black
ISBN: 1448203848
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 104

Book Description
The Goalkeeper's Revenge is comprised of stories of a Lancashire childhood: of football on the streets, fishing, fighting and school, of growing up and looking for work, and of characters such as Spit Nolan the champion trolley-rider, Sim Dalt the goalkeeper and Maggie Gregory the amazing reader.

The Keeper

Author: Tim Howard
Publisher: HarperCollins
ISBN: 0062387383
Category : Sports & Recreation
Languages : en
Pages : 221

Book Description
In this inspiring, down-to-earth memoir the revered goalkeeper and American icon idolized by millions worldwide for his dependability, daring, and humility recounts his rise to stardom at the 2014 World Cup, the psychological and professional challenges he has faced, and the enduring faith that has sustained him. In The Keeper, the man who electrified the world with his amazing performance in Brazil does something he would never do on a soccer field: he drops his guard. As fiercely protective about his privacy as he is guarding the goal on the field, Howard opens up for the first time about how a hyperactive kid from New Jersey with Tourette’s syndrome defied the odds to become one of the world’s premier goalkeepers. The Keeper recalls his childhood, being raised by a single mother who instilled in him a love of sports and a devout Christian faith that helped him cope when he was diagnosed with Tourette’s in the fifth grade. He looks back over his fifteen-year professional career—from becoming the youngest player to win MLS Goalkeeper of the Year to his storied move to the English Premier League with Manchester United and his current team, Liverpool’s Everton, to becoming an overnight star after his record-making performance with the United States Men’s National Team. He also talks about the things closest to his heart—the importance of family and the Christian beliefs that guide him. Told in his thoughtful and articulate voice, The Keeper is an illuminating look at a remarkable man who is an inspirational role model for all of us. The Keeper is illustrated with two 8-page color photo inserts.

A Life Too Short

Author: Ronald Reng
Publisher: Random House
ISBN: 1446499022
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 353

Book Description
WINNER OF THE WILLIAM HILL SPORTS BOOK OF THE YEAR WINNER OF THE BRITISH SPORTS BOOK AWARDS FOOTBALL BOOK OF THE YEAR Why does an international footballer with the world at his feet decide to take his own life? On 10 November 2009 the German national goalkeeper, Robert Enke, stepped in front of a passing train. He was thirty-two years old and a devoted husband and father. Enke had played for a string of Europe's top clubs, including Barcelona and Jose Mourinho's Benfica and was destined to become his country's first choice in goal for years to come. But beneath the veneer of success, Enke battled with crippling depression. Award-winning writer Ronald Reng pieces together the puzzle of his friend's life, shedding valuable light on the crushing pressures endured by professional sportsmen and on life at the top clubs. At its heart, Enke's tragedy is a universal story of a man struggling against his demons. ‘It should be on every British football fan's reading list’ Metro

Keeper

Author: Mal Peet
Publisher: Candlewick Press
ISBN: 0763654345
Category : Young Adult Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 233

Book Description
An enthralling story of a poor and gawky kid who mysteriously becomes the world's greatest goalkeeper — a seamless blend of magic realism and exhilarating soccer action. "And you found it, this thing you were looking for?" It was darker now, and the city below Faustino's office was a jazzy dance of neon signs and traffic. The big man went to the window and looked down at it all, spreading his large hands on the glass. "No," he said. "It found me." When Paul Faustino of LA NACION flips on his tape recorder for an exclusive interview with El Gato — the phenomenal goalkeeper who single-handedly brought his team the World Cup — the seasoned reporter quickly learns that this will be no ordinary story. Instead, the legendary El Gato ("The Cat") quietly narrates a spellbinding tale that begins in a mythic corner of the South American rain forest, where a ghostly but very real mentor, the Keeper, emerges to teach the gangly boy the most thrilling secrets of the game. Combining vivid imagery and heart-stopping action, this evocative, strikingly ethereal novel about loyalty, passion, and magic will haunt readers, regardless of their love for soccer, long after the story is ended.

Best Soccer Players of All Time

Author: Chrös McDougall
Publisher: ABDO
ISBN: 1629694401
Category : Juvenile Nonfiction
Languages : en
Pages : 67

Book Description
This title will introduce you to Pelé, Mia Hamm, Lionel Messi, and more of the all-time greatest players in soccer. Complete with action-packed stories of their most memorable moments, spotlight stats, information boxes, a glossary, additional resources and more. Aligned to Common Core Standards and correlated to state standards. SportsZone is an imprint of Abdo Publishing, a division of ABDO.