A collection of humorous, touching and uplifting stories about life, rugby and everything else by one of South Africa’s true rugby legends ... Theuns Stofberg’s illustrious rugby career spanned from 1976 to 1985, and he is commonly considered one of the all-time Springbok greats. As the 36th captain of the Springboks, one of only 56 players to be given this honour, he was tough and uncompromising on the field but a true gentleman and great raconteur off it, which he proves with the anecdotes collected in this book. In Stories from the Touchline, he takes the reader behind the scenes, from his childhood days as a schoolboy rugby player to the 1981 flour-bomb tour of New Zealand and winning the Currie Cup for three different provinces – a feat unmatched to this day. He also writes about what it was like playing with legends such as Morné du Plessis, Gerrie Germishuys, Schalk Burger Sr and Gysie Pienaar, marvels at the fans’ odd and often colourful behaviour, and affords readers a fascinating glimpse into the amateur days of rugby in South Africa. He also shares his personal struggles with a speech impediment and ill health, and coping with family tragedy, in his own inimitable way. By turns deeply personal, amusing and nostalgic, this book will be treasured by each and every South African rugby fan.

"Theuns Stofberg's illustrious rugby career spanned from 1976 to 1985, and he is commonly considered one of the all-time Springbok greats. As the 36th captain of the Springboks, one of only 56 players to be given this honour, he was tough and uncompromising on the field but a true gentleman and great raconteur off it, which he proves with the anecdotes collected in this book. In Stories from the Touchline, he takes the reader behind the scenes, from his childhood days as a schoolboy rugby player to the 1981 flour-bomb tour of New Zealand and winning the Currie Cup for three different provinces - a feat unmatched to this day. He also writes about what it was like playing with legends such as Morné du Plessis, Gerrie Germishuys, Schalk Burger Sr and Gysie Pienaar, marvels at the fans' odd and often colourful behaviour, and affords readers a fascinating glimpse into the amateur days of rugby in South Africa. He also shares his personal struggles with a speech impediment and ill health, and coping with family tragedy, in his own inimitable way. By turns deeply personal, amusing and nostalgic, this book will be treasured by each and every South African rugby fan."--Page [4] of book cover.

A contemporary mm/ gay sports romance set in New Zealand around rugby and the All Blacks

Journalist Ian Plenderleith's Rock 'n' Roll Soccer presents the raucous history of the hype and chaos surrounding the rapid rise and cataclysmic fall of the NASL. The North American Soccer League - at its peak in the late 1970s - presented soccer as performance, played by men with a bent for flair, hair and glamour. More than just Pelé and the New York Cosmos, it lured the biggest names of the world game like Johan Cruyff, Franz Beckenbauer, Eusebio, Gerd Müller and George Best to play the sport as it was meant to be played-without inhibition, to please the fans. The first complete look at the ambitious, star-studded NASL, Rock 'n' Roll Soccer reveals how this precursor to modern soccer laid the foundations for the sport's tremendous popularity in America today. Bringing to life the color and chaos of an unfairly maligned league, soccer journalist Ian Plenderleith draws from research and interviews with the men who were there to reveal the madness of its marketing, the wild expectations of businessmen and corporations hoping to make a killing out of the next big thing, and the insanity of franchises in scorching cities like Las Vegas and Hawaii. That's not to mention the league's on-running fight with FIFA as the trailblazing North American continent battled to innovate, surprise, and sell soccer to a whole new world. As entertaining and raucous as the league itself, Rock 'n' Roll Soccer recounts the hype and chaos surrounding the rapid rise and cataclysmic fall of the NASL, an enterprising and groundbreaking league that did too much right to ignore.

Jack Crompton is one of only two surviving members of Manchester United's illustrious 1948 FA Cup winning side and the first to pen his autobiography. Jack served the club as goalkeeper, trainer and caretaker manager for almost 40 years between the 1940s and the 1980s. His career between the sticks brought the first taste of glory to Matt Busby's United, starring in a team that helped transform the club from pre-war also-rans to England's best supported club. As a 'keeper Jack was an automatic choice until the signing of Reg Allen and the emergence of Ray Wood in the 1950s. With the emergence of the Babes, many of whom Jack captained in the club's reserve team, Jack moved on to coach Luton Town in 1956. But in the wake of the Munich Air Disaster two years later, he returned to the club to assist Jimmy Murphy and, after his recovery, Matt Busby in United's re-building. An integral part of United's coaching set-up throughout the sixties, Jack was a trusted fi gure for players and management and helped guide the club to honours culminating in long-awaited European success in 1968. As assistant to Wilf McGuinness Jack witnessed first-hand the difficulties the club faced following Busby's retirement and moved on to coach at Preston with Bobby Charlton before managing Fourth Division Barrow. He returned to Old Trafford under Dave Sexton as reserve coach, finishing his lengthy professional association with the club as caretaker manager during a tour of the Far East in 1981 which could have ended in diplomatic disaster without Jack's forward planning and patience. Now a sprightly octagenarian in 'From Goal-line to Touchline' he talks candidly about the considerable changes in the game and refl ects on a career that took in glory and tragedy in equal measure.

Outspoken, honest, game changing—ultimate soccer insider and legendary coach Bruce Arena looks back on an extraordinary career, and forward to what the United States needs to do to compete successfully on the world stage once again. “Arena depicts the human side of managing elite athletes.… [US soccer] fans will definitely want to pick this up.”—Publishers Weekly At around 8:37 p.m. EST on October 10, 2017, an unheralded Trinidadian right back, Alvin Jones, received possession of the football in a World Cup qualifier against the United States. Looking up, he took one touch and unleashed an extraordinary shot toward the American goal. No one in the stadium—least of all US coach Bruce Arena, standing ten yards away on the touchline—thought the ball would hit the back of the net. But hit the back of the net it did. And so, on that fateful muggy night at Ato Boldon Stadium, in Trinidad, Alvin Jones doomed the United States to miss the World Cup for the first time in thirty-two years. Cue hand-wringing and moans of pain from the legions of US Men’s National Team fans. With that ultimate 2–1 defeat and ouster from the World Cup, American soccer realized it had to take a long, hard look at itself. In What’s Wrong with US?, Bruce Arena begins that painful but much-needed process. Arena has won everything there is to win in sports, including college championships and Major League Soccer triumphs—he has even excelled as a coach of lacrosse, his first passion. His 2002 World Cup soccer team came a non-called handball away from the semifinals; and, having worked with the likes of David Beckham, Landon Donovan, and Christian Pulisic, he has had a storied life as a coach. Now, though, it’s time to take stock and have an honest discussion about what’s wrong with soccer in the United States. Arena casts his eye on recruiting, coaching, the structure of Major League Soccer, the integration of overseas players, and the role of money in the modern game. He looks back at the 2018 qualifying campaign, reveals what went wrong, and looks forward to a new way of soccer in America.

Experience the sport of soccer like never before! More Than Goalswill take you inside each level of competition and development of the most successful U.S. men's soccer player ever. Coaches, teammates, and opponents recognize that Reyna's value on the field and to a squad extends far beyond the goal-scoring situations he creates. More Than Goals captures the consummate leader and captain's passion and knowledge for the game. You'll gain both an appreciation of what it takes to excel in the sport and insights on how to play it. Author Claudio Reyna has been a champion performer from youth club through professional levels. The following are among his accomplishments: -Two-time state champion and two-time Parade magazine High School Player of the Year at St. Benedict's Prep (New Jersey) -Three-time national champion and All-American, two-time Player of the Year, and College Player of the Century at the University of Virginia -Three-time World Cup competitor and World Cup all-star team selection in 2002 -Captain of teams in top professional leagues in Germany, Scotland, and England Reyna is currently with Manchester City of the English Premier League and is also the U.S. national team captain.