The Blizzard is a quarterly football publication, put together by a cooperative of journalists and authors, its main aim to provide a platform for top-class writers from across the globe to enjoy the space and the freedom to write what they like about the football stories that matter to them. Contents of Issue Fourteen ------------------------- World Cup Review ------------------------- * Cassiano Gobbet, The End of the Affair - Brazil’s 7-1 semi-final defeat will reverberate through history: what went wrong? * Ben Lyttleton, The Inevitable Conclusion - Another World Cup exit on penalties: why can’t the Dutch win shoot-outs? * Various, Notes from a Tournament - It wasn’t all about the football. Memories of the 2014 World Cup. * Ryu Voelkel, A selection of the best images from the 2014 World Cup --------------------- Past Glories --------------------- * Elko Born, The Velvet Revolution - Johan Cruyff, Ajax and the struggle for the soul of Dutch football * Dan Nolan, Orbán Planning - The Hungarian prime minister’s attempts to restore the national team to glory * Rob Smyth, Lars Eriksen, Mike Gibbons, The End of the Affair - How Spain and a misplaced backpass halted Denmark’s glorious 1986 World Cup campaign --------------------- The Misfits --------------------- * Richard Jolly, Bye-bye Bebé - The strange Manchester United career of the Portuguese striker * Luke Alfred, Best in Show - While most fans were focused on the 1974 World Cup, George Best was playing in South Africa * Joachim Barbier, The Still Point - Can a player like Javier Pastore make it at a club like PSG? ------------------------------ The Revolutionaries ------------------------------ * Alex Footman, $10 Per Day - Aid poverty and political turmoil, football goes on in Afghanistan * John Harding, Football’s First Millionaire - How Bolton’s Jack Slater smashed class barriers to make his fortune * Pedar Foss, The Rise and Fall of Castel Rigone - The entrepreneur, the village team and the experiment in humanistic capitalism * Gunnar Persson, A Passage to Indiana - The Swedish great Murren Carlsson’s doomed attempt to make it in the USA * Philippe Auclair, The Second Birth of French Football - Michel Hidalgo survived kidnapping to lead France to the 1978 World Cup ----------------- Fiction ----------------- * Iain Macintosh, Quantum of Bobby - Spinning through time and space, Bobby Manager finds himself in Escape to Victory ------------------------ Greatest Games ------------------------ * Michael Yokhin, Russia 1 Ukraine 1 - Euro 2000 qualifier, Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow, 9 October 1999 ------------------- Eight Bells ------------------- * Jack Lang, Brazilian Courtroom Dramas - A selection of controversies in the Brazilian game that were settled off the pitch

The Blizzard is a quarterly football publication, put together by a cooperative of journalists and authors, its main aim to provide a platform for top-class writers from across the globe to enjoy the space and the freedom to write what they like about the football stories that matter to them. Issue Nine Contents ----------- Iran ----------- * The Vacant Lot, by Gwendolyn Oxenham—The search for a kickabout in Iran is complicated by religion and gender politics * Conflict Management, by Noah Davis—Dan Gaspar is a key part of Iran's qualifying campaign for Brazil 2014 despite holding a US passport --------------- Interview --------------- * Zbigniew Boniek, by Maciej Iwanski—The Polish great discusses Juventus, the modern game and his friendship with Michel Platini ------------------------------------------- For the Good of the Game ------------------------------------------- * The Only Way is Ethics, by Philippe Auclair- Fifa's super-cop Michael J Garcia explains his mission to wash the corruption out of football * Power Play, by James Corbett—The Asian Football Confederation's presidential elections highlight football's murky governance * Genesis, by Davidde Corran—How a tournament in China in 1988 changed women's football forever ------------- Theory ------------- * The Weight of the Armband, by Joel Richards—The Argentina coach Alejandro Sabella explains why he made Lionel Messi national captain * Pep's Four Golden Rules, by Simon Kuper—How Guardiola made Barcelona the masters of the pressing game * Taking the Initiative, by Nick Ames—Andy Roxburgh, the former Uefa technical director, on how football tactics are changing --------------- The North --------------- * City and the City, by David Conn—What does Sheikh Mansour's investment mean for the city of Manchester? * Meanwhile Back in Sunderland, by Jon Spurling—How a Tyne Tees documentary on Cup final day 1973 captured the spirit of the town * That Grandish Pile of Swank, by Anthony Clavane—Tracing Leeds United's place in the tradition of Northern Realism ------------------ Lev Yashin ------------------ * The Jersey That Wasn't Black, by Igor Rabiner—Lev Yashin's widow and Eusébio remember the great Soviet goalkeeper --------------- Polemics --------------- * Partisans and Purists, by Charlie Robinson—Do fans experience football differently to those who watch without a vested interest? * The Lager of Life, by Tim Vickery—Football is haunted by violence, but can it be blamed for it? -------------------- Past Glories -------------------- * The Nearly Men, by Ian Hawkey—Zimbabwe's nostalgia for the Dream Team of Bruce Grobbelaar and the Ndlovu brothers * The Grand Griguol, by Dan Colasimone—How El Viejo defied accusations of boringness to inspire the golden age of Ferro Carril Oeste * A Dream Denied, by Antonis Oikonomidis—But for the politics of Greek football, Ferenc Puskás might have ended up in Athens not Madrid --------------- Fiction --------------- * In Search of Punditaria, by Scott Oliver—An anthropologist heads into the jungle to discover a society founded by stranded football journalists ---------------------------- Greatest Games ---------------------------- * Bari 4 Internazionale 1, Rory Smith—Serie A, Stadio San Nicola, Bari, 6 January 1996 ------------------ Eight Bells ------------------ * Goalless Draws", by Jonathan Wilson- A selection of the best 0-0s in history

First published in December 2016, Issue Twenty Three contains 18 articles in 6 sections, including: Paul Simpson on the end of Ron Knee and Private Eye's relationship with football; Joe Devine talks to David Icke about football's role as an opiate to suppress the masses; and Rupert Fryer with a selection of nutmegs for the ages.

First published in September 2016, Issue Twenty Two contains 17 articles in 6 sections, including: Shaul Adar on football, family and the improbable success of Hapoel Be'er Sheva; Sam Wetherell on what San Jose Earthquakes tell us about the condition of Major League Soccer; and Juliet Jacques interviews Lilian Thuram on 1998, social cohesion and the importance of football as a political tool.

The Blizzard is a quarterly football publication, put together by a cooperative of journalists and authors, its main aim to provide a platform for top-class writers from across the globe to enjoy the space and the freedom to write what they like about the football stories that matter to them. Contents of Issue Five ---------------------------- World Cup Bidding ---------------------------- * The Fall-Out, by James Corbett—Significant questions remain unanswered about the World Cup bid process * Russia's Victory, by Igor Rabiner—Russia's success in the 2018 bid was a triumph over internal as well as external opponents * Qatar Hero, by Philippe Auclair- Michel Platini is often seen as the ex-pro coming to save Fifa. But why did he vote for Qatar? ---------------- Interview ---------------- * Sócrates — The former Brazil captain talks to David Tryhorn about why footballers have a political responsibility -------------- Theory -------------- * Roy of the Rover, by Philippe Auclair—Roy Hodgson explains how his travels have shaped his coaching philosophy * Like a Shooting Star, by Luca Ferrato—How Ternana soared and then crashed with Corrado Viciani's high-tempo style * The Skilling Fields, by Steve Bartram—Manchester United are just one of the clubs influenced by the coaching model of Wiel Coerver ----------------------------- The Asian Market ----------------------------- * The 'Gaijin' of Gamba, by Ben Mabley—Fan culture has begun to challenge Japanese hierarchies. The only European Gamba ultra explains how * Sing when you're Winning, by Ian Griffiths—How the need to appear successful turns fans in Singapore from the S.League to the Premier League --------------------- Photo Essay --------------------- * The Hard Core, by Misha Domozhilov—Images of the fans who followed Zenit St Petersburg as they won the Russian championship in 2010 -------- Fall -------- * The Centre-Back and the Kitchen Knife, by Lars Sivertsen—Claus Lundekvam opens up on his battle against the addiction that overwhelmed him after retirement * My Name is Ally MacLeod and I am a Winner, by Dominic Sandbrook—How Scotland's humiliation at the 1978 World Cup knocked nationalism off course * The Lions Sleep Tonight, by Jonathan Wilson- Ten years after retaining the Cup of Nations, Cameroon failed to qualify. What went wrong? ---------------- Polemics ---------------- * The Real Problem, by Brian Phillips—Is the 'real fan' being marginalised or is he just a rhetorical tool? * Where's Darth Vader Gone?, by Simon Kuper—Is the age of football as a substitute for war coming to an end? * The Culture of Violence, by Sergio Levinsky—The absence of leadership means there is little hope of Argentina's hooligan problem being solved ------------- Fiction ------------- * The Glasses, by David Ashton—A gift from a mysterious visitor changes life for a man on a Scottish estate... --------------------------- Greatest Games --------------------------- * Romania 4-6 Yugoslavia, by Vladimir Novak—World Cup qualifier, Ghencea Stadium, Bucharest, 13 November 1977 ---------------- Five Rings ---------------- * Olympic Stories, by Marcus Christenson, Steve Menary, Jonathan Wilson, Colin Udoh and Joel Richards—Five tales from the rich history of Olympic football

The Blizzard is a quarterly football publication, put together by a cooperative of journalists and authors, its main aim to provide a platform for top-class writers from across the globe to enjoy the space and the freedom to write what they like about the football stories that matter to them. Issue Four Contents ------------------ Barcelona ------------------ * The Inverted Sheepdog, by Graham Hunter—The inside story of how Xavi emerged as the central hub of the world's greatest team * Corrida of Uncertainty, by David Winner—How the cruelty of tiki-taka resembles bull-fighting * The Other Rival, Another Way, by Scott Oliver—When the nastiest rivalry in Spain was between Barcelona and Athletic ---------------- Interview ---------------- * Alex Ferguson—The Manchester United manager tells Philippe Auclair about his early start, the importance of continuity and his need to be alone --------------- London --------------- * Capital Failings, by Ian Hawkey—Football clubs in democratic capitals tend to underperform and London is no exception * A Very English Visionary, by Martin Cloake—How the understated radicalism of Arthur Rowe defined Tottenham's style * South of the River, by Nick Szczepanik—For a spell in the eighties, Charlton Athletic, Crystal Palace, Millwall and Wimbledon challenged the elite * The Bald Eagle and the Modern Way, by Bob Yule—How Jim Smith brough the 3-5-2 to Queens Park Rangers --------------- Theory --------------- * Deschamps-Suaudeau, by Patrick Dessault—Didier Deschamps and Jean-Claude Suaudeau debate the modern vogue for attacking football * The New Enganche, by Sam Kelly—Javier Pastore talks about his move to Paris Saint-Germain and living up to the playmaking ideal ------------- Africa ------------- * Unlikely Hosts, Unlikelier Winners, by Pablo Manriquez and Backpagepix—Images from the 2012 African Cup of Nations * Victory Song, by Jonathan Wilson—How Zambia's emotional triumph restored the zest to the Cup of Nations * The Barefoot Pioneers, by Gary Al-Smith—CK Gyamfi explains how a bootless tour to Britain helped shape the game in Ghana * Ultra Violence, by David Lynch—After the horrors of Port Said, the exact role of ultras in the downfall of Hosny Mubarak remains unclear ------------------------------- In Appreciation Of ------------------------------- * Ronaldo in Moscow, by Sheridan Bird—A slalom through the Luzhniki mud confirmed the genius of "O Fenomeno" * Toussaint on Zidane, by Juliet Jacques—What the World Cup final headbutt meant to the Belgian writer ----------------- Polemics ----------------- * Pelé v Beckham, by Pete Grathoff—Which of the icons had the greater impact on football in the USA? * The Other Cup, by Brian Phillips—How do you solve a problem like the Europa League? * Continental Drift, by Rob Langham—Kazakhstan has slipped behind Uzbekistan since it abandoned Asia ----------------------------- Football Manager ----------------------------- * The Ballad of Bobby Manager: My Autobiography, by Iain Macintosh—When somebody takes their game of Football Manager just a little too seriously... -------------------------- Greatest Games -------------------------- * Racing 1 Celtic 0, by Dan Edwards—Intercontinental Cup final play off, Estadio Centenario, Montevideo, 4 November 1967 ------------------- Eight Bells ------------------- * Shirt Tales, by Scott Murray—The history behind a selection of iconic kits

The Blizzard is a quarterly football publication, put together by a cooperative of journalists and authors, its main aim to provide a platform for top-class writers from across the globe to enjoy the space and the freedom to write what they like about the football stories that matter to them. Issue Three Contents -------------- Spartak -------------- * Fallen Idol, by Igor Rabiner—The decline of Spartak Moscow is inextricably bound up with the fortunes of their former coach, Oleg Romantsev -------------- Interview -------------- * Zagallo and Tostão—Mario Zagallo and Tostão talk to Tim Vickery about 1970, Pelé and the Brazilian style ------------------------- New Beginnings ------------------------- * A Crisis of Legitimacy, by Brian Oliver—Kenyan clubs are leading the fight against corruption in their football association * For Richer, For Poorer, by Shaul Adar—How nationalism has shaped the rise and fall of Beitar Jerusalem ----------------------------- In Appreciation of... ----------------------------- * Angelo Di Livio, by Michael Cox—How the midfielder's loyalty inspired Fiorentina's return from bankruptcy ------------ Theory ------------ * The Mind has Mountains, by Lars Sivertsen—Egil Olsen talks about his conception of the game, Wimbledon and geographical trivia * The Harmony of the Sphere, by Philippe Auclair—An exploration of the links between football and music * Smash and Thunder, by Alexander Jackson—How a change of approach helped Newcastle cast off their chokers tag in the 1910 FA Cup final * The Head Case, by John Sinnott—Standard Liège's Michel Bruyninckx leads the way in developing footballers' mental capacity -------------------- Foreign Soil -------------------- * The Bomb and the Bowler Hat, by Barney Ronay—How modern football was shaped in an internment camp in Berlin * Tour of Duty, by Davidde Corran—With the Vietnam War at its height, Australia sent a team to play in a tournament in Saigon * The Kennedy Conundrum, by Paul Doyle—Ireland's 1986 tour of Iceland brough their first international trophy, but ended an international career * The Midfield, by David Ashton—A veteran remembers the no-man's-land football of the First World War * The Youth of Today, by Jonathan Wilson—Clouds, clubs and the collective: reflections on the Under-20 World Cup --------------- Polemics --------------- * Comparing Apple with Oranje, by Simon Kuper and David Winner—Were Johan Cruyff and Ajax the John Lennon and Beatles of Amsterdam? * The Race Card, by Gabriele Marcotti—Racist chanting is deplorable, but does the rush to condemn it obscure deeper issues? * The Dawson's Creek Principle, by Musa Okwonga—Could it be that a US teen drama helps explain anomalies of football history? * What's a Vote Worth?, by Steve Menary—How Fifa's attempts to devolve power could be a bribers' charter --------------------------- Football Manager --------------------------- * The Ballad of Bobby Manager: My Autobiography", by Iain Macintosh—When somebody takes their game of Football Manager just a little too seriously... -------------------------- Greatest Games -------------------------- * Denmark 4 USSR 2, by Janus Køster-Rasmussen—World Cup qualifier, Idrætsparken, Copenhagen, 5 June 1985 ------------------ Eight Bells ------------------ * Great Finishes in Japan, by Ben Mabley—A selection of the most gripping climaxes to the J.League and JSL season