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 Two Contents ---------------- Le Blues ---------------- * Font of all Knowledge?, by Matt Spiro—The Clairefontaine academy was once the envy of the world, but has it gone stale? * What Makes a Nation?, by Philippe Auclair—The recent French race furore ignores the diversity of France's footballing culture ---------------- Interview ---------------- * Dragan Stojković—Andrew McKirdy talks to Dragan Stojković about his philosophical similarities to Arsène Wenger, his lost years and Japan's development -------------------- In Argentina -------------------- * Óscar Bravo, by Jonathan Wilson—How Óscar Washington Tabárez led Uruguay to Copa América glory as Argentina and Brazil misfired * La Historia de los Piñeyros, by Rupert Fryer—A fictional account of one family's experience of the 1978 World Cup ------------------ The Media ------------------ * The Man who Said it was Magnificent, by Rob Smyth—Barry Davies relives some old memories and discusses the state of modern commentary * The Man who Made Calcio, by James Horncastle—How Gianni Brera shaped the language and style of Italian football * The Man who Ate his Hat, by Scott Murray—The story of Lieutenant Commander Tommy Woodrooffe, the BBC's first football commentator --------------------------------- Back From The Brink --------------------------------- * Football to Remember, by Uli Hesse—How Borussia Dortmund returned from the verge of extinction to win the Bundesliga title ------------- Theory ------------- * Wenger, l'Auteur, by Miguel Delaney—What Francis Ford Coppola, Michael Cimino and the Hollywood of the seventies tell us about Arsenal * Brazil, and the Rise of the Back Four, by Rob Sweeney—How foreign influences led to the evolution of the back four in Brazil -------------- Italia 90 -------------- * A Sentimental Journey, by Gabriele Marcotti—The 1990 World Cup as experienced by a teenage Italian ---------------- Polemics ---------------- * Is Football Still Sport?, by Rory Smith—It unfolds like a soap opera for the entertainment of millions and the profit of a few. What has football become? * Too Fast, Too Furious?, by James Grossi—Why have so many creative players suffered such dreadful injuries in the MLS this season? ----------------------------- 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 -------------------------- * St Étienne 3 Dynamo Kiev 0 (aet), by James Horncastle—European Cup quarter-final second-leg, Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, St Étienne, 17 March 1976 ------------------- Eight Bells ------------------- * Finals Before the Final, by Jacob Steinberg—A selection of eight games that really shouldn't have been wasted on the earlier rounds

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 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

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 Seventeen Contents:---------------- Beyond the Game ---------------- * The Player of the People, by Igor Rabiner - The death of Igor Cherenkov last year prompted an astonishing outpouring of grief from Spartak fans * The Man who Sacked Himself, Philippe Auclair - Gabriel Hanot was a player, a coach, a journalist and a pioneer who remains oddly neglected in France * Looking Forward, by Brian Oliver - How the former Chelsea defender John Dempsey left football behind to work in a care home * The Complicated Symbol, by Shaul Adar - Bnei Sakhnin's journey to establish themselves as an Arab team in Israel's top flight * Namesakes, by James Corbett - Everton have had two Alex Youngs: one's the subject of a Ken Loach film, the other killed his brother ---------------- Interview ---------------- Paul Breitner, by Miguel Delaney - How a Bayern Munich defeat paved the way for West Germany's 1974 World Cup triumph ---------------- Belfast ---------------- * A Patchwork City, by Lefkos Kyriacou - Mapping the fan-bases of the major club's in Northern Ireland's capital * Requiem for a Stand, by Keith Bailie - A history in seven key moments of the short life of the Kop at Windsor Park * Before the Shopping Centre, by Conor Heffernan - How crowd violence brought an end to the existence of Belfast Celtic ---------------- Theory ---------------- * The Man who Built White Ships, by Alex Holiga - Stanko Poklepovic, the oldest coach in Europe, and the importance of spiral impostations * The Whisky Option, by Simon Curtis - Malcolm Allison's time at Sporting was brief but fans remember him fondly * Messi and the Machine, by Richard Fitzpatrick - Could playing video games be shaping the present generation of footballers? * Not at All Costs, by George Caulkin - Paul Tisdale has not only revolutionised how Exeter City play, but how they think * Wrestling with the All-Blacks, by Charlie Eccleshare - How Declan Edge is trying to make New Zealand take football seriously ---------------- Polemic ---------------- * Against Sanitised Football, by Alexander Shea - Can fans fight back against clubs who seek to ignore their history for bland branding? * The Trials of Baghdad Bob, by Paul Brown - Can Roberto Martinez restore his reputation after a season of wilful blinkeredness? ---------------- Fiction ---------------- * The Tackle, by David Ashton - John Brodie, the former winger turned detective, returns to hunt down some stolen medals ---------------- Greatest Games ---------------- * Scotland 3 England 1, by Paul Brown - Home International, Hampden Park, Glasgow, 17 April 1937 ---------------- * Eight Bells ---------------- * Unexpected Relegations, by Michael Yokhin - A selection of giants who have unexpectedly lost their place in the top tier ----------------

First published in March 2016, Issue Twenty contains 20 articles in 10 sections, including: Robin Bairner explaining why Hampden Park's old goalposts have pride of place in St-Étienne's club museum; the playwright Patrick Marber discusses football, drama, and his football drama; and Nick Miller with the unusual story of how a united Ireland side took on Brazil at the height of the Troubles and almost won.

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