The Best of Football Writing in 2012

image

Before we move forward, let’s take a step back.

2013 will bring new stories, and writers will continue to unveil value in the context of our day-to-day lives. But before we jump ahead, we really should take a step back. The internet is a wonderful place, but our constant consumption of content allows us to forget which stories were truly compelling, creative, well-researched, and told with conviction. For the second year in a row, I have compiled what I consider to be a list of the best writing in football. This year, I called upon some of the game’s most influential voices to reflect on how writing best interpreted, dissected, and brought meaning to the beautiful game.

Consider this project to be a sort of anthology. The games will be remembered in history, but our reactions and our stories could have been forgotten. Instead, they’re here.

View some of the best football writing that 2012 had to offer:

(Note: Titles in the PDF link to their respective URLs. For the sake of continuity and accessibility, we did not feature pieces that were only available offline or behind paywalls)

Thanks to the list’s contributors: Laurent Dubois, Richard Whittall, James Tyler, Gwendolyn Oxenham, Chris Mann, Tom Dunmore, Robert Langham, Musa Okwonga, Jeff Livingstone, Ed Malyon, George Quraishi, Maxi Rodriguez, Kevin McCauley, Elliot Turner, Dominic Vieira, and Stefan Bienkowski

Design by the amazing Dan Gribbon, of 3nil

Compiled by Eric Beard

Finally, thanks for your support throughout 2012. Here’s to another year full of vibrant conversation.

Read More

Take the time to take a step back: Best of Football Writing in 2012 With the clock winding down on 2012, the days for reminiscing are rising to fruition. Last year, I decided to create a list of what I thought were the best pieces of football writing in 2011. This year, I’m doing it again, and I’ve called upon some of the most influential voices in football to reflect on how we best interpreted, dissected, and brought meaning to the beautiful game. Why? Because I think it’s important. So many care about this game. So many spend countless hours reading about it, never mind actually watching matches. Tremendous stories are told. Some of the genius we witness gets meticulously unraveled. But the reality is that in 2012, the world of online writing has never been in a position of such prominence. At the same time, however, the internet should not leave such a tower of writings to be forgotten. Consider this project to be a sort of anthology. The games will be remembered in history, but make no mistake; our reactions and our stories can be forgotten. My challenge for you this weekend: show me that you are willing to remember. Email me [contact at afootballreport dot com], tweet us, or even use the #BestFootballWriting hashtag to share the pieces of writing that resonated with you over the past twelve months. The list will be completed in fine fashion this weekend and presented shortly thereafter, but I am inviting you to get involved. Here’s your chance to contribute to something that will allow people to remember. [Written by Eric Beard. Design: Dan Gribbon. Photo: Ryu Voelkel.]

Take the time to take a step back: Best of Football Writing in 2012

With the clock winding down on 2012, the days for reminiscing are rising to fruition. Last year, I decided to create a list of what I thought were the best pieces of football writing in 2011. This year, I’m doing it again, and I’ve called upon some of the most influential voices in football to reflect on how we best interpreted, dissected, and brought meaning to the beautiful game.

Why? Because I think it’s important. So many care about this game. So many spend countless hours reading about it, never mind actually watching matches. Tremendous stories are told. Some of the genius we witness gets meticulously unraveled. But the reality is that in 2012, the world of online writing has never been in a position of such prominence. At the same time, however, the internet should not leave such a tower of writings to be forgotten.

Consider this project to be a sort of anthology. The games will be remembered in history, but make no mistake; our reactions and our stories can be forgotten.

My challenge for you this weekend: show me that you are willing to remember. Email me [contact at afootballreport dot com], tweet us, or even use the #BestFootballWriting hashtag to share the pieces of writing that resonated with you over the past twelve months. The list will be completed in fine fashion this weekend and presented shortly thereafter, but I am inviting you to get involved. Here’s your chance to contribute to something that will allow people to remember.

[Written by Eric Beard. Design: Dan Gribbon. Photo: Ryu Voelkel.]

Euro 2012 History of the Hosts: Poland

Poland and Ukraine: the unlikely duo. This is the first of a two part series by John Ray on the history of Euro 2012’s respective hosts, allowing fans to become familiar with the two nations that will soon be placed under a microscope. Read part two here.

When top-scorer David Villa lifted the European championship trophy in 2008 it was clear that Spain had exorcised (at least some of) their demons and a seismic shift in the international game was on the way. In addition to the rise of the Spaniards, there was the arrival of the eccentric Andrei Arshavin, the breathtaking play of the Dutch in the group stage, and the “never-say-die” Turks. The competition in Austria and Switzerland ushered in a new guard in Europe as the competition has continually done.

Euro 2012 in Poland and Ukraine is sure to shape the footballing legacy of more countries. Both the host nations have been long preparing for the tournament and the 6 new stadiums, particularly those in Warsaw, Lviv, and Gdansk, look to celebrate their heritage in theatrical perfection. The excitement is quickly reaching a fever pitch with the ITV “dreams” advert and the new Nike promotion building up commercial fervor, and the lull without domestic football has made us yearn for the competition all the more. Unfortunately, Euro 2012 has also been met with early controversy as their have been fears of the racist right rearing its repulsive head that has led numerous black players’ families (particularly Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s) to stay at home. The jailing of ex-minister Yulia Tymoshenko has been criticized and resulted in a number of leaders boycotting the event.

The ability to overcome these concerns and stage a successful event will make Euro 2012 a watershed moment for both these countries moving forward and will hopefully continue an era of relative success for both of these countries domestically. The tumultuous histories and recent heights of Poland and Ukraine must be illuminated in order to understand this year’s competition and the significance that it carries for the countries producing it.  We begin with Poland: From their escape of imperial rule in 1919, the destruction of the country in World War II, the rebuilding of the football team under the glorious tenure of Kazimierz Gorski in the 70s, and the lull until today.

Read More

Help Us Compile the “Best of Football Writing in 2011: AFR and Beyond” List A year is a long, long time. Tomorrow we’ll be posting the “Best of Football Writing in 2011” list. We haven’t done this before, but we figure if we’re going to do it, we might as well do it right. We’re 50 brilliant pieces deep at the moment, but a few perspectives can only go so far. If there was a piece of writing on AFR or elsewhere that you loved this year, please send it our way on twitter or via email (contact@afootballreport.com). We’re after pieces that hold a sort of timeless value. In the meantime, feel free to lose yourself in our archives.  (photo taken by Ryu Voelkel)

Help Us Compile the “Best of Football Writing in 2011: AFR and Beyond” List

A year is a long, long time. Tomorrow we’ll be posting the “Best of Football Writing in 2011” list. We haven’t done this before, but we figure if we’re going to do it, we might as well do it right. We’re 50 brilliant pieces deep at the moment, but a few perspectives can only go so far. If there was a piece of writing on AFR or elsewhere that you loved this year, please send it our way on twitter or via email (contact@afootballreport.com). We’re after pieces that hold a sort of timeless value. In the meantime, feel free to lose yourself in our archives.  (photo taken by Ryu Voelkel)

A New Season, A New Opportunity

With European football right around the corner once again, the canvas that is A Football Report is begging to be filled with brilliance more than ever.

The best young writers from all over the world have contributed and now you can too. Every continent has been covered, but not every voice. It’s time to share yours with the thousands that make up our intelligent audience of over 25,000 fans. 

This season, we want to share the canvas with you. We hope to feature the best of football insight and analysis. The sky is absolutely the limit…

If you’re interested in writing for A Football Report, then please email Contact@AFootballReport.com and include a writing sample and some info about yourself. Go on.

Cheers,

Eric

Bet on premier league matches at William Hill today!

Disclaimer
A Football Report © 2009-2012