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. Contents of Issue Twelve ---------------- The Rivals ---------------- * Sid Lowe, Power Play - Carles Rexach and Jorge Valdano discuss the changing nature of the Real Madrid-Barcelona rivalry * Miguel Delaney, Gamechanger - Johan Cruyff on his role in creating the style of Barcelona and modern football * Graham Hunter, An Honourable Man - How Vicente del Bosque overcame rejection by Real Madrid to lead Spain to glory --------------------------- A Game of Chess --------------------------- * Philippe Auclair, Beyond the System - Could the lessons of chess show football the way to an exciting new future? * Scott Oliver, Play Jazz, not Chess - Reflections on football, order and the imagination, and the need for improvisation ------------ Theory ------------ * Steve Menary, Maximum Opportunity - Was Charles Hughes a long-ball zealot, or pragmatist reacting to necessity? * Sergio Levinsky, The Cult of the Pibe - Argentina’s love affair with scruffy urchins with feet of gold --------------------------------- Defenders of the Faith --------------------------------- * Paul Brown, The Birth of the Fan - Why Victorians flocked to watch 22 men kicking a pig’s bladder about * James Montague, Jerusalem Syndrome - The mysterious disappearance of Guma Aguiar, the saviour of Beitar Jerusalem * Brian Homewood, Identity Crisis - Unpicking the convoluted threads of Mexico’s franchise system * Bartosz Nowicki, Dream Fulfilled - Relief and glee as Cardiff City finally found their way into the Premier League -------------------------- Against the Odds -------------------------- * Robin Bairner, Sleeping Giant - In 1982, Jean-Pierre Adams was given anaesthetic before knee surgery. He hasn’t woken up. * Richard Jolly, And Not to Yield - Only one sportsman can match Ryan Giggs for longevity: the New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter * Javier Sauras and Felix Lill, The Street Dogs of Manila - The Philippines are rising through the rankings, but are they Filipino enough * Matthew Campelli, Second City Syndrome - Why has Birmingham struggled for football success for 30 years? --------------- Polemics --------------- * Alex Keble, Artist or Machine? - An investigation into the paradoxical relationship between sport and creativity * Tim Vickery, Alternate Title - The lessons sports journalists can draw from the Monkees --------------- Fiction --------------- * Iain Macintosh, The Quantum of Bobby - After his exile in Qatar, Bobby Manager returns to English football. Or does he…? ------------------------- Greatest Games ------------------------- * Rob Smyth, England 1 West Germany 1* - World Cup semi-final, 4 July 1990, Stadio delle Alpi, Turin ----------------- Eight Bells ----------------- * Michael Yokhin, Non-identical twins - A selection of twins who looked the same but played very differently

First published in June 2017, Issue Twenty Five contains 18 articles in 7 sections, including: Luke Edwards on why Leyton Orient's slide out of the league matters, Felix Lill and Javier Sauras on the growth of football in Cuba, Igor Rabiner on how Monaco have reinvented themselves and Andrew Lees' personal quest into the life story of Brazilian great Garrincha.

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