Overview
Ask a British football fan what they know about Turkish football, and they are unlikely to describe scenes of camaraderie, hospitality and humour. They are more likely to mention banners proclaiming 'Welcome to hell'. Or Leeds United supporters stabbed to death on an Istanbul street. Frustrated by the game's distorted image back home, John McManus set out to show the Turkish football that he knew - the rich, funny, obsessive, fan culture that he had encountered on the terraces. But he hadn't accounted for the politics. Travelling from the elite training facilities of Istanbul to dusty pitches on the Syrian border, taking in visits to far-flung clubs, encounters with characterful players and experiences at riotous matches along the way, Welcome to Hell? offers a unique perspective on an alluring yet troubled football culture.
Full Product Details
Author: John McManus
Publisher: Orion Publishing Co
Imprint: Weidenfeld & Nicolson
Dimensions:
Width: 12.80cm
, Height: 2.80cm
, Length: 19.60cm
Weight: 0.280kg
ISBN: 9781474604772
ISBN 10: 1474604773
Pages: 400
Publication Date: 18 April 2019
Audience:
General/trade
,
General
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active
Availability: To order
Stock availability from the supplier is unknown. We will order it for you and ship this item to you once it is received by us.
Reviews
'The book takes us on a tour of the beautiful game in Turkey, a window through which to examine society, history and contemporary politics. McManus is a sensitive and astute guide with an eye for the telling detail . . . Full of humor as well as insight . . . Welcome to Hell? is a terrific read' -- William Armstrong * Hurriyet Daily News * 'McManus heads off in search of colour and character across the country. He serves up both in ample measure. Nationalist agitators, left-wing ultras, Kurdish fanatics and Syrian ex-professionals . . . all provide fascinating insight into the complex relationship between politics and football at all levels of the Turkish game' -- Rob Kemp * When Saturday Comes * 'Excellent' * Irish Sun *
'Excellent' - Irish Sun ''McManus's triumph is to combine thorough research with readability. A fascinating history of Turkish football, and a model for other books of this type'' 'I really enjoyed Welcome to Hell? By John McManus. A heartfelt look at Turkish football culture, which challenges some stereotypes about it, explains others, and smells a little bit of cordite. Excellent' A perceptive and compelling account of how to understand football in Turkey through the eyes of someone who has lived there - The Football Pink
Author Information
John McManus is an anthropologist based at the British Institute at Ankara, where he researches sport and migration in Turkey and the Turkish diaspora. He supports Besiktas and Leicester City. Welcome to Hell? is his first book. www.johnmcmanus.co.uk
