Product Description

STAMPING GROUNDS follows the Liechtenstein national football team through their defeat-strewn qualifying campaign for the 2002 World Cup. Drawn in a group with Israel, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Austria and mighty Spain, it was hard to see the principality's part- time players scoring even one goal, never mind adding to its meagre international points total. So what motivates a nation of 30,000 people and eleven villages to keep plugging away despite the inevitability of defeat? Travelling to all of Liechenstein's qualifying matches, Charlie Connelly examines what motivates a team to take the field dressed proudly in the shirts of Liechtenstein despite the knowledge that they are, with notably few exceptions, in for a damn good hiding. Sampling the delights of Liechtenstein's capital, Vaduz, such as the Postage Stamp Museum, the State Art Museum and, er, the Postage Stamp Museum again, Connelly provides an evocative and witty account of the land where every year on National Day the sovereign invites the entire population into his garden for a glass of wine.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #67297 in Books
• Published on: 2005-11-03
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 336 pages

Review
'A damned good read ... charming, off the wall and well worth a tenner" SUNDAY TIMES 'Connelly has a relaxed style and an intelligent eye for people and places ... his hilarious account of following the Liechtenstein national team should be swallowed whole in one sitting' THE TIMES 'A wonderfully recondite book' OBSERVER

About the Author
Charlie Connelly is a freelance writer specialising in travel and sport. He will be presenting BBC1's THE HOLIDAY PROGRAMME this autumn, and has been featured on Radio 4's EXCESS BAGGAGE, as well as writing for the award-winning Scottish Sunday Herald Magazine

Customer Reviews

Superb
This is a wonderfully written book about the small country of Liechtenstein and their football team. Great stories, wonderful imagery, well written...it's the perfect book to read on a journey. Brilliant!

A wonderful insight into both the country and the football team!
Charlie Connelly journeys through the world's 6th smallest country, using the international football team to explore this doubly land-locked nation which is wedged between Switzerland and Austria. An absolutely fascinating read which acts as a real eye-opener for all England supporters, as this miniature country, barely noticable on an atlas, battles through the 2002 world cup qualifying campaign. After reading this book, you're guarranteed to form a soft spot for Liechtenstein and will find yourself looking out for all their fixtures and results (if you don't already). Highly recommended.

But they lost every game!!!
A very funny book about Liechtenstein's 2002 World Cup qualifying campaign as seen through an English journalist's eyes. For some odd reason he decided to follow their home away and games on the back of a travel book on Liechtenstein bought in a second hand bookstore. His story combines the background of the country, its people and its fledgling football team.

The most strking thing is the strageness of living in a country with only 35,000 inhabitants, and how this permeats their personality. Especially the fact that it is all ran a by a bloke that lives in the big house on the top of the hill.

By the end, I was hoping the team would get a result against someone, or even just score a goal. They didn't, but that's football for you.