Playing For Uncle Sam: The Brits' Story of the North American Soccer League

by David Tossell

This is the British professionals' story of life in the North American Soccer League in the 1970s and early 1980s, when everyone—from star turn to unsung journeyman—had the chance to play alongside Pele, Cruyff, Beckenbauer, and Eusebio in the greatest galaxy of world stars ever assembled in one league. To mark the 20th anniversary of the NASL's final season in 1984, Playing For Uncle Sam recalls the British players and coaches who were part of an organization that changed the face of football with its shoot-outs, new offside rule, and wacky marketing methods. Through interviews with many of the British contingent who accepted the offer of the Yankee dollar, Playing For Uncle Sam recalls one of the most fascinating episodes in football history—the remarkable rise and chaotic collapse of the NASL.

Genres: Soccer

254 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2003

About the author

David Tossell has been a sports journalist for four decades. Long-time head of European Public Affairs for the NFL (National Football League) and former Executive Sports Editor of the Today newspaper, he is the author of 17 sports books. He has been short-listed seven times in the British Sports Book Awards - for Bertie Mee (Best Biography, 2006); Grovel! (Best Cricket Book, 2008); Nobody Beats Us (Best Rugby Book, 2010); Tony Greig (Best Cricket Book, 2012); The Great English Final (Best Football Book, 2014), Natural: The Jimmy Greaves Story (Best Biography and Best Football Book, 2020). He has also been short-listed twice for MCC/Cricket Society Book of the Year.
He has written books on football, cricket, rugby and American football.

Reviews

[Dimitrije Vojnov · Rating 5 out of 5]

PLAYING FOR UNCLE SAM Davida Tossella jeste istorija North American Soccer League ispričana iz vizure britanskih igrača koji su bili okosnica njenih klubova. Tossell bira jasan ugao, sa Britancima u centru ali u suštini priča širu priču koja je u suštini podjednako relevantna i NASL entuzijastima i poznavaocima britanskog fudbala jer su NASL i njihova prvenstva bili vrlo direktno povezani.

Naime, za deo igrača NASL je bio letnja liga u kojoj su prihodovali dok nema takmičenja u Engleskoj, za neke je bila prilika da odu i steknu iskustvo, a za neke druge da svoje iskustvo naplate i odu u završnicu karijere ako ne i penziju u SAD.

Tossell jako dobro uspeva da razjasni sve moguće aranžmane koji su povezivali britanski fudbal i pre svega engleske lige sa NASLom, i da iskaže u kojoj fazi je koji igrač tamo stigao, šta je pružio i na koji način mu je to uticalo na život i karijeru.

Ligu prati iz sezone u sezonu tako da ide od njenih početaka da bankrotstva i propasti, stvar se razvija hronološki i knjiga na tom nivou uspeva da izazove i određenu emociju.

Sigurno je da bi više anegdota o internacionalnim superstarovima koji se neizbežno pominju u knjizi moglo da još više obogati knjigu, ali zapravo njih ima sasvim dovoljno, Tossell ih sagledava zapravo kroz iskustva Britanaca.

Ono što je ključno jeste zarobljavanje atmosfere Amerike na prelazu iz šezdesetih u sedamdesete i sedamdesetih u osamdesete i načinu na koji su tamo i vlasnici i navijači, pa i lokalne zajednice doživele fudbal. To je veoma uspešno izvedeno i Tossell katalogizuje sve bitne NASL klubove sa njihovim idiosinkrazijama.

Knjiga je pisana za hardkor fanove sporta, nema tu prostora za crossover bilo koje vrste, pa i među njima samo za one koje zanimaju NASL i engleski ligaški fudbal. Ali, takvih ima sasvim dovoljno.