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A Chara,
IA new book set to be published this November entitled ‘The
Off-Centre Circle’ chronicles the journey of a young
soccer obsessive from kicking a stuffed sock in his hallway
as a toddler right through to togging out for an Over 33’s
summer soccer league this past summer.
About the book; Every weekend thousands of Irish men, women
and children up and down the country take to their local pitches
to compete in junior soccer league competitions. You won’t
find any Arab Sheiks offering millions of euro in investment
here or post-match interviews with satellite television stations.
In most instances you will be lucky to find changing rooms
or even adequate shower facilities. Yet for ninety minutes
every Saturday or Sunday Irish amateur soccer league players
cross that white line and give it their all as if it was as
important as an English Premier League fixture and their very
lives depended on it.
Where does a love affair with the game of soccer begin? What
possesses an individual to play through the pain barrier,
the years of knocks and injuries for absolutely no financial
gain? Why go through weekend after weekend of dodgy refereeing
decisions, deplorable weather and being embarrassed by opponents
half your age? Pride, passion and downright obsession, that’s
why. This soon to be released book offers an insight into
the life of a junior soccer player with recollections and
memories through the eyes of the author who has trained, played,
obsessed, written about and cried over his beloved sport.
The author recounts his life-long fascination with the game
from childhood through teenage years culminating in the story
of his local club’s rise to glory in the West Cork Soccer
League.
Born and raised in Cork the author recounts early memories
of watching Match of the Day, playing Subbuteo, reading Roy
of the Rovers comics and travelling to support his beloved
Cork City in the Shed end of Turner’s Cross chanting
and singing with the home fans.
The book also covers the author’s early years playing
Under-18 soccer, breaking into the local junior team for the
first time and then fainting. Playing matches on the side
of mountains with cow dung dotted around the pitch, going
toe-to-toe with Vinny Jones on the Late Late Show and helping
his local club rise from the bottom tier of the West Cork
League to eventual Beamish Cup glory.
Anyone who has ever laced a pair of boots on the side of
the road and marched on to a muddy pitch (after a night on
the beer) to represent their local soccer club will forge
an immediate connection with the stories and characters detailed
in the book.
Anyone who has ever wondered what possesses a junior/amateur
soccer player to continue playing well past their sell-by
date will find out the reasons why.
You have read all the various soccer titles telling you
stuff you already know but this new book gives you a look
at something different.
Title of new book: ’The Off-Centre Circle’
Publish / Release date: November 2009
Regards,
Ger McCarthy,
Author |
