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Details
Title: Scotball
Author: Stephen O’Donnell
Published:15 Nov 2014
Synopsis
Scotball is the eagerly awaited follow-up to the author’s critically acclaimed debut novel Paradise Road.
Scotball is a searing examination of the current state of Scottish football and the various social, political and economic forces that combine to strangle its integrity and potential.
It will have a wide appeal being of interest to everyone concerned about Scottish football and its relationship to Scottish society.
Review
(by joebloggscity)
So we have here another one of the new category within the Celtic library that comes under the ‘faction’ heading. Increasingly popular with some, I admittedly have yet to be convinced. Still, there have been a couple of interesting books along these lines and this new one is enjoyable.
The story centres around one young man’s return home from abroad to try to set up a new more thoughtful football show on local tv to try to raise the standards of analysis of the game in Scotland. The era is the time of the collapse of Rangers and the main concerns centre around the media machinations around it. Celtic comes and goes in the storyline.
What sets this book apart from the other handful of Celtic faction is that this book isn’t just some coming of age story (as is the norm) but underlying it is a simple critique of the media coverage of sport in Scotland. Most of it is written in a dialogue format so it’s easy to follow. Reads like a play script much of the time but that makes it accessible for the intended audience.
There’s fictional media and football characters, as well as colourful locals and some Celtic stuff we can all relate to. Admittedly much of the story falls into cliché and is unashamedly partisan but not so much as to mark it down. It all comes together quite fine.
The critical eye view is what puts it ahead of some others in the genre and we have an interesting book. The media angle allows the author to have digs at the coverage of the Rangers collapse, youth development in Scotland and even women’s football.
Granted some of it won’t sit well with all (e.g. I thought various political points in one discussion on Scotland and certain later comments on Amsterdam were often nonsense) but the bulk of the book will easily fit the general reader wanting to have a more questioning read about the related arguments without it thankfully being delivered in some long internet forum style diatribe. It makes a change, and is more digestible for younger readers.
It ain’t Irvine Welsh and it ain’t Paul Larkin but that’s for the best in this case. Stephen has made a fine stab here and will hopefully progress in his writing. Most will be satisfied with this read. A likeable story with some pertinent critical points that I’d say will be happily devoured and debated by those within the support who give this book a chance.
Product Details
- Paperback: 280 pages
- Publisher: Ringwood Publishing (15 Nov. 2014)
- ISBN-10: 1901514137
- ISBN-13: 978-1901514131
- Product Dimensions: 12.8 x 2.8 x 19.8 cm
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