Bloody Confused

Bloody Confused!: A Clueless American Sportswriter Seeks Solace in English Soccer by Chuck Culpepper

My review

rating: 3 of 5 stars
I've always been a bit fascinated by English football, as a sport, fan fixation and general cultural phenomenon. I read Fever Pitch and Among the Thugs years ago, and learned that there was no way that I could possibly understand the game, let alone the nuances, rivalries, and everything else that makes it such a rich experience. Chuck Culpepper's book reinforces that - an American sportswriter, he finds himself in London, and falls into football fandom. Well, actually, he goes about it systematically, choosing a team to support which will be the most interesting in the next year. He follows them through the whole year, traveling to away games (and home games as well, as he supports Portsmouth, not exactly near his London base.) (An aside - he complains about the cost of tickets and travel, but continues to go on these crazy journeys - where's all this money coming from?) What it all boils down to is that he enjoys himself immensely, learns a huge amount about the game, but knows he will be an outsider for years to come. Very entertaining, fun read.


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