Home
Full-Time: A Soccer Story
With more people in Canada playing soccer than hockey, why isn't Canada producing more soccer stars or successful national teams?
The answers to that question are on the sidelines as much as they are on the field. For instance, Canada just sponsored the best-attended FIFA under-20 world championship in the history of the event-and still they lost money. It comes down to geography, money and organization. It's not due to lack of soccer potential. We have soccer talent, aplenty.
What is about the North American mentality (Canada and U.S., specifically) that makes professional soccer a hard sell here?
My god, where do I start? Soccer takes 90 minutes of mostly uninterrupted action, so it's not good for commercial breaks. Whereas Europeans and South Americans learned their love of the game prior to television; most Canadian-born Canadians grew up watching Hockey Night in Canada. Our sports coverage remains sated with hockey to an absurd degree largely because newspapers and TV are dependent on ad revenues for their mandates. Meanwhile I see more people wearing soccer jerseys on the streets of Vancouver than hockey jerseys these days, so it's going to change. I think there is a silent soccer majority out there that wants some decent coverage. My new dream is to be the Harry Neale of soccer, providing some intelligent soccer commentary. You just never know.
What can you tell us about Nettie Honeyball? How old is she? Where did she come from?
Nettie Honeyball was one of the pioneers of soccer in England. There's a photo of her in the book on page 31. How could I write an intimate book about soccer and not include a soccer player in 1895 named Nettie Honeyball? So I made her into a character in the story.
What's the secret to maintaining a lasting and meaningful relationship with a soccerball?
There is no secret to maintaining a love affair with soccer. Kicking a ball is as fundamental as sex.
What are your thoughts on David Beckham coming to America. Is it all a bunch of hype, or is actually good for soccer?
David Beckham only played one game with the LA Galaxy last year. It's a farce. It's an embarrassment. During the course of writing FULL-TIME, the year-in-the-life of a team, I predicted Beckham would come to North America and play, just like Pelé did, strictly for the bucks, before the announcement was made. It was so obvious that he was reduced to playing on hype. I've never been a Beckham fan.
What sorts of food did you eat while playing soccer in Spain? Did it help your game?
I had so many other things to worry about in Spain, managing the line-up and writing this book and dealing with a groin injury, I don't remember Spain as a culinary experience at all.
What was the biggest thing you learned from playing against younger ex-professionals from the Spanish First Division?
Never trust a Spanish bar owner named Miguel if he promises to organize a match with guys your own age.
Did you learn any new Spanish swear words?
No. In fact, the behavior of our guys, under extreme duress, was really one of the triumphs of the expedition. We kept our cool. It reminds me of an old Kipling quote my Dad used to say. "If you can keep your head while others around you are losing theirs, then you will be a man, my son."; We certainly had grounds for griping in Spain, big-time, and yet everyone sucked it up. I ended up being proud of the way we behaved. Mind you, I would much rather have been proud of the way we played.
What ever happened to the sports drink from the 1980s called SupperSocco? Do you think that might be the secret Canada's soccer success?
Super Socco was probably designed to appeal to the so-called Soccer Moms. I never tasted Super Socco, but I was blessed with a super soccer Mom.
Who are you rooting for in this year's Euro Cup? And where will you be watching the games?
Alan Cook, one of the main characters in FULL-TIME, has one of those fancy televisions with lots of channels. He lives a block away from me. I expect to be watching the big game in his basement. I'll probably pull for Man. U. cuz I like little Paul Scholes. He plays his heart out in midfield every time, not an ounce of prima dona in him. And of course Owen Hargreaves plays for Man. U.
You've probably heard those jokey sayings "Carpenters do it with their belts on"; or "Pilots do it in the air."; Do you have a favourite one that relates to soccer players?
Actually I've never heard those expressions. I guess I lead a sheltered life. My favourite soccer quote is from the world's greatest player, Ferenc Puskas, who said, "Without friendship, there is no soccer.";
How often do you play soccer and how long do you anticipate being able to play for?
One of our guys, Bill Allen, is into his early seventies. He played semi-pro in London in the '50s. Every time he makes a decision on the pitch, you can see what a great player he was. He's still effective. I plan to play as long as Bill Allen. Except my style of play is far too boisterous, so I'll likely seriously injure myself before I get to 60. That's okay. Just as long as I don't injure anybody else. I am reminded of the great Sir Stanley Matthews who said, "You don't stop playing football because you get old, you get old because you stop playing football.";
Why should people pick up your new book Full-Time: A Soccer Story?
FULL-TIME is not Bad New Bears Go Grey. It's an intimate investigation of the game, and also sports. There's a dark side to organized sports that most people don't want to think about-the barbaric tribalism, how competition can breed contempt-and I try to touch upon that stuff. So anybody who has ever dreamed of playing for Canada in a World Cup, male or female, ought to enjoy it. I hope it reads like a novel.
The answers to that question are on the sidelines as much as they are on the field. For instance, Canada just sponsored the best-attended FIFA under-20 world championship in the history of the event-and still they lost money. It comes down to geography, money and organization. It's not due to lack of soccer potential. We have soccer talent, aplenty.
What is about the North American mentality (Canada and U.S., specifically) that makes professional soccer a hard sell here?
My god, where do I start? Soccer takes 90 minutes of mostly uninterrupted action, so it's not good for commercial breaks. Whereas Europeans and South Americans learned their love of the game prior to television; most Canadian-born Canadians grew up watching Hockey Night in Canada. Our sports coverage remains sated with hockey to an absurd degree largely because newspapers and TV are dependent on ad revenues for their mandates. Meanwhile I see more people wearing soccer jerseys on the streets of Vancouver than hockey jerseys these days, so it's going to change. I think there is a silent soccer majority out there that wants some decent coverage. My new dream is to be the Harry Neale of soccer, providing some intelligent soccer commentary. You just never know.
What can you tell us about Nettie Honeyball? How old is she? Where did she come from?
Nettie Honeyball was one of the pioneers of soccer in England. There's a photo of her in the book on page 31. How could I write an intimate book about soccer and not include a soccer player in 1895 named Nettie Honeyball? So I made her into a character in the story.
What's the secret to maintaining a lasting and meaningful relationship with a soccerball?
There is no secret to maintaining a love affair with soccer. Kicking a ball is as fundamental as sex.
What are your thoughts on David Beckham coming to America. Is it all a bunch of hype, or is actually good for soccer?
David Beckham only played one game with the LA Galaxy last year. It's a farce. It's an embarrassment. During the course of writing FULL-TIME, the year-in-the-life of a team, I predicted Beckham would come to North America and play, just like Pelé did, strictly for the bucks, before the announcement was made. It was so obvious that he was reduced to playing on hype. I've never been a Beckham fan.
What sorts of food did you eat while playing soccer in Spain? Did it help your game?
I had so many other things to worry about in Spain, managing the line-up and writing this book and dealing with a groin injury, I don't remember Spain as a culinary experience at all.
What was the biggest thing you learned from playing against younger ex-professionals from the Spanish First Division?
Never trust a Spanish bar owner named Miguel if he promises to organize a match with guys your own age.
Did you learn any new Spanish swear words?
No. In fact, the behavior of our guys, under extreme duress, was really one of the triumphs of the expedition. We kept our cool. It reminds me of an old Kipling quote my Dad used to say. "If you can keep your head while others around you are losing theirs, then you will be a man, my son."; We certainly had grounds for griping in Spain, big-time, and yet everyone sucked it up. I ended up being proud of the way we behaved. Mind you, I would much rather have been proud of the way we played.
What ever happened to the sports drink from the 1980s called SupperSocco? Do you think that might be the secret Canada's soccer success?
Super Socco was probably designed to appeal to the so-called Soccer Moms. I never tasted Super Socco, but I was blessed with a super soccer Mom.
Who are you rooting for in this year's Euro Cup? And where will you be watching the games?
Alan Cook, one of the main characters in FULL-TIME, has one of those fancy televisions with lots of channels. He lives a block away from me. I expect to be watching the big game in his basement. I'll probably pull for Man. U. cuz I like little Paul Scholes. He plays his heart out in midfield every time, not an ounce of prima dona in him. And of course Owen Hargreaves plays for Man. U.
You've probably heard those jokey sayings "Carpenters do it with their belts on"; or "Pilots do it in the air."; Do you have a favourite one that relates to soccer players?
Actually I've never heard those expressions. I guess I lead a sheltered life. My favourite soccer quote is from the world's greatest player, Ferenc Puskas, who said, "Without friendship, there is no soccer.";
How often do you play soccer and how long do you anticipate being able to play for?
One of our guys, Bill Allen, is into his early seventies. He played semi-pro in London in the '50s. Every time he makes a decision on the pitch, you can see what a great player he was. He's still effective. I plan to play as long as Bill Allen. Except my style of play is far too boisterous, so I'll likely seriously injure myself before I get to 60. That's okay. Just as long as I don't injure anybody else. I am reminded of the great Sir Stanley Matthews who said, "You don't stop playing football because you get old, you get old because you stop playing football.";
Why should people pick up your new book Full-Time: A Soccer Story?
FULL-TIME is not Bad New Bears Go Grey. It's an intimate investigation of the game, and also sports. There's a dark side to organized sports that most people don't want to think about-the barbaric tribalism, how competition can breed contempt-and I try to touch upon that stuff. So anybody who has ever dreamed of playing for Canada in a World Cup, male or female, ought to enjoy it. I hope it reads like a novel.
Submitted on June 16, 2009 in By David.
