Among these books there are those of the experts and those of the laymen, the “serious” publications and those “for fun”. It is somewhat the case between “Football for laughs” by Médoc journalist Jean-Pierre Gauffre published by Sud-Ouest editions and “the golden book of football” by Gérard Ejnes at Solar Editions.
Football business less romantic than the epic of the greens
In this World Cup year, Jean Pierre Gauffre offers us 150 definitions to laugh at football from A Africa: official supplier of football cannon fodder to Zinedine Zidane’s Z. And if he wants to laugh at football it’s because he still loves it a little even if the stakes have gone a little too far beyond the game
I am like many teenagers of my generation. Me, I had the posters of Saint-Etienne in the room and we followed it with great interest. And then it’s true that it grew crescendo until the tragedy in Seville. And then Euro 1984 and the 1998 World Cup. Afterwards, it’s true that there was this changeover. This madness in football business, this changeover that made me take a lot of distance with this sport and suddenly, we realize that it is a great subject of mockery, laughter and mockery. But at the same time, when we obviously see a very good match, very well played, with great players. It is obviously a magnificent spectacle. I will not say the opposite – Jean-Pierre Gauffre
– South West Editions
In football, everyone is an expert and can claim it
On his side Gerard Ejnes was editor-in-chief of France Soccer and of the team and has been following football for many years and his guestbook is a reference every year. For him, if sometimes unfortunately football divides, it is also a great creator of emotions.
The laymen who are interested in football, it does not exist. Everyone who cares about football is an expert. Everyone has an opinion that they brandish and which is not all that stupid, and sometimes far more valid than that of experienced journalists. So that’s what’s good when you’re interested in football, we’re all experts and it’s a social bond because we can all talk about it, whatever our social level, our economic situation, etc. is something that unites. But in football, what remains is the pitch. It is that at one point, there is a referee who blows the whistle and the kickoff of a match. And it will last 90 minutes and during that time, we can hope for great moments of happiness. When the match starts, it’s a magical moment which is totally irreplaceable and which at that time erases all the excesses – Gérard Ejnes
An emotion of such intensity that it actually makes you forget a lot of things. This is both the strength of our game but also its flaw because around this emotion men sometimes lose their reason.