Reasons to love The Blizzard No 176,534: The utter lack of parochialism. The modern British game barely gets a look in here, limited to a four page article on Manchester United misfit Bebe. Much of the emphasis elsewhere is on the then recent World Cup, an overview constructed from multiple reports augmented by an article on the obvious standout match of the tournament (Germany’s 7-1 semi-final hammering of Brazil finally stamping out the outdated romantic image of Brazilian football) and an article on the Dutch travails with penalties. Given they actually won a shoot-out in this tournament it’s perhaps more symptomatic of the Dutch national fatalism regarding penalties, a trait they share with the English.

Elsewhere we get articles on countries who’ve produced national sides who’ve dazzled but ultimately failed (Cruyff’s Netherlands, the Denmark of Elkjaer and the Laudrups) and a series of articles on misfits and revolutionaries. The only real false note for me is the continuing Bobby Manager story, which seems to have stretched its joke enormously thin already. Still the thinking fan’s journal of choice. ( )