Nostalgia of Soccer (Football) Magazines Project-Part 11

In my continuing collaborative series with @1888Letter, I will ask the experiences of Mr. Davide Eskelund Rota. He is the author of “Danmark (1908-2018)” chronicling the history of the Danish National Team.

Name: Davide Eskelund Rota

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/davide.rota.311

Personal Description: I'm 50 years old. Former freelance journalist in Biella (Italy), living in Odense (Denmark) from 2013, where I work as a languages teacher

Soccernostalgia/@1888Letter Question: At what age did you become a Football fan and how long after did you start reading Football Magazines?

Response:  5 years old and I started already reading Tuttosport (Italian newspaper) and Panini album of World Cup 1974.

Soccernostalgia/@1888Letter Question: What was the first Soccer (Football) magazine that you read as a new young fan of the game?

Response:  Guerin Sportivo in 1976 (I was 7).

Soccernostalgia/@1888Letter Question: Were there other local magazines that you also read?

Response:  Intrepido, Sorrisi&Canzoni (music and tv), Topolino (Walt Disney) and others.

Soccernostalgia/@1888Letter Question: Describe the general format of these particular magazines? What was your favorite section(s) of these said magazines?

Response:  Guerin Sportivo A5 format, many color pictures and comics. Favrite section were international soccer and stats.

Soccernostalgia/@1888Letter Question: Was the coverage of Football mainly local  or was International Football news covered as well in a meaningful way?

Response:  Yes! Football Weekly, Shoot and World Soccer from 1982.

Soccernostalgia/@1888Letter Question: In general on a typical newsstand, how many choices were available for reading Football?

Response:  At that time 3 newspapers (Gazzetta-Tuttosport-Corriere dello Sport) and Guerin.

Soccernostalgia/@1888Letter Question: Do you remember foreign Football publications at your newsstands as well? If so did you read any?

Response:  Yes! Onze and France Football when I learned french in 1979.

Soccernostalgia/@1888Letter Question: I will ask this from everyone, one of my best memories as a young football fan was the anticipation of the day when new issues were available on newsstands. It was a weekly ritual that would stay with me for decades. In your own words, can you explain your memories of these days?

Response:  I remember I was waiting always 30 mins before the newspaper shop opened at 6 am! I was once punished at school for reading Guerin Sportivo during the lessons.

Soccernostalgia/@1888Letter Question: Did you enjoy your magazines for the scores/league tables, etc or did you prefer the writing? Or was there an evolution as when you aged you started to appreciate the deep written analysis more?

Response:  I enjoyed magazines for the scores/league tables at start and then an evolution to all.

Soccernostalgia/@1888Letter Question: How has the quality of your favorite magazines changed (for better or worse over the years)?

Response:  Guerin fantastic from 1976 to 1982 then good but small format, good but monthly from 2009 and bad from 2014 to now with few readable articles.

Soccernostalgia/@1888Letter Question: Looking back what was the best era for your favorite magazines?

Response:  1977-79.

Soccernostalgia/@1888Letter Question: The daily newspapers play a big part in the coverage of the game. Can you compare these daily papers to the weekly/monthly magazines?

Response:  Not at all!

 Soccernostalgia/@1888Letter Question: Has your taste in magazines changed over the years or do you still read your favorite magazines?

Response:  No, boring and following only rich clubs.

Soccernostalgia/@1888Letter Question: Looking back, do you feel these magazines kept you sufficiently informed about the events of the game as a whole?

Response:  Yes.

Soccernostalgia/@1888Letter Question: Did your interest in reading magazines wane with the advent of Internet and 24 Hour Sports Television channels or are you as interested as ever in reading?

Response:  It vanished a lot, of course.

Soccernostalgia/@1888Letter Question: Are there publications that have since been defunct that you miss?

Response:  Alt om Sport (Denmark).

Soccernostalgia/@1888Letter Question: Getting back to my earlier question about anticipating the release of magazines. Given that now many receive their magazines on PDF, do you feel that a level of excitement has been lost as a result?

Response:  Yes, exactly. I only wish MORE and coverng longest periods (for example Onze and FF year by year).

Soccernostalgia/@1888Letter Question: Once again thank you for taking the time in participating in this project.