Nostalgia of Soccer (Football) Magazines Project-Part 10

In my continuing collaborative series with @1888Letter, I will ask the experiences of Mr. Matteo Sedazzari. Mr. Sedazari is the administrator of the Culture website ZANI. www.zani.co.uk

Name: Matteo Sedazzari

Twitter: @ZANIEzine

Facebook: www.zani.co.uk

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

Response:  I became a true football fan around the age of 11 in 1977, and it was an organic journey into becoming a fan. In fact, one of my first memories, when I was three and half, was seeing Gigi Riva in the capital of Sardinia, Cagliari after Cagliari won Serie A. The only time they ever have won the title. It was magical, as he held up the trophy. My family briefly lived in Sardinia for a few years, before moving back to the UK.

I had, still do have an older brother, who collected World Cup Specials and football sticker books, so I would flick through them. My father used to work in the old Covent Garden, so once a month he bring home Guerin Sportivo that he purchased from an newsagent in the Italian community of Soho in the 1970s. I couldn’t read Italian, but I looked at the pictures, and fell in love with Juventus.

I got my first football album in 1977, English Division One, I can’t remember who made it, but it wasn’t Panini. From this, I learnt about all the English players, and the teams, from swapping cards with friends in the playground. I was over the moon when I got the whole Liverpool set, as I remember the card for Steve Heighway (Liverpool) was like gold dust.

Also, in 1977, Gordon Hill of Manchester Utd and England, was a star player back then, and he went to the same Middle School as me, Springfield in Sunbury on Thames, so the whole school, teachers included felt a sense of pride. In fact, he was the first famous person I ever met, Gigi Riva, first I had ever seen, but the first one I ever spoke to, was Gordon Hill, when he popped down the local park, the kids went mad, a bit like Beatlemania. He even signed my football, but sadly I lost that a long time ago.

So football has certainly given me my first’s !

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

Response:  It was World Soccer, my brother used to subscribe to it, and it was the only English publication that covered the Italian League, Brian Glanville was their chief writer, and was living in Italy in the 1970s, so I got a good insight into Serie A and the national team. As by the age of 11 I supported Juventus and Italy, and I still do. The English publications, like Shoot, I would read if a friend had a copy, but I never bought one, yet I still had a deep interest in English football, as I do today, I love the Premiership and the FA cup of late, have been great.

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

Response:  No, sorry, I really can’t remember.

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

Response:  I liked the format of World Soccer, as Serie A seemed to be the main feature, there would be news, interviews, features and loads of photos. Also, football in America, New York Cosmos etc, was taking off, I used to enjoy reading about that league. Without sounding arrogant, I was streets ahead of the other kids of my school, in terms of football, as they were just into division one. 

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

Response:  NA

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

Response:  It was mainly Shoot and Goal, there was a real snobbery towards football in the 1970s from the media, a sport for the working class is how they perceived it. I mean the BBC would show live horse jumping but not a live football game, only the FA Cup once a year, and ITV would only show, if they could England World Cup Qualifiers, the Home Internationals and the final of The European Cup. And of course, the World Cup, and the Euros, but the Euros was not as big as it is now.

In 1980 Euros, Italy were to play Belgium in the third place play off, which the Euros have now scrapped, it was due to be aired on the BBC, but the beeb decided to cancel it and show Tommy Steele in Half a Sixpence. I phoned the BBC to complain. That was the logic of the media back then.

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

Response:  As mentioned Guerin Sportivo

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 would get excited when World Soccer came through the post, but I would have to wait until my brother had finished reading it!

But in the late 90s to 2009, I did buy the Football Italia magazine, as they had great features, interviews and photos on all the teams and the Azzurri. I used to enjoy buying that, and my then local newsagent, always put a copy aside for me.

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:  Both, and I mentioned Brian Glanville from World Soccer as his writing was and still is, well structured and detailed. Reading him at an early age, gave me a good understanding of football. I did like looking at league table all across the world in World Soccer.

By the time I was reading Football Italia, I was already into the deep written analysis of the game, yet a photo of Roberto Baggio would always inspire me.

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

Response:  I don’t really buy football magazines anymore, maybe if I am on a long train journey or flight. Then it’s Four Four Two or World Soccer.

But I do go on https://www.football-italia.net/ every day, even have the app on my phone. I find the articles these days are more structured for social media streaming, yet their blogs are good.

I like their blog writers Antonio Labbate, Susy Campanale, Giancarlo Rinaldi, Rob Paton and Dave Taylor.

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

Response:  The 70s for World Soccer, late 90s and early 21st Century for Football Italia.

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:  I think The Guardian give a good coverage on football, but I can’t comment on the others, as I haven’t read them.

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

Response:  I think the internet has changed my reading habits.

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 both did.

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:  In terms of football I think my reading has waned, but as an author, I still read, but none football related. Yet BT sports air some unique documentaries on football , which I thoroughly enjoy viewing.

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

Response:  I think Football Italia is only available on subscription, so I miss seeing the magazine on newsstands, yet the interest in England for Italian football has diminished over the years, as it is no longer the best league in the world. No Italian team has won the UEFA cup (now the Europa League) since 1999, and no Italian team has won the Champions Leagues since 2010, Inter, even though Juventus have been in the 2015 and 2017 finals.

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, but thanks to sites like YouTube we can see classic games that for years were so hard to come by, or interviews with footballers, or a better insight into a player, team or fans via sites like Instagram. So, one excitement has gone, but there is a new one. For instance, after a Juventus game especially a victory in Europe, I jump straight onto Instagram for photos of the game, or Leonardo Bonucci posting a video of his team mates celebrating after a game. That’s the 11 year old football fan still inside me !

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

Nostalgia of Soccer (Football) Magazines Project-Part 9

In my continuing collaborative series with @1888Letter, I will ask the experiences of Italian RHO MAURO.

His blog, http://allafinedelprimotempo.blogspot.com/, is dedicated goalkeepers.

Name: RHO MAURO – Cabiate – Como – Italy

Twitter:

Website: http://allafinedelprimotempo.blogspot.com/

Personal Description:  

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

Response:  When I was 7 years old I became  a Football Fan and at 13 I started to read “GUERIN SPORTIVO”.

Soccernostalgia/@1888Letter Question: What was the first Soccer (Football) magazine that you read as a new young fan of the game? (Personally I like ’Guerin Sportivo’ for its format and photos)

Response:  GUERIN SPORTIVO in  1984.

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

Response:  Yes.  This is the list:

FORZA  MILAN   (from 1985 to 2000)

INTREPIDO SPORT  (from 1987 to 1998)

SUPERGOL  (from 1984 to 1988)

CALCIO 2000 (from 1997 to 2001)

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

Response:  They are Football Magazines with some photos and excellent writings. FORZA MILAN  was (only)  for the fan of  “rossoneri”. “INTREPIDO SPORT” had both comics and football articles. SUPERGOL often reported articles taken from French Magazine  “ONZE”. All these were excellent magazines.

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

Response:  They are some news  about International  Football except “FORZA MILAN”  that was only about the Italian football team.

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

Response:  In the 80s and 90s there were many Football Magazines and all of excellent quality  … today remain only a few … unfortunately for the Football Magazines internet has changed everything.

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

Response:  Yes   “FRANCE FOOTBALL” and  “WORLD SOCCER”.

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:  When I found  GUERIN SPORTIVO every Wednesday on newsstands  I was happy because I waited it so much.  There was always a great expectation… I always hoped to find some photos or articles about my developed goalkeepers.  The newsstand was here a few meters from my house. Now it’s closed … and there’s a Bank. The Times are changed.

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 appreciated both of these but the score tables were my favourites.  I always went to look for the two portieri (goalkeepers) who confronted each other.

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

Response:  The quality has changed in worse over the years. Guerin Sportivo has become monthly instead of weekly. Now it’s  like the first numbers of “CALCIO 2000”. More “Amarcord” … and there are no more the excellent photos of “FILM DEL CAMPIONATO”.

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

Response:  There are no doubts. The 80s and 90s.

The “splendida era” of GUERIN SPORTIVO directed by  Italo Cucci. 

Soccernostalgia/@1888Letter Question: As an Italian, the daily newspapers, ‘La Gazzetta dello Sport’, ‘Corriere dello Sport’ and ‘Tuttosport’, etc play a big part in the coverage of the game. Can you compare these daily papers compared to a magazine like ‘Guerin Sportivo’?

Response:  GUERIN SPORTIVO was better than daily newspaper because it had photos and was more colourful.

Soccernostalgia/@1888Letter Question: I had been aware of ‘Guerin Sportivo’ for years, in the late 90s, a new monthly magazine ‘Calcio2000’ came onto the scene. Despite not being able to read Italian, I found it impressive in its format? Can you describe this magazine and its evolution?

Response:  I bought only a few copies of  “CALCIO 2000”  because it was like an encyclopedia while the “GUERIN SPORTIVO”  was written in a better different way.   The “Guerino”  has always been more "critical" and always linked to current events. “CALCIO 2000” was a “clone” of GUERIN.  I can't tell you what evolution it has had because I haven't bought it anymore.

But I think that the original is always the original.

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

Response:  I read, today, only GUERIN SPORTIVO but it changed in the worse.

I always read with pleasure the articles of the historical ex-director Italo Cucci. but it has changed so much ... and nostalgia always brings me to the lines of "my" director of the golden age.

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.  Reading more magazines I always had everything under control.

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:  I’m interested in reading Magazines.  I've never subscribed to pay-TV to watch the games. I listen to the radio  “RADIO 1 – TUTTO IL CALCIO MINUTO PER MINUTO”  … and … live the printed paper and its "perfume".

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

Response:  Yes. INTREPITO SPORT, FORZA MILAN, SUPERGOL … they do not exist anymore.

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:  I don’t receive anything on PDF. For me it does not exist. I only read on paper.

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

Response:  thanks to you my friend for this nice interview. I must tell you that you have posted on your blog the most beautiful and complete article on my idol Jean-Marie Pfaff ... I will be grateful to you forever. Thank you.

Nostalgia of Soccer (Football) Magazines Project-Part 8

In my continuing collaborative series with @1888Letter, I will ask the experiences of Brazilian Journalist Mr. Caio Alves of http://www.alambrado.net/.

Name: Caio Alves

Twitter: @CaioalAlves

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/caio.alves.3994

Website: http://www.alambrado.net/.

Personal Description:  Caio Alves, 26, Brazilian Jounalist and love football in general.

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

Response:  At six and seven, I started to follow some games with my father. I remember the 1998 World Cup games a lot. But it was during the 2002 World Cup that I started reading newspapers and some magazines, such as the competition guides and Placar.

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

Response:  I think they were the guides for the Brazilian Championship and the World Cup 2002. But before I read newspapers, in the sports and soccer part.

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

Response:  I read a lot of Placar! and Lance! guides.

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

Response:  Placar was the main Brazilian publication about soccer. In addition to great materials, profiles, I really enjoyed seeing the part with the scores and lineups. At that time, with scarce information, I was excited to see so many clubs around Brazil and around the world.

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

Response:  The focus was on national football, but we had a lot of information about European football, especially the big leagues, like Spanish and Italian Football.

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

Response:  Magazine were usually two. We had two newspapers too.

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

Response:  No. Only after I was able to see and buy through Ebay. A few years ago.

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:  My anxiety was with the competition guides. I always waited and asked at newsstands about these magazines.

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 have always enjoyed seeing and writing. Nowadays, I follow both ways. I like to write too.

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

Response:  The market practically emptied completely in Brazil. The contents are now online.

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

Response:  80s and 90s i think.

Soccernostalgia/@1888Letter Question: The daily newspapers play a big part in the coverage of the game. Can you compare these daily papers to a magazine like ‘Placar’?

Response:  The daily newspapers play a big part in the coverage of the game. I love daily newspapers. They help build the scenario. The basic difference is the big subjects. In the magazine, you can delve into a subject.

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

Response:  I still read. I always try to see foreign ones.

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. Was amazing.

Soccernostalgia/@1888Letter Question: You grew up in an era when internet football coverage was readily available. Which medium did you follow more for your football news?

Response:  Until last decade, were the newspapers and magazines.

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

Response:  Don Balon and Trivela.

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:  Of course. It’s different. Now, we have a lot of options.

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

Nostalgia of Soccer (Football) Magazines Project-Part 7

In my continuing collaborative series with @1888Letter, I will ask the Football (Soccer) magazine reading experiences of Bulgarian Teodor Borisov, PhD in history and sport journalist.

Name: Teodor Borisov

Twitter: @teoborisov

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/teodor.borisov.18

Personal Description: Teodor Borisov – PhD in history and sport journalist in Bulgarian daily newspaper Meridian match. Author of the book “How the football conquered Bulgaria - 50 stories about The Beautiful game”. Football books, programmes and magazines collector.

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

Response:  I started to read football magazines and watch football at the same time, but as a child I preferred to play and read about football than to watch. In Bulgaria 1990s was golden age for football magazines. In post Communist era fans were hungry for information, our national team was on the pick of its popularity and it was something normal to have a picture of the players like Stoichkov, Kostadinov and Penev on the cover of “Onze Mondial”, “France football” or “Don Balon”. I was 5-6 year-old when my parents bought me my first football magazine – Bulgarian “Tip top futbol press”. It was interesting for me because of the pictures and when I grew up I started to read the texts.

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

Response:  My first serious experience with football magazines was in 1999, when I bought “Futbolna planeta” (“Football planet”) - review of 1998/99 season. It was fantastic, because inside was full of statistics of all championships around the world, historical statistics and many pictures. I remember very well almost every page of it and because of this magazine I learnt most of the world capitals, major cities and flags and it was normal to not have any problem with geography in high school.

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

Response:  In years before Internet it wasn't easy to find information not only about football, but for every aspect of the life. In 1990s and 2000s in Bulgaria there 5-6 newspapers published plus 4-5 magazines and was impossible to buy everything, so friends of mine helped me and we exchanged our magazines. It was 2-3 magazines for international football and sport and they translated articles from “Four Four Two”, “Don Balon”, “Kicker”, “Onze Mondial” and on this way I had a chance to have a small window for world football.

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

Response:  Every magazine had their own format, but in general they tried to copy all best things from international magazines. There were many analyses, interviews (including with Bulgarian players abroad with photos from their home and with headlines of local medias) and of course historical pages. In 1990s CSKA and Levski started with their club newspaper/magazine and there you could find interviews with famous supporters, girlfriend/wives of the players etc. Of course for a young fan the most important was the poster in the middle of the magazine and I'm sure that many of the readers bought magazines mainly for that, not for the texts.

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

Response:  International football was covered on the best possible way. For example my colleague Rumen Paytashev, who has more than 30 major tournaments in his CV (World cups, European cups, Copa America, African cup of nations) had interesting articles about football in South America and many Bulgarian fans know more about Boca, River, Flamengo, Fluminense and other great teams from this continent because of him. As I told you, when you have local players in the best leagues, you follow every their step and it's easy to know more about the general picture. Many Bulgarian had satellite TV and watched the best leagues, so football fans here were well informed.

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

Response:  As I said, in one point it was too many newspapers. You had “7 dni sport”, “Futbol” (weekly), “Sport toto” and “Evrofutbol” (about betting), “Gol” (newspaper from Plovdiv), “Planeta sport”, “Topsport” (first weekly, after that daily newspaper). Now it's only “Meridian match” and “Tema sport”. During the years it was many football magazines, some of them was Bulgarian version of international magazine (“Don Balon”, “Four Four Two”, “Champions”), but now you don't have a single one. I think that is normal – when you have 6 million. population, your club and national football is far from their best days and everyone can find everything in Internet it's ‘causa perduta’.

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

Response:  Unfortunately the access to foreign football magazines is very difficult in every era. In Communist era the most popular foreign magazines were Mondial, Start and Stadion (the last ones because of the team posters). Today you can't find any foreign magazine in the kiosks on regular basis. I had luck with some issues of Sport Bild or Onze Mondial and once I found Kicker Bundesliga sonderheff in one of the sea resorts. Now everything is easy with Internet and if you want you can have every magazine in the world. In Bulgarian bookshops you can find more and more books about English football, but I found titles like “The ball is round” and “Behind the Curtain” abroad (in Belgrade, Ljubljana etc.)

Soccernostalgia/@1888Letter Question: Growing up in a Communist Nation, was there anything unique in the coverage of the game in the West or was Football a universal language that transcended politics?

Response:  I lived only 6 days of the Communist era, but know many football fans and collectors from this time. For them every visit of team like AC Milan, Liverpool, Nottingham, Ajax or Bayern was a chance to see their favorite players on live. In these years it wasn't more than 4-5 international games per year (mainly games of Bulgarian teams or any match in Intervision program). World cups and European championships were the only chance to see international football on regular basis. Of course, if you had a chance to watch Russian or Yugoslavian TV, your chances were better, but for the last one it was illegal.

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:  When I was in high school, I had a special schedule for football magazines and newspaper. The man from the newsstand knew that and every day before the school and took my magazine/newspaper and if it was a big match previous day we discussed it. My schoolmates and teachers knew about my passion and my geography teacher gave me 2 minutes to comment the last round of Bulgarian championship and during the exam read my newspaper/magazine. May be it's too sentimental, but as you see, in this case the newspaper/magazine not only gave you an information, but you had social contact because of it.

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:  As I told, when I was a young I preferred only pictures, after that I started to see tables and results, and finally I started to read the texts. I preferred historical and texts for international football, because they gave you information not only for football, but general knowledge (of course it depended on the author). Now I read hundreds of texts every day (on paper and online), but fortunately I still find texts, that give me extra knowledge.

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

Response:  If we talk about the quality of the paper, now it's much easier to read a magazine or newspaper. Of course the price of every issue depends on that and unfortunately our standard is not too high and for the average football fan, it is too much to give 5 or 7,5 euro for quality magazine with good texts. Unfortunately the magazines of my childhood do not exist anymore, but I'm sure that is for good. Now in global aspect the football is too far from its origin and fast food medias are better option to cover it than serious magazines 10-20 years ago.

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

Response:  The best era for Bulgarian magazines was between 1994 and 1998. When you have strong national team, who beat Argentina, Mexico, Germany, Russia etc., you can write your texts with passion and people will like it. Every picture and every moment from this era is priceless.

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

Response:  Of course. If you want to know more about the game yesterday, you will buy the newspaper. The main advantage of the newspapers is that you have analyses of the game. In websites you have flash interviews, videos, they are dynamic media and it's difficult to find good texts (I talk about Bulgaria). Of course with social medias and all type of blogs, vlogs, you can find many different points of view, but as we say “If you read something in the newspaper, it's true”.

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

Response:  Every man changes his mind during the years and can find different things in the same magazines. Now I am looking for interesting stories from the past and present, because if you looking for statistics or quotes of the players/coaches after the game, you have a thousand of websites. That's why I like magazines as “The Blizzard”, “Panenka”, “Josimar”, where you can find in depth texts (if you know the local language, of course).

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

Response:  In every case they were useful about their time. Fortunately now I can find everything what I want to fill in the gaps. You have many interesting stories outside the top 4 leagues, but you can find local sources to know about them and in this case you need of research.

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:  Now I read it as a fan, but also as a journalist. I try to find new ideas about my articles in these old or new magazines, because it will be stupid if you think that you invent the bicycle. Fortunately I'm still surprised of many modern magazines (as a Russian version of Total football) plus the traditional World Soccer and Four Four Two.

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

Response:  It's a normal feeling. When you grow up with something (it doesn't matter if we talk about football magazine, TV Show, singer or rock group) you identify yourself with it. I have a chance to know personally and to work with authors of the most of my favorite magazines/newspapers and for me this dialogue continues, this time not as a author and reader, but as colleagues.

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:  In this case I'm pragmatic. Of course when I travel abroad and come back at home with 3 books and 4 magazines the feeling is wonderful, but when you have a lack of storage it's normal to prefer PDF. For me the most important is the information and when I find interesting and unknown fact the feeling is the same when the source is on paper or online.

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