Bloody Confused!: A Clueless American Sportswriter Seeks Solace in English Soccer

This is a brilliant piece of writing, one that I've bought for several American friends who look at me sideways when I start raving about (real) football. Not only does the author tell the story of my favorite team (Pompey), he paints a vivid picture of insane fandom. I laughed so hard at some sections of this book that my wife banned me from reading it in bed because I was shaking the bed so much. As the story progresses, the author is drawn in from feeling like a detached observer to being as crazy as the people he is observing. A tremendous read for anyone wanting to understand English culture, or any sportsfan who doesn't get why (real) football is the most popular sport in the world.

I thought this was a great book to read. Even though i've been following the EPL for several years, this book brought a bird's eye view of the weekly grind of being a professional sports fan. Great bar stories as well! I also found it helpful to get a few tips on watching the EPL in person as an American traveler. I've always assumed you could just show up to a match that had seats available, declare your non-allegiance to any particular side and get in. Not so it seems. A little advanced planning is worth the effort or you'll be watching the fixtures like the author did; out in the street looking through holes in the fences. Only drawback is Culpepper's American political rants here and there but they're sporadic enough to tolerate for an overall great read. I've shared the book w/ several other soccer friends and they've all enjoyed it as well.

This book by Chuck Culpepper is a very well written account of a man who forsakes American sports in search of English football. The humorous chronicle of an American being thrust into the culture of English soccer provides an excellent backdrop as the book examines what makes the English Premiership the most popular sports league in the world...I highly recommend this book to any American who follows the beautiful game cause it describes very well the emotions that are entailed when following a club without being wrought into the culture.

I'm almost done with this book but I already know that I would recommend this book to any soccer fan, and especially any Premiership fan! It's great to read about all the events to go on during a game in the stands. All of the Non-soccer information is also great to read about!

This is a thoroughly enjoyable book. Culpepper's trademark brand of literate humor is put to optimal use as he gives the uninitiated American a real sense of the importance of the Premiership, not only to English sports fans but to England itself. Having waited for the book's U.S. release for several weeks, I purchased a copy immediately and finished it in one (very satisfying) sitting. Highly recommended.