I knew I was the target market for this book by page 10, “have you ever wondered why TSV Munich have 1860 as a suffix when the German game didn’t get off the ground until the 1890s?” It’s precisely the sort of thing I have pondered on and off for about 25 years.
The GDR has its own fascinating chapter. The notion that success would reflect well on the regional Communist officials led to whole teams being uprooted in the dead of night. You need a decent Berlin team? Bring that one from Dresden over. Stasi informers were everywhere; in the stands, on the bench, playing the holding role in midfield. East Germany first crossed swords with their neighbouring capitalist dogs in the 1974 World Cup, beating them 1-0. They heroically defended this record by refusing a rematch. East Germany sounds awful and amazing and it was only, like, just over there.
Excellent stuff, published by the WSC people with a new updated paperback edition.