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Up Pohnpei
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Product Description
Review
'Light, funny, enjoyably punchy' --Sport Magazine
'Filled with passion and warmth' --FourFourTwo
'The must-read football book of 2012' --ESPN Soccernet, *****
'uplifting, humorous and emotional' -- Press Association
'A fascinating story told well. It offers in its joviality an antidote to the cynical corporate interests that have overtaken the game at the highest level. For those who enjoy football books that charm and enliven, Up Pohnpei is a must-read' -- When Saturday Comes --Press Association
'Filled with passion and warmth' --FourFourTwo
'The must-read football book of 2012' --ESPN Soccernet, *****
'uplifting, humorous and emotional' -- Press Association
'A fascinating story told well. It offers in its joviality an antidote to the cynical corporate interests that have overtaken the game at the highest level. For those who enjoy football books that charm and enliven, Up Pohnpei is a must-read' -- When Saturday Comes --Press Association
Book Description
Penguins Stopped Play meets Cool Runnings in this hilarious and uplifting true story of footballing triumph against all the odds, set on a Pacific island.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Like Cool Runnings but about football. What is not to love? Got quite emotional towards the end and you could really tell it meant a lot to the author.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I initially bought Up Pohnpei for the idea of how funny it would be to give into childhood fantasy's of wanting to play for or coach an International side, and also being a coach myself I wanted to get an insight of what other coaches do, think and feel at times.
The book initially started on that comedic tone as Matt and Paul, mainly Matt obsesses over the idea of playing football internationally, Paul starts to give into Matt and his own urges and desires to follow a childhood fantasy, and then the guys go from the sane to brave (possibly deemed insane by others,) by giving up a stable life to go and coach the tiny Micronesian Island of Pohnpei football.
After a first visit to the Island, Paul and Matt realise the task at hand is so much bigger than going over to Pohnpei and coaching a team, they have to set up a whole football infrastructure, to even achieve getting a National team in place. Things don't go Paul's way as Matt has to take a life changing career opportunity. So for the most part of the book the two man army become one, Paul has to do the leg work himself, he does have the help of a very enthusiastic football mad local Dislhan who becomes Paul's biggest asset during the battles he faces in Pohnpei itself. Paul also has bigger battles as he tries everything he can to get funding and aid from various football and sporting organisations and help from the local Micronesian states, but each time he tries he comes across more hurdles, a few of those hurdles are created by the very thing that should help him, FIFA.
Eventually Paul makes headway and with the return of his good friend Matt, they manage to get the Pohnpei national side to play in their first international fixtures under the pairs tutlage.
The book to me is a very heartfelt piece; the book becomes a very uplifting story of trials and tribulations and goes from being a story about Paul Watson and Matt Conrad to a story about the Pohnpei players and battles to gain them respect and love throughout their out Nation and in the eyes of the world football. Paul also drags you in, to not only believe in the good he's doing, but you also feel his frustration and his angst as he tries to overcome the obstacles in his way, it's a superbly written book, and one that can be enjoyed by all, not just the football fans among us.
The book initially started on that comedic tone as Matt and Paul, mainly Matt obsesses over the idea of playing football internationally, Paul starts to give into Matt and his own urges and desires to follow a childhood fantasy, and then the guys go from the sane to brave (possibly deemed insane by others,) by giving up a stable life to go and coach the tiny Micronesian Island of Pohnpei football.
After a first visit to the Island, Paul and Matt realise the task at hand is so much bigger than going over to Pohnpei and coaching a team, they have to set up a whole football infrastructure, to even achieve getting a National team in place. Things don't go Paul's way as Matt has to take a life changing career opportunity. So for the most part of the book the two man army become one, Paul has to do the leg work himself, he does have the help of a very enthusiastic football mad local Dislhan who becomes Paul's biggest asset during the battles he faces in Pohnpei itself. Paul also has bigger battles as he tries everything he can to get funding and aid from various football and sporting organisations and help from the local Micronesian states, but each time he tries he comes across more hurdles, a few of those hurdles are created by the very thing that should help him, FIFA.
Eventually Paul makes headway and with the return of his good friend Matt, they manage to get the Pohnpei national side to play in their first international fixtures under the pairs tutlage.
The book to me is a very heartfelt piece; the book becomes a very uplifting story of trials and tribulations and goes from being a story about Paul Watson and Matt Conrad to a story about the Pohnpei players and battles to gain them respect and love throughout their out Nation and in the eyes of the world football. Paul also drags you in, to not only believe in the good he's doing, but you also feel his frustration and his angst as he tries to overcome the obstacles in his way, it's a superbly written book, and one that can be enjoyed by all, not just the football fans among us.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Kindle Edition
What an inspirational read,feels like i know all of the squad without meeting them,i am now searching for relatives of some kind to see if i can get a game for pohnpei,the only dissapointment about this story is when it ended,as another reviewer as pointed out Matt and Paul need funding to bring it to our screens and i will definately be one of the donaters
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Enjoyable
Picked this up on kindle after seeing Paul on Soccer AM ages ago and finally got around to reading it. Read more
Published 24 days ago by R. J. JONES
Great story!
Fantastic read, about a footballing nation I'm sure very few had ever heard of. I'm tempted to book a flight out to Pohnpei to see how the team are progressing! Read more
Published 1 month ago by Simon
Best non-fictional book ever.
After reading so much about the story on the internet and hearing about it on TV I was a bit concerned I would have heard it all before - please don't let this hold you back. Read more
Published 1 month ago by CaiParry
like real life championship manager.... superb!
This is the first review i have ever written for anything on Amazon, i have bought countless books and other things, but thhis was the first time i was compelled to write a review. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Brad
Up Pohnpei
Bought this book after hearing Paul Watson on the radio talking about it. Excellent read and it felt like I was actually there with them in Micronesia training with them in a world... Read more
Published 2 months ago by pemberton
not just for football fans...
Let me start by saying I have no interest in football... but don't let that put you off this absolutely brilliant book. Read more
Published 3 months ago by jerm
Away the lads
When i read an article about this in FourFourTwo magazine i thought it was a brilliant and madcap idea,having blazed through this book my initial thought was spot on,a great read... Read more
Published 3 months ago by Mr I Jessop
You're having a laugh!!!
What an amazing story ... if it was fiction you'd put it aside because 'it's too farfetched and total nonsense'! Read more
Published 3 months ago by Senior
Inspirational football story
I'd thoroughly recommend Up Pohnpei - it's an excellent book that's not just for sports fans. It's particularly refreshing to read about a true underdogs story on the other side of... Read more
Published 3 months ago by Jon Holmes
Not Just a Football Book
The great part of this book, is that it isn't about football - it's about a team of people working together to do extraordinary things. Read more
Published 3 months ago by I Know How To Disappear
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