52 review for Sheilas, Wogs & Poofters: An Incomplete Biography of Johnny Warren and Soccer in Australia

1. 

   5 out of 5

   Andrew – Jul 30, 2013

   This is the bible for anyone wanting to get some kind of insight into Australian soccer/football in the period dominated by the man who epitomized the sport in this country. For anyone who lived through the years leading up to that memorable night when the Socceroos finally returned to the World Cup, defeating Uruguay in Sydney in November 2005, and had followed the development of football through all its more than deserved challenges and stumbles, 'Sheilas, Wogs and Poofters' is an instantly re This is the bible for anyone wanting to get some kind of insight into Australian soccer/football in the period dominated by the man who epitomized the sport in this country. For anyone who lived through the years leading up to that memorable night when the Socceroos finally returned to the World Cup, defeating Uruguay in Sydney in November 2005, and had followed the development of football through all its more than deserved challenges and stumbles, 'Sheilas, Wogs and Poofters' is an instantly recognizable story; a travail of hope and dreams being tempered by self-wrought implosions, sheer bad luck and a sizable portion of the sporting public who expressed their insecurity against the game by relying on the epithets used as this book's title. For anyone who has joined the swelling support for football in Australia since 2005 this is a must read, so that he or she can come to some understanding of what burdens and honours the previous generations of soccer players, administrators and fans have carried to the current era. Standing midst this saga is Johnny Warren, the man who without doubt embodied what football could mean to not just one Australian, but to this sports mad country as a whole.

2. 

   4 out of 5

   rob – Jul 04, 2013

   This is an outstanding book. It chronicles the life of one of Australia's best loved footballers, Johnny Warren. Skippy (as he was known affectionately) was not only a charismatic, attacking player, he became the voice of Australian football (aka soccer) and helped the code find its voice against the xenophobic, homophobic, racist positioning of the code by the commentators of competing codes, both forms of Rugby and Australian Rules. Hence the book's title. Warren helped popularise football to This is an outstanding book. It chronicles the life of one of Australia's best loved footballers, Johnny Warren. Skippy (as he was known affectionately) was not only a charismatic, attacking player, he became the voice of Australian football (aka soccer) and helped the code find its voice against the xenophobic, homophobic, racist positioning of the code by the commentators of competing codes, both forms of Rugby and Australian Rules. Hence the book's title. Warren helped popularise football to Australia's kids. He often spoke of his dream - an Australia vs Brazil World Cup final. Since his untimely death from cancer, Australia has taken huge strides towards fulfilling that vision - but there is still a long way to go. If Skippy had lived longer,. however, he would have been thrilled by the progress the code has made. The book is not only a wonderful history of Australian (and Sydney) football in the 50s, 60s and 70s, it's also and excellent pen picture of Sydney (especially) and Australia through those decades. The only other works that reflect the era so well are some of the books of Clive James. For any football fan, for anyone interested in the cultural growth of Australia, this is a very specal book. It charts many of the steps taken by a backward, inward looking Australia, the home of the White Australia policy, towards its current place as a confident, outward looking country at home in Asia and willing to play its part in World politics, trade and sport. Importantly is shows how narrow minded and backward many of the so-called 'major' segments of Australia were in this era. To be truly enjoyable, a book must be readable. This biography is - very!! The prose is beautifully constructed, so the collaborators, Andy Harper (himself a prominent footballer and one of the more perceptive commentators on the game) and Josh Whittington deserve much credit. This is an easy, engrossing read. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

3. 

   5 out of 5

   Aliak – Jun 15, 2013

   I really wanted to love it but it was awful. Struggled through it.

4. 

   4 out of 5

   Pete – Dec 05, 2017

   Sheilas, Wogs & Pooters: An Incomplete Biography of Johnny Warren and Soccer in Australia (2002) by Johnny Warren, Andy Harper and Josh Whittington covers Warren's great career as a very successful football player and Australian soccer manager, commentator and promoter and provides a simultaneous history of Australian soccer from the late 1950s until the early 2000s. Warren was in Botany on a street that would, incredibly, provide three representatives of Australia in various sports. He somewhat Sheilas, Wogs & Pooters: An Incomplete Biography of Johnny Warren and Soccer in Australia (2002) by Johnny Warren, Andy Harper and Josh Whittington covers Warren's great career as a very successful football player and Australian soccer manager, commentator and promoter and provides a simultaneous history of Australian soccer from the late 1950s until the early 2000s. Warren was in Botany on a street that would, incredibly, provide three representatives of Australia in various sports. He somewhat randomly started to play soccer and was superb at it from a young age, playing in much higher divisions as a junior. As a young man he played for St George-Budapest and encountered European and South American players and styles which had a big impact on him. He also met Les Murray, the great SBS broadcaster while playing for them. The book goes through the era of clubs made by post-war migration in Australia. The state based competitions were dominated by ethnic Italian, Greek, Hungarian, Jewish and Macedonian based teams. Warren went on to represent Australia from 1964 until 1974, playing as an attacking midfielder. He also captained the team and was later part of the team that qualified for Australia's first World Cup, that of Germany in 1974. After playing he went on to manage and then promote soccer and helped the establishment of the NSL in the late 1970s. He coached Canberra and also helped to bring the New York Cosmos out for exhibition games in Australia. Warren had written as a soccer journalist since the 1960s. He then joined up with Les Murray and became part of the soccer broadcasters at SBS that did so much for the game in Australia. As well as being autobiographical the book successfully intertwines a history of the game in Australia, Warren's love of the game as an international game and a history of the Australian national team in Warren's era. For anyone interested in Australian soccer this book really is a must read. In conjunction with The Death and Life of Australian Soccer it provides a great view of Australian soccer in the post war era. As well as providing the autobiography of Warren the book provides more details of the teams while Warren played and highlights the huge role that SBS played in popularising soccer in Australia.

5. 

   4 out of 5

   Sarah – Sep 19, 2018

   If you want to understand the past, present and future of football in Australia, this is the best book to read. It's a mix of a biography of Johnny Warren, and an intelligent analysis of intersectional issues about racism, classism, Australian culture and toxic masculinity. If you want to understand the past, present and future of football in Australia, this is the best book to read. It's a mix of a biography of Johnny Warren, and an intelligent analysis of intersectional issues about racism, classism, Australian culture and toxic masculinity.

6. 

   4 out of 5

   Gemma Varcoe – Aug 31, 2020

   This was the first non-fiction sports book I ever read and almost 20 years later... oh boy, it’s still my yardstick.

7. 

   5 out of 5

   Chas Bayfield – Oct 06, 2015

   This was a fascinating book about something I know nothing about - soccer in Australia. To be honest, I saw it in a second hand shop in Tasmania and couldn't resist the title. However, reading it was properly worthwhile. Warren has an enormous amount of energy and love for the game and his frustration at the systems in place that have thwarted the growth of the sport in Australia are palpable. I loved the stories of playing in war zones and the Socceroos epic World Cup qualifying journeys. Howev This was a fascinating book about something I know nothing about - soccer in Australia. To be honest, I saw it in a second hand shop in Tasmania and couldn't resist the title. However, reading it was properly worthwhile. Warren has an enormous amount of energy and love for the game and his frustration at the systems in place that have thwarted the growth of the sport in Australia are palpable. I loved the stories of playing in war zones and the Socceroos epic World Cup qualifying journeys. However, I think the beauty of a great autobiography is when the author opens up, and not just to have a whinge at FIFA. Warren comes across as incredibly private - not ideal when telling a life story. He mentions a daughter a couple of times, but there's no mention of any marriages, or any wives, living or dead. In that sense, he comes across as a bit of a machine; a player who dedicated his life monastically to the game at the expense of any romance, friendships or life outside football. Maybe he did give everything to the game, but that makes his book only of genuine interest to those who are interested in Australian soccer the best autobiographies are interesting to everyone. I got a bit worn out by the gripes at various soccer authorities but that aside, Warren comes across as a humble, dedicated and inspirational champion of the sport.

8. 

   4 out of 5

   Stephen Carlyon – Jul 28, 2011

   Excellent autobiography of Warren's life, a life whose struggles mirrored the struggles of Australian football. Anyone who wants perspective on where the game is today, should definitely read this book. Excellent autobiography of Warren's life, a life whose struggles mirrored the struggles of Australian football. Anyone who wants perspective on where the game is today, should definitely read this book.

9. 

   5 out of 5

   Adam Benson –

10. 

    5 out of 5

    Jamie –

11. 

    4 out of 5

    Zahn –

12. 

    5 out of 5

    Tim Armitage –

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    5 out of 5

    Paul Greenpage –

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    5 out of 5

    Thomas Baxter –

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    4 out of 5

    Jaydon Munn –

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    5 out of 5

    Laai –

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    5 out of 5

    Damian S –

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    4 out of 5

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    4 out of 5

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    4 out of 5

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    5 out of 5

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    4 out of 5

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    5 out of 5

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    5 out of 5

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    4 out of 5

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    4 out of 5

    Giampiero –

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    5 out of 5

    Vincent Kertesz –

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    5 out of 5

    Ystyn Francis –

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    4 out of 5

    John Hyde –

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    4 out of 5

    renata –

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    5 out of 5

    Wassim Ghaoui –

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    5 out of 5

    Tiffany –

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    4 out of 5

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    4 out of 5

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    5 out of 5

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    4 out of 5

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    4 out of 5

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    5 out of 5

    Declan Howlett –

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    4 out of 5

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    4 out of 5

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    4 out of 5

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    5 out of 5

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    5 out of 5

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    5 out of 5

    Insureksionist –

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    4 out of 5

    Thomas Nieuwland –

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    4 out of 5

    John –

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    4 out of 5

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    5 out of 5

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    5 out of 5

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    4 out of 5

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    4 out of 5

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    5 out of 5

    Benito –