Inform us a bit about your second guide and the way you got here up with the concept?Foul and Truthful is a thriller set on this planet of youngsters’ grassroots soccer: an below 12s coach will get right into a feud with one other supervisor, and the rivalry escalates right into a succession of soiled methods – Roy of the Rovers meets Home of Playing cards was the vibe I used to be going for.
I managed a youngsters’ workforce for seven years, and in addition to seeing loads of volunteers who have been giving up hours and hours of time for the sake of the youngsters, I additionally noticed too many coaches who wished to make all of it about themselves, appearing as if it was the Premier League.
The guide is about when these two views collide, about discovering the road between doing the suitable factor and getting the suitable end result. Though it’s about youngsters’ soccer, it’s not a youngsters’s guide – it’s written for adults (it’s a bit sweary at instances).
Was it more durable or simpler to put in writing this guide than the primary one?In a single sense, a lot more durable; it actually took longer. I really wrote this one earlier than Lifeless Man Singing, however I knew that I hadn’t obtained it proper but. Whereas Lifeless Man Singing was within the means of being printed, I used to be remodeling Foul and Truthful.
Figuring out what was flawed with the unique model was comparatively simple; understanding the way to put it proper took rather a lot longer. I had just a few false begins and useless ends, however as soon as I stumble on including a second character, Hayley, to share the main target of the guide with James the soccer coach, every little thing began to fall into place.
She’s a single mum and a police officer, and the way in which her story steadily intertwines with James’ makes all of the distinction. I’m actually happy with the place I’ve ended up with this one, even when it was loads of work to get there.
The story is about an U12s coach, however how a lot of the storyline is drawn out of your experiences at MAN v FAT Bournemouth?Not a lot, to be sincere! The unique model of the story was written earlier than I began with MAN v FAT, though the Hayley revisions got here since. The membership has left a few marks on the guide although.
One in every of our gamers is a police officer, and he was an enormous assist for me in making Hayley’s work experiences ring true. There’s additionally a minor character within the guide who is called after one other of our gamers. For quite a lot of causes, I simply couldn’t discover the suitable title for that character, and I instantly realised that it was proper there on the membership web site all alongside.
I requested him if he minded me utilizing it and, fortunately, he agreed. If any of the lads from Bournemouth need to know which of their friends has made it into print, they’ll simply have to purchase the guide and browse it – I believe they’ll recognise him within the character too, though it wasn’t initially based mostly on him.
Though there’s nothing in Foul and Truthful to do with weight-loss, there’s lots in there concerning the worth of soccer for wellbeing, significantly for kids. There’s additionally loads of soccer motion that may enchantment to anybody who loves the sport; anybody with reminiscences of youngsters’ soccer, both as a participant themselves, as a coach, or as a guardian, will discover a lot within the guide that resonates with their expertise.
I believe that the overwhelming majority of MAN v FAT gamers fall into not less than a kind of classes, so I’m hoping that plenty of folks in our group will actually benefit from the guide.
What has the preliminary suggestions been to the guide?It’s very early days but, however thus far so good! Evaluation copies are nonetheless being despatched out, however I managed to get superior copies of the guide to a few folks within the soccer world: Martin Dighton, previously with Dorset FA and now Senior Coach Developer at Teaching UK, and Richard Dobson, who was Gareth Ainsworth’s assistant supervisor at QPR and Wycombe.
They’ve each given glowing endorsements, praising the guide for authentically capturing the world of grassroots soccer, for the general message about placing youngsters first, and for being an ideal, enjoyable learn.
You may see their quotes in full at https://stevecouch.co.uk/books/bwopx5ob3pvdrgme/foul-and-fair/
Lifeless Man Singing obtained some incredible reader evaluations as soon as it was out on this planet, so I’m hoping that Foul and Truthful will comply with in its footsteps.
You’re coming to the nationwide event – how a lot are you trying ahead to assembly extra of the group? And the way a lot will the guide value them to purchase?I’m actually trying ahead to it. In addition to promoting books, I’m hoping I’ll have the ability to watch a number of the soccer and to speak with MAN v FAT gamers from throughout the nation. I’ve been concerned with MAN v FAT for 2 and a half years now and I really like the heat and the sense of help that everybody has for each other.
It’s genuinely the most effective issues I’ve ever been concerned with and I’m very proud to have a small half in one thing that adjustments so many lives for the higher.
The books retail at £9.99 every, and I’ll be doing a particular provide for the event: if somebody buys Foul and Truthful and Lifeless Man Singing collectively, I can do the pair at £16. However whether or not somebody needs to purchase books or not, I’d love for folks to come back and discover my bookstall and have a chat.
Please do hunt down Steve on the event, we’re certain he’d be glad to speak to you!