Welcome to Hell?

'McManus's triumph is to combine thorough research with readability. A fascinating history of Turkish football, and a model for other books of this type' -- Jonathan Wilson
'A book as rich and complex as the extraordinary worlds of Turkish football it explores' -- David Goldblatt
'John McManus is one of the very few writers in English who actually knows Turkey. This crucial but poorly understood country may be best interpreted through football - and he is perfectly placed to do it. McManus thinks like a good academic but writes like a good journalist. He captures the Turkish game with love, in all its beauty and darkness. For all the country's problems, in the midst of its current crisis, this book makes you want to get straight on a plane to catch a match there' -- Simon Kuper, author of Football Against the Enemy
'I really enjoyed Welcome to Hell? By John McManus. A heartfelt look at Turkish football culture, which challenges some stereotypes about it, explains others, and smells a little bit of cordite . . . excellent' -- Rory Smith
'Excellent' * Irish Sun *
'McManus heads off in search of colour and character across the country. He serves up both in ample measure. Nationalist agitators, left-wing ultras, Kurdish fanatics and Syrian ex-professionals . . . all provide fascinating insight into the complex relationship between politics and football at all levels of the Turkish game' -- Rob Kemp * When Saturday Comes *
'An engaging book about football and Turkish society' * Economist *
'A perceptive and compelling account of how to understand football in Turkey through the eyes of someone who has lived there' * The Football Pink *
'The book takes us on a tour of the beautiful game in Turkey, a window through which to examine society, history and contemporary politics. McManus is a sensitive and astute guide with an eye for the telling detail . . . Full of humor as well as insight . . . Welcome to Hell? is a terrific read' -- William Armstrong * Hurriyet Daily News *
'Turkish football is a fascinating topic and generates very strong emotions, and this lively book from John McManus explains why' -- Andreas Beck, Besiktas, FC Stuttgart and German National Team player
'McManus offers profound insight into modern Turkey through the vantage point of its football culture. Blending his deep knowledge of Turkish history, politics, sociology, and sports culture, McManus brings modern Turkey to life and does so with playfulness, great attention to detail, and a rare insiders' view' -- Soner Cagaptay, senior fellow at the Washington Institute of Near East Policy