Best in Football Writing Last Week: Refugees, Lyon and the People’s Historian

[ 1 ] DEJAN LOVREN: WE NEED TO GIVE REFUGEES A CHANCE — I SHOULD KNOW, I WAS ONE
Tony Barrett for JOE.ie
As a central defender who flies into tackles, Lovren has a reputation of being rather tough. So seeing this story about his childhood — so sensitively relayed by the great Tony Barrett — and his time as a refugee was quite at odds with that image. Given all that is said these days about refugees, I felt that this is a story that deserves to be read.

Memorable Quote: “At a time like that, you are fighting for your life and you have to survive. That is what it means to be a refugee. You are not thinking of going somewhere where you will get a wonderful job and earn lots of money, you are just hoping to find somewhere where you can be safe.”

[ 2 ] QUIETLY LYON HAVE BUILT AN ACADEMY TO BE ENVIED
Paul Grech for Blueprint for Football
It could be said that Barcelona as famous for their La Masia academy as they are for the success they have accumulated over recent years. With good reason because they have managed to develop a host of good and great players. Much less famous is the Tola Vologe academy at Lyon yet they are second only to Barcelona when it comes to developing top flight players. This is the story of how they have managed to get there.

Memorable Quote: “Talent is not enough, the mind makes the difference.”

[ 3 ] FIVE QUESTIONS FOR CULTURED FOOTBALL: DANIEL GRAY, , WRITER & PEOPLE’S HISTORIAN
Paul Grech for Cultured Football
I have to admit that this series is essentially an exercise where I talk to people around football who I really admire. Daniel Gray is certainly such a person and I always make it a point to acquire all of his books. These are his replies to our questions around the culture of football.

Memorable Quote: “I love creaking turnstiles, terraces, proper floodlights, corrugated iron walls.”