The Inverted Sheepdog

“Xavi’s movement is a kind of reverse sheepdog trick — instead of penning a flock in to an enclosed space, his darting, nipping and barking is about spreading them around the field, into unexplored, unpredictable spaces.” In Episode Thirteen we bring you ‘The Inverted Sheepdog’ by Graham Hunter, which looks in detail at how the Spain international became the creative hub of the all-conquering Barcelona team of the early twenty-first century. As Graham himself puts it “Sublime player, top man. A footballer who epitomises what has gone right at Barcelona over the last couple of decades.” If you have any feedback, comments or suggestions email [email protected], or find us on Twitter @blzzrd. Graham Hunter moved to Barcelona in 2001. He is a journalist of international reputation and covers Spanish football for Sky Sports, the BBC and newspapers and magazines across the world. Twiter: @bumpergraham. Issue Four, like all issues of the Blizzard, is available on a pay-what-you-like basis from www.theblizzard.co.uk. Digital downloads cost as little as a 1p each (RRP £3), while print versions are available from £6 + postage (RRP £12). You can also find us on the Kindle and Google Play stores.