Joachim Masannek Jan Birck Popular Books

Joachim Masannek Jan Birck Biography & Facts

The Wild Soccer Bunch is a series of fourteen children's novels written by the German author Joachim Masannek, who was inspired to write the series during his years as a youth soccer coach. The books, originally written in German and published under the title Die Wilden Fußballkerle, chronicle the adventures of a fictional youth soccer team called The Wild Soccer Bunch. They are illustrated by Jan Birck. In the English translation of the Wild Soccer Bunch stories, the events take place in a small neighborhood in Chicago. Background Joachim Masannek Joachim Masannek studied philosophy and German studies at the University of Television and Film Munich. He received awards for In Liebe, Catherine ("In Love, Catherine"), and Der Pampelmusenmod ("The Grapefruit Moon"), films that he produced as a student. After completing his studies, Masannek worked as a cameraman, screenwriter and director for film, television, and studio productions. Masannek was the coach of a kids' soccer team, which inspired his creation of The Wild Soccer Bunch. His mission is to encourage children worldwide to live by values they learn by playing the game of soccer: courage, teamwork, and friendship. He presently lives in Munich with his sons, Leon and Marlon. Jan Birck Jan Birck began his career as a freelance illustrator in an atelier in Munich, working for renowned advertising agencies. During this time, he and his wife launched Dreamotion Media, a company that develops books, films, and DVDs. Birck has earned his reputation as one of the world's finest illustrators of children's books, with drawings that have appeared in hundreds of publications. He presently lives in Munich with his wife and sons, Timo and Finn. Plot In the English translation of the Wild Soccer Bunch stories, the events take place in a small neighborhood in Chicago. The team is made up of a cast of colorful characters, each of them bonded by their passion for soccer. The team plays their beloved game according to five unbreakable rules: "1. Be Wild! 2. Everything’s cool, as long as you’re wild! 3. Never, ever give up! 4. One for all and all for one! 5. Once Wild, always wild!" The logo of the Wild Soccer Bunch is inspired by the original logo created by Masannek's children for their own soccer team. Characters The Wild Soccer Bunch Leon the slalom dribbler, goal scorer and flash-pass-goal-preparer (attack): Leon is the leader of the Wild Soccer Bunch and is especially characterized by his will to win, his stubbornness and his loyalty towards the team. Initially, he was more fixed on his personal success. In the first volume, for example, he throws Raban and Joschka off the team, because he thinks they would jeopardize winning against the Unbeatable Winners. At the end of the first volume, however, he realizes that the success of the team is more important to him than his own. On the one hand, his loyalty towards the Wild Soccer Bunch shows through his actions of always trying to help friends and fellow players out of difficult situations and, on the other hand, he has a negative attitude towards new members in the third volume. At first he does not want Vanessa or Deniz in the team until they are able to win him over with the help of a few team members. His big idol is Gerd Müller, whose shirt number 13 Leon is wearing. His best friend is Fabi, they are called the Golden Twins and they often play the attack together. Fabi, the fastest right wing in the world (right wing): Fabi is Leon's best friend. Together they are the Golden Twins, the attack and goal machinery of the Wild Soccer Bunch. Unlike Leon, Fabi is already interested in girls. In the eighth volume Fabi is recruited by FC Bayern Munich, but when he realizes how important his friends from the Wild Soccer Bunch are to him, he leaves FC Bayern Munich and the Wild Soccer Bunch wins an important game with his help. Marlon, the number 10 (midfield): Marlon is Leon's brother. He is the heart, the soul and the intuition of the team. When Marlon ruptured his cruciate ligament in volume 10, he loses confidence in his soccer career, declaring it to be over. By using a trick, the Wild Soccer Bunch take him to the Team Doctor of FC Bayern Munich where he finds his intuition again. In the same book, Vanessa and Marlon have a crush on each other, which neither wants to admit. Raban, the Hero ('Spare-goalscorer'): Raban wears glasses with very think lenses. Without them he basically would be blind which leads to his permanent position on the bench. In volume 6, he asks the great 'Soccer-oracle', if he will ever become a professional player. He is, however, not destined to become a player, but the manager of the Wild Soccer Bunch instead. Markus, the Invincible (goalkeeper): Markus lives in a huge house with servant and money. His father wants Markus to play golf instead of soccer, which is why Markus sneaks out to go to soccer practice. Juli "Huckleberry" Fort Knox, a four-man backfield defence in one person (defence, last man): Juli plays in the defence and, furthermore, he built the three-level tree house of the Wild Soccer Bunch: Camelot, which is destroyed by Gonzo Gonzales, the head of the flamehats, in volume 9 but is rebuilt afterwards. In volume 4, Juli is blackmailed by 'Fat Michi'. With the help of his friends he escapes the threat and finds his father, who he had not seen in years. Joschka, the 7th cavalry (defense, very last man): Joschka is Julis’s youngest brother. On his 7th birthday (Volume 9) he reclaims the Devil’s pot from the flamehats. Vanessa, the undaunted (midfield): Vanessa aims to be the first woman on the men’s national soccer team. After she moved from Hamburg to Munich (Volume 3), she not only became a team member of the Wild Soccer Bunch, but also became one of the leaders together with Leon and Fabi. Maxi "Tippkick" Maximilian, the man with the most powerful shot in the world (defensive midfield): Maxi doesn't talk. To him soccer means everything, but when it comes to his friends he is willing to sacrifice his freedom by submitting to being grounded for a whole week and being banned completely from playing soccer, even breaking his silence if he needs to. Deniz, the loco (striker, in fact everywhere): Deniz is a Turk. During his time with the Wild Soccer Bunch he learns that he needs glasses (Volume 5), that he is not on his own and that friends are way more important than personal victories. Jojo who dances with the sun (outside left): Jojo comes from an orphanage. He never owned proper soccer shoes and was playing soccer with patched sandals until he receives some as a gift in Book 11. Apart from that, he also learns that friendship is more important than material possessions. Antagonists "Gonzo" Gonzales, the pale vampire, is the leader of the flamehats, the skater gang of the boarding school "Nebelburg". Fat Michi is the leader of the Unbeatable Winners. Due to the victory of the Wild Soccer Bunch, he became one of their friends even though.... Discover the Joachim Masannek Jan Birck popular books. Find the top 100 most popular Joachim Masannek Jan Birck books.