It was an eventful season for the AFC Richmond squad as they fought their way out of relegation and back into the Premier League. But they made it. Now that they've entered the off-season and will be spending time away from Nelson Road, they'll have more time on their hands and—let's face it, many of them could really use it to get their mental houses in order. With their sports psychologist gone, books may hold the heaping spoonfuls of truth soup they need to work on themselves and come back strong next season. 

To everyone at Team Richmond—don't forget there are no more late fines!

Ted Lasso

In his two seasons as manager of the Greyhounds, folksy Ted Lasso, the walking embodiment of a Sloppy Joe sandwich—seemingly simple, yet quite a mess once you get into it—has been through a lot. A demoralizing divorce, hostile fan base, undermining boss, crippling panic attacks, and facing the terror of being offered tea on a near-daily basis. What Ted lacks in a basic understanding of the game of football, he more than makes up for with enthusiasm, heart, and a seemingly bottomless peanut butter jar of aphorisms and puns. Ted, we don't think Nate is going to tell you what you can learn here, but maybe these books can.

• Soccer Fundamentals in a Day for Dummies by Mike Lewis
• The Power of Positive Coaching: The Mindset and Habits to Inspire Winning Results and Relationships by Lee J. Colan and Julie Davis-Colan
• Players First: Coaching From the Inside Out by John Calipari
• The Optimist's Guide to Divorce: How to Get Through Your Breakup and Create a New Life You Love by Suzanne Riss
• Shook One: Anxiety Playing Tricks On Me by Charlamagne Tha God
• You Will Get Through This Night by Daniel Howell
• Thirst for Empire: How Tea Shaped the Modern World by Erika Diane Rappaport
• World in a Phrase: A Brief History of the Aphorism by James Geary
• Knickers in a Twist: A Dictionary of British Slang by Jonathan Bernstein
• A Freudian Slip Is When You Say One Thing but Mean Your Mother: 879 Funny, Funky, Hip, and Hilarious Puns by Gary Blake
• The Moustache Grower's Guide by Lucien Edwards
• Sally's Cookie Addiction: Irresistible Cookies, Bars, Shortbread, and More from the Creator of Sally's Baking Addiction by Sally McKenney

Coach Beard

Everyone deserves a wingman as steadfast and loyal as Coach Beard in their life. (Everyone except Jane. Let him go, Jane.) Besides knowing he can pull off a flare-leg pant like nobody's business, Beard is the most enigmatic member of the Diamond Dogs. An astute student of football and chess (but, sadly, not in romantic entanglements), we suspect he has a rich interior life that he keeps to himself. Two things we do know about Coach Beard: he actually does understand the offside rule and he is a reader. Often seen with his feet up and head in a book, we love Beard's autodidactic streak and hope he expands his reading horizons to become a student of the self.

• What We Think About When We Think About Soccer by Simon Critchley
• The Game of Our Lives: The English Premier League and the Making of Modern Britain by David Goldblatt
• Masters of Modern Soccer: How the World's Best Play the Twenty-First-Century Game by Grant Wahl
• Fever Pitch by Nick Hornby
• Top Dog: The Science of Winning and Losing by Po Bronson
• Dare to Lead: Brave Work, Tough Conversations, Whole Hearts by Brene Brown
• When To Walk Away: Finding Freedom from Toxic People by Gary Thomas 
• You Deserve Better: What Life Has Taught Me About Love, Relationships, and Becoming Your Best Self by Tyler Cameron
• If We're Together, Why Do I Feel So Alone: How to Build Intimacy With An Emotionally Unavailable Partner by Holly Parker
• The Six Pillars of Self-Esteem by Nathaniel Branden
• The Little Book of Speaking Up: Find Your Voice in 5 Minutes a Day with 65 Whole-Body Exercises by Jutta Ritschel
• Every Move Must Have a Purpose: Strategies From Chess for Business and Life by Bruce Pandolfini
• Beer: A Connoisseur's Guide to the World's Best by Christopher Finch
• Memoirs of a Sidekick by David Skuy

Rebecca Welton

At first glance, a clichéd, caricature of a wronged woman out for revenge who doesn't care whose shortbread biscuits she has to stomp on to get it, Rebecca has turned out to be a supportive boss, caring friend, and a sympathetic traveler on the road to love and reinvention. She's also a "Boss A** B**tch" in the best way. We think these books are just what Rebecca needs as she starts this next chapter in her life.

• How Stella Got Her Groove Back by Terry McMillan
• The Secrets of Surviving Infidelity by Scott Haltzman
• The New Single: Finding, Fixing, and Falling Back in Love With Yourself After a Break-Up or Divorce by Tamsen Fadal
• Soulmate Secret: Manifest the Love of Your Life With the Law of Attraction by Arielle Ford
• How to Date a Younger Man by Kendall Ryan
• Older Women, Younger Men: New Options for Love and Romance by Felicia Brings
• How to Not Die Alone: The Surprising Science That Will Help You Find Love by Logan Ury
• A Uterus Is a Feature, Not a Bug: The Working Woman's Guide to Overthrowing the Patriarchy by Sarah Lacy
• Most Powerful Woman in the Room Is You: Command an Audience and Sell Your Way to Success by Lydia Fenet
• Strong Women Lift Each Other Up by Molly Galbreith
• Turn Around Bright Eyes: The Rituals of Love & Karaoke by Rob Sheffield
• Revenge of the Middle-Aged Woman by Elizabeth Buchan

Roy Kent

He's here, he's there, he and his psychotic eyebrows are every forking where. Fading football legend Roy Kent is a Sesame Street Matryoshka doll with a surly Oscar the Grouch exterior and a lovable, furry old Grover center. Will he and Keeley stay together? Will he single-handedly fund Phoebe's college with his cursing? Will he ever finish The DaVinci Code? If he does, we recommend these titles to fill up his solo six-week holiday in Spain:

• The Guncle by Steven Rowley
• Swear!ng Is G*od F*r You: The Amaz!ng Sc!ence of Bad Language by Emma Byrne
• Holding on or Letting Go: Men and Career Change at Midlife by Samuel D. Osherson
• Anger: The Misunderstood Emotion by Carol Tavris
• Why We Get Mad: How to Use Your Anger for Positive Change by Ryan C. Martin
• Radical Acceptance: The Secret To Happy, Lasting Love by Andrea Miller
• Loving Bravely: 20 Lessons of Self-Discovery to Help You Get the Love You Want by Alexandra H. Solomon
• Travel Alone & Love It: A Flight Attendant's Guide To Solo Travel by Sharon B. Wingler
• A Wind in the Door by Madeleine L'Engle

Keeley Jones

Keeley Jones brings her glorious female energy to the hurly-burly of the Richmond locker room. Warmhearted and nurturing (so much so that she wants even her death to nourish people), Keeley is friend, confidant, and personal shopper to most of the Richmond squad, especially her ride or die and fellow shine-theory evangelist, Rebecca. Finally ready to be taken seriously as a businesswoman, we hope Keeley can stop watching the replay of Roy's retirement speech long enough to pick up one of these titles from her nightstand.

• Work Wife: The Power of Female Friendship To Drive Successful Businesses by Erica Cerulo and Claire Mazur
• Big Friendship: How We Keep Each Other Close by Anne Friedman and Aminatou Sow
• Text Me When You Get Home: The Evolution and Triumph of Modern Female Friendship by Kayleen Schaefer
• Self-Nurture: Learning to Care for Yourself As Effectively As You Care for Everyone Else by Ellen Michaelson
• Fed Up: Emotional Labor, Women, and the Way Forward by Gemma Hartley
• Pink: The History of a Punk, Pretty, Powerful Color edited by Valerie Steele
• The Independent Woman by Simone de Beauvoir
• Platform: The Art and Science of Personal Branding by Cynthia Johnson
• Hair: Fashion & Fantasy by Laurent Philippon
• Ladies Get Paid: The Ultimate Guide to Breaking Barriers, Owning Your Worth, and Taking Command of Your Career by Claire Wasserman
• Launching While Female: Smashing the System That Holds Women Entrepreneurs Back by Susanne Althoff

Jamie Tartt

Showy, glory hog Jamie Tartt is trying to sell us on the male headband as hard as he's trying to sell us on the idea of a kinder, more mature Jamie Tartt. Are we buying it? Yep. Just like we're buying the Secret Santa present he forgot. We can't resist that pouty, sad little boy face, especially after we've met his loathsome, abusive excuse for a father. Lust might not Conquer All, but we hope the love and understanding others are showing him will conquer Jamie. These titles include some essential reads for Jamie's work-in-progress journey.

• Bad Boys of Fashion: Style Rebels and Renegades Through the Ages by Jennifer Croll
• Soccer Show-Off by Jake Maddox
• Asshole No More: A Self-Help Guide For Recovering Assholes and Their Victims  by Xavier Crement
• The Man They Wanted Me To Be: Toxic Masculinity And a Crisis of Our Own Making by Jared Yates Sexton
• Man Enough: Undefining My Masculinity by Justin Baldoni
• Not My Father's Son: A Memoir by Alan Cumming
• Baffled by Love: Stories of the Lasting Impact of Childhood Trauma Inflicted by Loved Ones by Laurie Kahn
• Toxic Parents: Overcoming Their Hurtful Legacy and Reclaiming Your Life by Susan Forward with Craig Buck
• One of the Boys by Daniel Magariel
• Make Your Own Hairwear: Beaded Barrettes, Clips, Dangles and Headbands by Diane Baker
• How To Be An Adult in Relationships: The Five Keys To Mindful Loving by David Richo
• We Should All Be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Leslie Higgins

Higgins's fuddy-duddy exterior belies the most earnest of hearts and he's finally begun to loosen up and start bringing the confidence he feels in his loving home life to the workplace. Perhaps the wisest and most honest of the Diamond Dogs, we share his gratification at being invited into the kennel. Higgins has his hands full with work, raising five boys, and slapping the bass, but in a quiet moment we hope he has time for a few of these titles.

• Bass Lines: A Life in Jazz by Coleridge Goode and Roger Cotterrell
• The Conscious Parent's Guide to Raising Boys by Cheryl Erwin
• Old School Love and Why It Works by Joseph Simmons
• Lost Companions: Reflections on the Death of Pets by Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson
• Workparent: The Complete Guide to Succeeding on the Job, Staying True to Yourself, and Raising Happy Kids by Daisy Dowling
• Breaking the Male Code: Unlocking the Power of Friendship: Overcoming Male Isolation for a Longer, Happier Life by Robert Garfield
• Are You a Badger or a Doormat?: How To Be a Leader Who Gets Results by Rosie Miller
• A Room of One's Own by Virginia Woolf

Nathan Shelley

Nate's wish to be reincarnated as a tiger ("and then ravage anyone who looks at me wrong") seems to have come true. His gradual transition from sweet, unassuming kit man to wide-eyed assistant coach to indignant traitor too big for his navy poly-blend britches has left a bad taste in our collective mouth. Nate's insecurities opened the door to his darker impulses and his bullying snipes at Will escalated to a full-blown tantrum at feeling abandoned by his mentor, Ted. Books can only take one so far, but in this dark night of the soul, we hope these recommendations can help Nate find his way back to himself. Otherwise, enjoy the window table by yourself, Nate.

• Bullying Scars: The Impact on Adult Life and Relationships by Ellen DeLara
• Why Do I Feel Like an Imposter? How to Understand and Cope With Imposter Syndrome by Sandi Mann
• How to Overcome Shyness: Step-by-Step Instructions, Exercises and Scenarios by Adams Media
• Assertiveness: How To Be Strong in Every Situation by Conrad Potts and Suzanne Potts
• Words That Hurt, Words That Heal: How the Words You Choose Shape Your Destiny by Joseph Telushkin
• I Need Your Love—Is That True?: How To Stop Seeking Love, Approval, and Appreciation and Start Finding Them Instead by Katie Byron
• Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents : How to Heal from Distant, Rejecting, or Self-Involved Parents by Lindsay C. Gibson
• Love Me, Don't Leave Me: Overcoming Fear of Abandonment and Building Lasting, Loving Relationships by Michelle Skeen
• The Suit: Form, Function & Style by Christopher Breward
• Wunderkind by Nikolai Grozni
• The Informant: A True Story by Kurt Eichenwald
• Silver Hair: Say Goodbye to the Dye and Let Your Natural Light Shine! by Lorraine Massey
• How to Accept Opportunities With Gratitude, Ignore Imaginary Slights, and Resolve Daddy Issues With Your Actual Father Instead Of Your Father Substitute by Dr. Sharon Fieldstone

 

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Promotional images via Apple TV+