Top products from r/soccer

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Top comments that mention products on r/soccer:

u/devineman · 6 pointsr/soccer

I posted this in the past to the same question:

Well there's a massive picture book type thing called A Photographic History of English Football which should be recommended more often than it is. It's one of those Guinness Book of Records sized books that might have trouble fitting on a shelf but it covers every aspect of the history of the English game (and thus the history of football itself). The pictures are extremely good too, especially the ones from the 1900s.

For a more in-depth study of football across the world, Simon Kuper's Football Against the Enemy is definitely one of my favourites though it's a little outdated now. However, Kuper travels round Europe, Africa, Asia and the Americas interviewing key personnel in some of the bigger Clubs in the area and tells their history. His chapter on Dynamo Kiev and their Cold War era function as a funnel between East and West is worth the price of the book alone in my opinion.

In terms of autobiographies, I have always recommended Sir Bobby Robson's Farewell but not Goodbye as he tells the story of his journey from working in a coal mine in North East England to playing for his country and eventually nurturing the talents of some of the most important people in football now on and off the pitch. Most of all his personality shines through and the man is a hero to me and many others.

If you want a more technical autobiography then Rinus Michel's Teambuilding is the go to standard. Not strictly an autobiography and more a technical book but he intersperses it with his own experiences and you really get the feeling of how the greatest coach in the history of the game came to believe the things that he did.

If you like quirky but thought provoking books then Football and Chess might pique your interest. I'm a great believer in the vast similarities between chess and football on a tactical level and the author shared the same sentiment. Not the best written book in the world but it's gets your noggin ticking over and makes you reassess your ideas on the game which is always the best thing a book can really do for you.
Also as a fan of Italian football and culture, Gianluca Vialli/Marcotti's book The Italian Job is one of my favourite football books ever and extremely thought provoking on the differences in the football cultures in England and Italy and how both can learn from each other.

On the psychological side, I've recently read Inside the Mind of a Manager which was interesting. I can't say that I agreed with all of the conclusions and think the quotes were a little cherry picked but it's a good read for people who want to know more about what the modern manager actually does for a living and the people interviewed for the book are some of the best maangers alive today.

Lastly, if you really want to look at the business side of the game and how it is changing then I would recommend Ferran Soriano's book GOAL! The Ball doesn't go in by chance. Soriano is Man City's current CEO and former Barca CEO so he's certainly been there and done it on the business front and many of his ideas ion that book are beginning to be realised now. He recently did a lecture about it which skimmed over the ideas but the book delves into it deeper and tells stories from his time at Barca.
If you want more of a narrative and less of a business lecture then former Crystal Palace Chairman Simon Jordan's book, Be Careful What You Wish For is an excellent read. Be aware that Jordan is obviously bitter about his time at Palace and tries to settle some old scores here but outside of that it's a semi interesting look at his time at the Club and the problems he faced in implementing his business strategies.

u/mthrfkn · 3 pointsr/soccer

How many of you have read this book? When you've seen the growth that the USA had made since hosting in 1994 to winning their group (a group that included England hehe) in 2010, we're seeing some significant gains. U.S. Soccer is rising, perhaps not as fast as we'd like, but it's gaining in status (and subsequently talent) and anyone who's willing to deny it is, frankly put, an idiot. The USA has a tremendous talent pool to select (many Americans play in all leagues now) from and it is unfortunate that we've lost some near-World Class youth talent (Subotic and Giuseppe Rossi) to other nations. Often neglected as well, the MLS is attracting talent from all corners of the Americas (enticed perhaps by the prospect of a higher form of living in America or monetary opportunities.) Some of these individuals will have played long enough in the MLS to one day consider switching nationalities. Despite your personal beliefs, it is only an added bonus for the US talent pool and one that Americans don't make much fuss about (Claudio Reyna is a prime example of such a figure.) Most importantly, the US and MLS are now making significant investments in youth football. We saw some of the benefits that this had in producing talent like Donovan or Howard, however that was with a small and select group of individuals. Now the MLS and the USSF is extending that opportunity to a greater number of youth players, also in an effort to draw quality athletes away from competing American sports. The MLS is now commonplace in sports discussions, it is also expanding to accommodate more cities and common folks are genuinely intrigued by a game that is two 45 minute half's of solid play (uninterrupted by 5,000 commercials.) I wouldn't say that the US is a sleeping giant, it's definitely awake but not exercising it's full abilities yet.

In any case, this is all conjecture on my half but it's damn fucking exciting! For those of you who are looking for something to read, I highly recommend this book.

u/charzan · 3 pointsr/soccer

I think the interesting bit is encapsulated in this image - specifically the dotted lines in the top half.

'mTTV' is the valuation of the team as compared to the median of the league - therefore, we can see that City had just about a mid-table squad up until 2008. (By mid-table I mean in terms of the team's cost, which these guys equate very closely to success.)

*How they work out the cost is quite complicated, I don't completely understand it, but they work in wages, "football inflation", and transfers, as well as the "usefulness" of players I believe.

Now in the earlier years of the Premiership you could win the league with maybe 2x the median. This was what circa late '90s Arsenal and Man United had, more-or-less - although the Invincibles were actually very low, I think 1.66x the median. Nowadays, to win the league you need 3x or 4x.

So, we can clearly see the stratification into a top 3 of Mancs + Mancs + Chelsea, and the chasing pack of Arsenal, Spurs, Liverpool.

So basically the guy is saying Arsenal need to invest quite a bit to break back into that new top 3. (
Duh I hear you say, as that's what the title is.)

Disclaimer: I haven't actually read the article, I just looked at the image, but I've read [
Pay As You Play](http://transferpriceindex.com/), [Why England Lose/Soccernomics*](http://www.amazon.co.uk/Soccernomics-Simon-Kuper/dp/0007457847/) and also some of this writer's other articles - I quite like his stuff actually but I don't pretend to understand the specifics, just the main gist of it.


Edit - another interesting thing with that graph - it seems like beyond a certain point, the mTTV seems to be a diminishing quality - otherwise, Chelsea would have walked the league every season since 2004. Or perhaps, it's a huge credit to what Ferguson has achieved (you would have expected him to be runner-up much more often).



u/isthisisthis · 6 pointsr/soccer

A very nice Rupert Fryer piece on Riquelme, "The Quixotic Enigma"

Marcela Mora y Araujo on Riquelme's return to Boca

Part one of a story where the author flies from England to Argentina to watch Riquelme (featuring life endangerment)

and

Jonathon Wilson on Riquleme from Inverting the Pyramid

>It is Riquelme, mournful of demeanour, graceful of movement and deft of touch, who best embodies the old-style enganche. When Eduardo Galeano drew the comparison between footballing artists and the devotees of milonga clubs, it was to players like Riquelme he was referring, and it is upon him that the debate about the future of such players has focused. Riquelme has become less a player than a cipher for an ideology.

>‘In the pause,’ the columnist Ezequiel Fernández Moores wrote in La Nacion, quoting a phrase common in the blues tradition of Argentina, ‘there is no music, but the pause helps to make the music.’ He went on to recount an anecdote about Charles Mingus walking into a bar to see an impetuous young drummer attempting a frenetic solo. ‘No,’ the great jazz musician said, ‘it’s not like that. You have to go slowly. You have to say hello to people, introduce yourself. You never enter a room shouting. The same is true of music.’

>But is it true of football? Nostalgists and romantics would like to believe so but, Moores argued that Riquelme would have to change, that he would have to learn, like Messi, a directness. Can the game today cope with a player who does not charge and hustle and chase, but exists apart from the hurly-burly; the still point of an ever-turning world, guiding and coaxing through imagination rather than physique? ‘Riquelme’s brains,’ Jorge Valdano said, ‘save the memory of football for all time… he is a player of the time when life was slow and we took the chairs out on the streets to play with the neighbours.’ Perhaps his melancholic demeanour reflects his knowledge that he was born out of his time. Then again, perhaps his lack of pace would have found him out whichever era he played in: he is, after all, not a paradigm for theoretical debate but an individual with many very great gifts and one very obvious weakness.

>In Argentina, Riquelme is adored and despised in equal measure, the depth of feeling he provokes indicative of how central the playmaker is to Argentinian notions of football. The enganche, Asch wrote in a column in Perfil in 2007, is ‘a very Argentinian invention, almost a necessity’. The playmaker, he went on ‘is an artist, almost by definition a difficult, misunderstood soul. It would, after all, hardly seem right if our geniuses were level-headed’; it is as though they must pay a price for their gifts, must wrestle constantly to control and to channel them. Certainly there is that sense with Riquelme, who eventually frustrated the Villarreal coach Manuel Pellegrino to the extent that he exiled him from the club.

>‘We are not,’ Asch wrote, ‘talking necessarily about a leader. Leaders were Rattín, Ruggeri, Passarella or Perfumo, intimidating people. No. Our man is a romantic hero, a poet, a misunderstood genius with the destiny of a myth… Riquelme, the last specimen of the breed, shares with Bochini the melancholy and the certainty that he only works under shelter, with a court in his thrall and an environment that protects him from the evils of this world.’ Perhaps, Asch said, he should never have left Boca.

>Well, perhaps, but it is not that Riquelme cannot prosper away from the club he clearly adores. He struggled with Barcelona, but he was the major reason Villarreal reached a Champions League semi-final 2005-06, and his intelligence was central to Argentina’s sublime progress to the quarter-final of the World Cup later that summer. And yet he took blame for his sides’ exits from both competitions. He missed a penalty against Arsenal in the Champions League, and was withdrawn after seventy-two anonymous minutes against Germany. Some cited Riquelme’s supposed tendency to go missing in big games; but what is striking is that the coach, José Pekerman, replaced him not with a similar fantasista, despite having Messi and Saviola available, but with the far more defensive Estaban Cambiasso, as he switched to a straight 4-4-2. He either decided that Torsten Frings, the more defensive of the two German central midfielders in their 4-4-2, would get the better of any playmaker he put on, or, as many argued, he lost his nerve completely and lost faith in the formation because of Riquelme’s ineffectiveness. Little wonder that Riqelme has commented - as a matter of fact, rather than from bitterness - that when his side loses, it is always his responsibility.

>Riquelme is a wonderful player. He may prosper at Boca, to whom he returned at the beginning of 2008. He may even prosper for Argentina, for international defences are not so well drilled as those at club level, but he is the last of a dying breed, a glorious anachronism.

u/Matt2142 · 30 pointsr/soccer

Inverting the Pyramid - Jonathan Wilson
A pioneering book that chronicles the evolution of soccer tactics and the lives of the itinerant coaching geniuses who have spread their distinctive styles across the globe.

Teambuilding: the road to success - Rinus Michels
The late Rinus Michels, FIFA's Coach of the Century, offers his unique insight into the process of "teambuilding".

The Coaching Philosophies of Louis Van Gaal and the Ajax Coaches - Henny Kormelink and Tjeu Seeverens
Louis van Gaal, Frans Hoek, Co Adriaanse and fitness coach Bobby Haarms discuss their training methods and philosophies in this book full of creative ideas for soccer coaches at any level.

Dutch Soccer Secrets - Peter Hyballa & Hans-Dieter te Poel
This book is a first attempt to present expert knowledge of internationally proven useful and effective Dutch soccer coaching in theory and practice, based on qualitative data collection.

Attacking Soccer: a tactical analysis - Massimo Lucchesi
This book examines match strategies for creating goal scoring opportunities out of various systems of play.

Outliers: The Story of Success - Malcolm Gladwell
Gladwell takes us on an intellectual journey through the world of "outliers"--the best and the brightest, the most famous and the most successful. He asks the question: what makes high-achievers different?

The Numbers Game: Why Everything You Know About Soccer Is Wrong - Chris Anderson, David Sally
Innovation is coming to soccer, and at the centre of it all are the numbers—a way of thinking about the game that ignores the obvious in favour of how things actually are.

Football Against the Enemy - Simon Kuper
Kuper travelled to 22 countries from South Africa to Italy, from Russia to the USA, to examine the way football has shaped them.

u/Asco88 · 7 pointsr/soccer

Inverting the Pyramid: The History of Football Tactics by Jonathan Wilson is a book that I simply can't recommend enough. You learn a lot about the development of the game, not just tactics but the great early players, great teams, the significance of changes in fitness levels on pressing, the different philosophies of the biggest minds in football and how they inspire each other.

u/[deleted] · 1 pointr/soccer

This question wasn't directed at me, but I'd like to recommend The Miracle of Castel di Sangro. It's an unbelievable true story, and an incredibly entertaining read.

u/sir_tejj · 4 pointsr/soccer

My Turn: A Life of Total Football

By Johan Cruyff. I have still yet to read it, but I've heard good things about it.

Also, another one is Inverting the Pyramid, but its not by a player/manager though. Brilliant book on tactics, either way. Definitely worth the read.

Personal bias aside, My Story: Steven Gerrard is a very good read as well. Published after he left Liverpool, so you can imagine the weight of the words he writes.

u/OccamsRZA · 2 pointsr/soccer

If you're interested in a bit of reading, I suggest Inverting the Pyramid, by Jonathon Wilson. All of his books are really good, he's got a really interesting one about the Soviet Top League during the U.S.S.R., but Inverting the Pyramid probably is most comprehensive for tactics and how the fundamentals of the game work. As a Napoli supporter you'd probably like it, it talks about a lot of the history around Italian football! : )

Also, Football Manager. Take how it rates players with a grain of salt, but it's fantastic for learning how tactics work. Just... be prepared to deal with the amount of time you'll sink into it.

u/poorly_timed_boromir · 1 pointr/soccer

You wish. I think you should pick up Soccernomics. They have a pretty good argument as to why England will continue to under perform for years to come.

(it's basically because they don't have the networking prowess of the rest of Europe. [being an island] They also are too stubborn and self intitled to make the right decisions when it comes down to it. Don't get me wrong though, I love the English game and would love even more to see you guys win. I just thought this book made a good point.

u/TheSciences · 2 pointsr/soccer

Not a website but, depending on what you mean by 'cultural', you may be interested to read Brilliant Orange by David Winner.

It draws connections between Dutch culture (including visual art, architecture, and urban planning) and the football philosophy that developed in the Netherlands in the second half of the 20th century. It's not an academic piece, and there's lots of football anecdotes in case it sounds too dry or academic. It really is a wonderful book: ambitious in scope, but accessible. Can't recommend it highly enough.

u/mefuzzy · 3 pointsr/soccer

Great article to read, thanks!

I always do not understand why accurate predictions from pundits are taken literally as a measurement yardstick on how great they are. What is the point of watching the game if I know that Mark Lawrenson gets it spot on everytime?

I do not care if you predict Blackpool will trash Barcelona 8-0, I am more interested in the reasoning behind it, and even if the pundit got it totally wrong, I'd still be happy if it opened my eyes to certain aspect of Blackpool's strength of Barcelona's weakness that I would have otherwise missed.

For example, his article on Shakhtar vs Barcelona was eye opening to me, seeing I have little to none information about the former team. And I did saw how some of the weakness mentioned by him was present on that day, and Shakhtar could have gave Barca a game if not for some appalling finishing. Did it necessitate that I laugh at him for even thinking Shakhtar stood a chance? No.

Also, do read his book, Inverting the Pyramid as it is really an eye opening resource towards understanding what in my view, an under-appreciated art in football.

u/spisska · 7 pointsr/soccer

I highly recommend you in the near future to read Soccernomics -- essentially the behavioral economics methods of Freakanomics and Moneyball applied to soccer.

But to answer your question: few teams make much profit, and those that make the most would surprise you. For example, West Bromwich Albion and Wiggan Athletic are top of the EPL when it comes to profitability.

(Much like the Pittsburgh Pirates are a much more profitable team than the Yankees.)

u/OrangeGoblin · -1 pointsr/soccer

I'm currently reading through a book called Soccernomics: Why England Loses, Why Spain, Germany, and Brazil Win, and Why the US, Japan, Australia, Turkey-and Even Iraq-Are Destined to Become the Kings of the World's Most Popular Sport and while I'm not yet halfway through reading it, its brought up some interesting statistics and theories that I didn't know before. Good points regarding sales of players, the most overpriced and underpriced positions, nations to buy from, etc. Its a really good Moneyball style book that I'd love to hear someone else's opinion of who has made it through all of it.

u/Serie_Almost · 6 pointsr/soccer

You can check out The Mammoth Book of the World Cup (has all the info about world cups you could possibly want from 1930-2014). I'm trying hard to remember what book I was just recently reading that was going over this exact topic but it sounds like you are generally interested in some soccer books and with your dutch interest I would recommend (haven't read it myself) Brilliant Orange

u/iamsodaft · 1 pointr/soccer

A Season With Verona sounds like a great read. I love reading books about soccer/football. Just got finished reading this book about Dutch soccer, very good read.

u/SKaigo · 1 pointr/soccer

Well listen to Carragher and Neville when you can.

Read articles on Spielverlagerung when you can, they are written to increase interest much like Cox's are. If you understand German then read the German Spielverlagerung, which has more content and is updated more frequently as it doesn't have to be translated.

In my opinion that's where basic analyses that are found online stop being useful. Spielverlagerung is better than Zonalmarking for match analyses in my opinion, but neither are suitable replacements for tactical knowledge. There are lots of other match analysis sources online but the rest are usually just submitted by less-practiced amateurs.

Jonathan Wilson writes about general tactical trends and is very well known for his book Inverting the Pyramid. By all means check that book out, as it's considered a gateway book to developing your own tactical sense of the game.

So if you're just looking for match analyses then keep reading Zonal Marking or Spielverlagerung, but if you really want to increase your knowledge of the game then read up and develop your own views on tactics.

u/rbnc · 7 pointsr/soccer

You say 'Citation needed' yet didn't even bother to look on the website where that where that phrase originates?

Football wikipedia article


> The modern rules of association football are based on the mid-19th century efforts to standardise the widely varying forms of football played at the public schools of England. The history of football in England dates back to at least the eighth century.[17]

>The Cambridge Rules, first drawn up at Cambridge University in 1848, were particularly influential in the development of subsequent codes, including association football. The Cambridge Rules were written at Trinity College, Cambridge, at a meeting attended by representatives from Eton, Harrow, Rugby, Winchester and Shrewsbury schools. They were not universally adopted. During the 1850s, many clubs unconnected to schools or universities were formed throughout the English-speaking world, to play various forms of football. Some came up with their own distinct codes of rules, most notably the Sheffield Football Club, formed by former public school pupils in 1857,[18] which led to formation of a Sheffield FA in 1867. In 1862, John Charles Thring of Uppingham School also devised an influential set of rules.


Citation 2. Very good book read it.

u/Apostrophizer · 1 pointr/soccer

The other two answers are excellent. I would recommend that ANYONE interested in questions like this should read Soccernomics.

It answers A LOT of questions like this. Can't recommend it highly enough.

u/Monstermart · 2 pointsr/soccer

A book you night be able to use is "How Soccer Explains The World: An Unlikely theory on Globalization" by Franklin Foer. Its all about the development of clubs and the historical and political impact that they've had on their home countries, as well as how the sport has grown. Amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0061978051?pc_redir=1398414187&robot_redir=1. If thats too much into the actual history of clubs try "Soccernomics" by Simon Kuper and Stefan Symanski. Its a more mathmatical look into the sport and how and why certain countries win while others dont. Amazon Link http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1568584253?pc_redir=1398426773&robot_redir=1.
As a fan of soccer im obliged to say that you should give the sport a chance.

u/practically_floored · 180 pointsr/soccer

This book.
>Liverpool's 2013/14 campaign was no ordinary football season. It was the season when everything changed. A year of hope, fantasy, adventure; where joyous reclamation met crushing disappointment and won. A time when the brand of heroic and daring football - and footballers that seemed consigned to the sepia toned era of the game s past returned.

Also the fact they were selling this t shirt in town towards the end of the season

u/s610 · 13 pointsr/soccer

Read Soccernomics.

The authors frequently return to Moneyball and how its principles can (and sometimes are) apply to football. It's also a really interesting read in its own right.

To answer your question more directly: Lyon is a great example discussed in Soccernomics. (thanks to /u/5uare2 for pointing this out).

Also, Damien Comolli (previously Director of Football at Liverpool, Spurs, Arsenal et al.) is a close friend of Billy Beane and used some of his ideas at the clubs he was working at to influence transfer strategies.

EDIT: words and stuff.

u/_fernweh_ · 2 pointsr/soccer

Soccernomics by Simon Kuper and Stefan Szymanski has been an interesting read so far, if you're interested in the business side of the game. Another good one was How Soccer Explains the World: An Unlikely Theory of Globalization, which was comprised of case studies that looked at all sorts of different trends in the game, not just globalization.

Both of those books are well-written and -researched and offer good insights, and give historical contexts for, trends in the game.

u/slogankid1 · 879 pointsr/soccer

The team so bad, they released a book about how they came second that one time

 
 


Edit: As a few people mentioned, there are others with fantastic reviews:

>"Football? Bloody hell!", as Bill Shankly once said.
By the final chapter of this book I was kneeling on the floor of my living room, floods of tears pattering onto my replica kit, wailing like a hysterical gibbon. My dogs, Rushie and Aldo, wailed in solidarity with me. They understood; my wife didn't. I felled her with a right hook.
Imagine if all you ever wanted was a carrot cake, and then, after 25 years without one, you see your most loyal friend walking towards your house smiling, carrying a carrot cake with your name on it. As he reaches your drive, he tumbles calamitously into a ditch. You rush out to find him writhing in agony amongst a cakey-muddy mess, a hungry raven pecking at his flesh. That is how we Liverpool fans feel about the 13/14 season (the raven is Tony Pulis, by the way).
This book is not just some cynical cash-in to make money out of Irish people. Paul Tomkins has truly encapsulated the modern-day Liverpool Football Club experience in literary form: the misty-eyed sentimentality, the endless self-mythologizing and, above all, the abject, humiliating failure. YNWA.

u/riomx · 2 pointsr/soccer

How Soccer Explains the World: An Unlikely Theory of Globalization

"Foer, a New Republic editor, scores a game-winning goal with this analysis of the interchange between soccer and the new global economy. The subtitle is a bit misleading, though: he doesn't really use soccer to develop a theory; instead, he focuses on how examining soccer in different countries allows us to understand how international forces affect politics and life around the globe. The book is full of colorful reporting, strong characters and insightful analysis: In one of the most compelling chapters, Foer shows how a soccer thug in Serbia helped to organize troops who committed atrocities in the Balkan War—by the end of the war, the thug's men, with the acquiescence of Serbian leaders, had killed at least 2,000 Croats and Bosnians. Then he bought his own soccer club and, before he was gunned down in 2000, intimidated other teams into losing. Most of the stories aren't as gruesome, but they're equally fascinating. The crude hatred, racism and anti-Semitism on display in many soccer stadiums is simply amazing, and Foer offers context for them, including how current economic conditions are affecting these manifestations. In Scotland, the management of some teams have kept religious hatreds alive in order to sell tickets and team merchandise. But Foer, a diehard soccer enthusiast, is no anti-globalist. In Iran, for example, he depicts how soccer works as a modernizing force: thousands of women forced police to allow them into a men's-only stadium to celebrate the national team's triumph in an international match. One doesn't have to be a soccer fan to truly appreciate this absorbing book."

u/Stingerc · 2 pointsr/soccer

The Ball is Round: A global history of football (soccer if you get the US edition) by David Goldblatt

It's a very good book if you want a book detailing the spread of the history of the game. It cover it's roots, how it spread, how the major leagues came about, a general history of every continent, the world cup, etc. It's kind of a brick, but covers a lot of ground and is a good cornerstone if you are interested in the history of the game.

u/deadchap · 2 pointsr/soccer

This is a great read. [Amazon Link] (http://www.amazon.com/How-Soccer-Explains-World-Globalization/dp/0061978051/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1370887298&sr=1-1&keywords=how+football+explains+the+world&tag=chromeext-20). I have given it to many people here in the US as it really gives them a great insight into the history and rivalries of football in the rest of the world.

u/HP18 · 2 pointsr/soccer

This is the book "Brilliant Orange" I was referring to. For anyone with an interest in Dutch football, I'd suggest giving it a read. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Brilliant-Orange-Neurotic-Genius-Football/dp/0747553106

u/ayvictor · 6 pointsr/soccer

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Brilliant-Orange-Neurotic-Genius-Football/dp/0747553106

Brilliant Orange by the famous Dutch team of the 70s. Haven't read it but it's really popular among the football community. I know I'll read it first chance I get.

u/rufusjonz · 5 pointsr/soccer

the book The Miracle of Castel di Sangro is a great one about Italian football

http://www.amazon.com/The-Miracle-Castel-Sangro-Passion/dp/0767905997

u/scg30 · 1 pointr/soccer

Brilliant Orange: The Neurotic Genius of Dutch Football and Those Feet: A Sensual History of English Football by David Winner were both very well-written and enjoyable reads.

I personally didn't care very much for Franklin Foer's How Football Explains The World: An Unlikely Theory of Globalization, just found it to be a bit glib in its characterization of the game in different parts of the world, and somewhat reductive in its treatment of specific clubs and their supporters.

Also, I haven't read Soccernomics myself, but have heard/read many rave reviews so that's probably a good bet as many ITT have already mentioned it.

u/MatthewBox · 4 pointsr/soccer

But the support is different in Asia. They don't fit the european 'one club for life' system (what Kuper & Szymanski refer to as the Hornby model). Some of them may have switched to Barca/City/Real Madrid within recent years... and will change again after that.

In Soccernomics they reference estimated united fan numbers.

>"2003, 75 million :source Mori,

>2007, About 90 Million :source Manchester United,

>2008, 333 Million (inc. 139 million 'core fans) :source: TNS Sport"

Extract from: Soccernomics

Obviously the definition of fan isn't the same for everyone.

u/ManUnitdFan · 4 pointsr/soccer

There's a really interesting analysis of the effects of things like population and GDP on national team victories in the book Soccernomics, if anyone is interested.

u/markjaskolski · 2 pointsr/soccer

The Ball is Round: A Global History of Football (Soccer, in the American printed version) by David Goldblatt

http://www.amazon.com/The-Ball-Round-Global-History/dp/1594482969

Fantastically researched, and all-encompassing text on the history and moreover the development of football all over the world. I am about 200-300 pages in. Very dense read, but definitely a must-have for any one interested in the history of the sport.

u/sorenhauter · 3 pointsr/soccer

Ah. That's not the only incident of anti-semitism directed towards Tottenham supporters. What incidents of drama were you specifically referencing?

As far as mixing politics and football, I might suggest reading (and this goes for everyone) this book. It's a great book that shows that football is all about the political structure of the world.

u/MrMertle14 · 1 pointr/soccer

This is a good look into Pep at Bayern Munich. Some great behind the scenes tidbits and such. https://www.amazon.com/Pep-Confidential-Inside-Guardiola%C2%92s-Season/dp/1909715255

u/maplemario · 15 pointsr/soccer

Traditionally the biggest symbols are,

9 - Striker

10 - Best playmaker

7 generally symbolizes a star winger or playmaker, 11 is the same way. Most of these trends come from the compression of the 2-3-5 into the formations we have today. If you haven't read Inverting the Pyramid I highly recommend it. It mentions this topic in passing.

u/Red_Dog1880 · 3 pointsr/soccer

Calcio if you're interested in Italian football.

A season with Verona about an Englishman who lives in Verona and talks about his adventures following them.

Football, Fascism and Fandom: The UltraS of Italian Football
if you're interested in the darker side of the Ultras in Italian football (and mainly Rome).

u/kellyro9 · 1 pointr/soccer

i've plugged it here before but i definitely recommend bill buford's "among the thugs" if youre looking for something on the sociology and culture around football fans. it is a sensational read.

https://www.amazon.com/Among-Thugs-Bill-Buford/dp/0679745351

u/roguery · 6 pointsr/soccer

Two ones I liked:
How Soccer Explains The World: An Unlikely Theory of Globalization A few short essays of how football is a useful lens for understanding some contemporary issues. It's light social science, with more emphasis on football than merely using it as a loose metaphor to start from.

A season With Verona
I am not really a fan of Italy or Serie A, and only sometimes like travel literature. This one was pretty good though. The writer is a long time Hellas Verona supporter and foreign correspondent in Italy. As a sort of travel book/football journalist he endeavours to not only see every home fixture, but also to travel across Italy for each away fixture and cup tie. This one is again fairly football heavy, rather than just using football as a mere way into another topic.

u/Contra1 · 1 pointr/soccer

http://www.amazon.com/Fever-Pitch-Nick-Hornby/dp/1573226882

A nice read it's a book about the authors life as an Arsenal fan. Talks about the games and supporter life in the stands.

A must read for all football fans imo.

u/shantebellum · 4 pointsr/soccer

It's a book written by Jonathan Wilson with brilliant analysis of how tactics have evolved throughout history. A must-have to all fans of football ;) The posts here are condensed chapters of it.

u/elevan11 · 3 pointsr/soccer

Why is this being downvoted?


Once the best athletes in the country start choosing football over football, the quality will only go up. It's already started happening.


Also, if you've never read it, the book Soccernomics gives some greats reasons why the US, along with a few other countries, will eventually field world class players.

u/elliotravenwood · 5 pointsr/soccer

Other than Jonathan Wilson's Inverting the Pyramid, I recommend reading Michael Cox's Zonal Marking blog. Cox analyzes the tactics of recent games, from which I've learned a lot.

His Tactics in the 2000 series is also well worth a read.

u/dhaffner · 4 pointsr/soccer

David Winner's _Brilliant Orange_. It's about Total Football and its relation to Dutch culture. Loads of interviews with Dutch legends, particularly about Ajax's wonder years and Holland's '74 WC run.

I just finished Inverting the Pyramid, simply awesome.

Zonal Marking has a bibliography page which offers several suggestions. From that list I've only read the two aforementioned books in full. I'll probably get a copy of Attacking Soccer to read next.

u/dem503 · 1 pointr/soccer

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Inverting-Pyramid-History-Football-Tactics/dp/0752889958

read that, it'll explain why the 11 a side debate would be like finding out that in England we still debate whether america is still our colony or not.

Seriously, its shit like that why England has never had a good international team.

u/CommanderCool91 · 28 pointsr/soccer

Finding out about the suicide by
Robert Enke after getting home from a gym session.


I read the book about him a year later and it was insightful on what he had to endure during his career and also in life.

I kept close tabs on him during the time it happened because he was Adler's rival for the No.1 spot in the German goal and it was a really close and honest battle between two sportsmen.

It has been translated to English and I would recommend to anyone who enjoys reading, especially if interested in the psychological aspect.

u/avro · 4 pointsr/soccer

The overall conclusion of this type of exeperience was expressed perfectly in this book:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Soccernomics-England-Germany-Australia-Destined/dp/1568584253

Football in america will grow and grow until the US players are exceptionally formidable opponents.

u/narnia- · 2 pointsr/soccer

Inverting the Pyramid by Jonathon Wilson

An extensive book about football tactics, regarded as the best around

u/OmniEnforcer · 2 pointsr/soccer

Brilliant Orange is a great book. It is a history of dutch football, and links their style of football to the art, culture, philosophy, etc. of the Netherlands.

u/bricebru22 · 1 pointr/soccer

Read the book Soccernomics and you'll really understand the patterns and statistics that explain the unavoidable demise of England in every world cup and international football in general. It's mostly a numbers game (as is everything), but is also based on the poor development of English talent and the exclusion of certain demographics that could provide talent for England. Don't go insulting people's knowledge of the game without doing some research. The English media will hype their team as usual, but unfortunately for England the numbers don't lie and their results will be inevitable. In other word's no matter how good they look or what level they are on those joke ratings, they are not a strong team.

u/soster506 · 1 pointr/soccer

Not exactly an autobiography, but A Life Too Short about Robert Enke was a very interesting read to me.

u/hashtagPOTATO · 13 pointsr/soccer

I think the Spurs vs Arsenal dvd of a 5-1 Tottenham win over a very very young Arsenal team in the Carling Cup takes the cake.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Tottenham-Hotspur-Arsenal-Spurs-DVD/dp/B0013BCWFG

small club mentality

u/trouser_trout · 1 pointr/soccer

This Love is not for Cowards by Richard Andrew Powell, about the Indios of Ciudad Juarez. At the time the book was written (and maybe still), Juarez was considered one of the most dangerous cities in the world. The book does a great job a telling the stories of both life in Juarez and a difficult season from multiple points of view - that of the players, the die-hard fans and the author, a US ex-pat living in Juarez.

Upvotes also to Soccernomics and Inverting the Pyramid.

u/brandonw00 · 1 pointr/soccer

Another excellent book on the history of football is called The Ball is Round.

u/Adrian5156 · 34 pointsr/soccer

The key book for football hooliganism is Among the Thugs by Bill Buford. A fantastic read that gives a great insight into 1980s British hooligan culture. A great look into what started off as a bunch of young lads just wanting to fight that spiraled into violence and death.

The Ball is Round by David Goldblatt. This book is football's history bible. But chapters 13, 14 and 15 focus particularly on FIFA corruption, South American dictatorships and the outbreak of a worldwide hooligan culture, all of which are intertwined.

The book Football Hooliganism is also on my list of readings.

Fever Pitch by Nick Hornby, while not a particularly brilliant insight into hooliganism is a great look into the relationship between fan and club.

And there are some great documentaries on it too:

Football's Fight Club. Charts the rise and fall of hooliganism in 70s and 80s Britain.

There are loads of great documentaries on youtube to be honest that chronicle the problem of hooliganism both in the present day and the past. Here's one I thought was good

I don't know anything too specifically related to Leeds, but Among the Thugs does spend some time with leeds' firm.

I also just watched Vice's program on the Celtic-Rangers rivalry just last night. A good watch.

u/Mahargi · 2 pointsr/soccer

You should read this book http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/0007457847?pc_redir=1407687343&robot_redir=1

It disagrees with you that stats mean less in soccer than american sports. It is an insightful read and I recommend giving it a chance.

u/kaosfere · 1 pointr/soccer

Gotcha, makes sense. It doesn't pertain directly to the Premier League, although there's a lot of PL covered, but you might be interested in reading The Ball is Round if you haven't yet.

u/CaisLaochach · 3 pointsr/soccer

Is that the Curva Sud?

I'd hope you've all read A Season with Verona by Tim Parks, otherwise, here's a link;

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Season-Verona-Illusions-National-Character/dp/0099422670/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1314611415&sr=8-1

u/centralwinger · 1 pointr/soccer

Pretty much.

You should check out Soccernomics.

u/LOLKH · 1 pointr/soccer

In addition to the other books mentioned here, Among the Thugs and Winning at All Costs are both really good.

u/ravniel · 3 pointsr/soccer

Just for the record, a book on this subject - Soccernomics was JUST published arguing that the US are indeed destined to become a top footballing country, specifically on the grounds that our teams don't totally embarrass themselves despite virtually zero serious interest in football. The authors argue that with our size, resources, and the fact that interest is on the rise, we are indeed sleeping giants of the football world.

u/jtcmiami · 8 pointsr/soccer

The Ball is Round is a good read, especially if you're into the history of the game.

u/Be-on-sea · -1 pointsr/soccer

lol so full of it.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Tottenham-Hotspur-Arsenal-Spurs-DVD/dp/B0013BCWFG

Its a bit like the united fans insisting they are the most hated club.

u/drubi305 · 6 pointsr/soccer

The Miracle of Castel di Sangro is a classic, its not so much about history but about the writer following one team for a season http://www.amazon.com/The-Miracle-Castel-Sangro-Passion/dp/0767905997

u/brettvirmalo · 2 pointsr/soccer

Agreed.

I am currently reading soccernomics, and the author has a chapter on parity in the PL vs. NFL and also presents a number of other insightful NFL/PL comparisons.

u/jacobmiller · 14 pointsr/soccer

Since we're recommending books, everyone should read "Inverting the Pyramid: The History of Football Tactics" by Jonathan Wilson. Reading this book inspired me to create /r/footballtactics.

u/blue_whaoo · 4 pointsr/soccer

Definitely.

I would add A Season With Verona. Similar in some ways, but more from a fan's perspective. Also a bit more insight to regional culture, political stuff, rivalries, etc.

u/pippo9 · 6 pointsr/soccer

Not surprising. Goalkeeper is one of the most difficult roles in football. Sadly, that reflects in the personal lives of players as well. A great book about this https://www.amazon.com/Life-Too-Short-Tragedy-Robert/dp/0224091662

u/larry_b · 2 pointsr/soccer

Here you can find all the previous chapters, and you can purchase the book here (that's a non-referral link, by the way.)

u/leclair929 · 4 pointsr/soccer

Oh and Fever Pitch by Nick Hornby is required reading.

u/zsajak · 1 pointr/soccer

read this biography, the journalist who wrote it had direct contact with Pep Guardiola, in comparison with Balague who had not.

u/Ketamine · -1 pointsr/soccer

> I'm not sure where you're getting your numbers from

This book.

u/timster · 5 pointsr/soccer

If you read Soccernomics, England's performance isn't so bad, considering its size.

The fact isn't so much that England is overrated, but we as a nation are eternal blind optimists for our football team and continue to say that we have a chance, even though we know we don't. This isn't helped by the fact that our media continues to whip the country into a jingoistic, nationalistic frenzy at the outset of over major tournament.

u/elnatre · 25 pointsr/soccer

Some years ago I was in France with Uni, we played a game against italians erasmus, and we're talking about a game of 5 vs 5 on a grain field. These fuckers played very deep on the field with lightning fast counterattacks. We lost 2-3.

u/jamesthegill · 1 pointr/soccer

Short version - signed on a free in 2002 to provide competition to Bonano and Valdes (coming up from the youth system). Played badly in his debut resulting in Barca losing a cup game to a 3rd division team. Only played a few other games (one La Liga sub appearance, European dead rubber games) that season. Loaned out to Turkey and then Tenerife before returning to Germany.

Long version - recommended reading.

u/49unbeaten · 1 pointr/soccer

May not be totally football since it's a biography but I highly recommend "A Life Too Short: The Tragedy of Robert Enke - Ronald Reng".
A real tear jerker.

u/Hashishism · 9 pointsr/soccer

A Life Too Short: The Tragedy of Robert Enke https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0224091662/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_1sTXDb7TGW7ZK

For those who are lazy like myself

u/battles · 1 pointr/soccer

He says this because the Dutch have a history with penalties. To lose, yet again, because your team can't execute a simple task is a black mark on Dutch football.

For quality insight into Dutch Football's dysfunction see:

http://www.amazon.com/Brilliant-Orange-Neurotic-Genius-Soccer/dp/1590200551

u/CheezRavioli · 2 pointsr/soccer

Amazon reviewers seem to disagree with you http://www.amazon.com/Andrea-Pirlo-Think-Therefore-Play/dp/1909430161
Just a hunch, but do you just hate him because Juventus?

u/PhillyFreezer_ · 1 pointr/soccer

The book How soccer explains the world touches on that a lot, I know what you're saying. Religion, class, power, and money all play into football club support and for a lower class game it makes sense why the support would be more significant. But my point isn't just that it's a game. For some people it means a lot and that's ok. Crying at the end of a football match isn't over the top. Feeling gutten and having your day ruined by a bad result isn't obsessive. Pouring money and time into a club and having a very narrow view of the world is. If that's all you do or all you're involved in I think that's a problem. Rich or poor you can have other hobbies, other things in your life that matter. If all you do is talk football, watch football, analyze football, complain about football, and spend money on football, then it becomes a problem

u/gamma_male · 2 pointsr/soccer

You're right. I shouldn't have worded it that way so I've added a little correction. I remember reading, here I think, that the game was the first time that a lot of people saw the tension manifested as a massive act of collective violence. One thing let to another and boom big war.

If that's wrong, I bow to your superior knowledge.