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Football books worth a read

Red Exile

By Red Exile
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Red Exile

Red Exile

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Last summer, after the disappointment of England's performance at the Euros, and having watched them and a couple of other matches, I was given two books to read by my eldest. Now to respond to a point in another thread I am a poor and uneducated football player, and I guess that like most City fans I have zero experience of football management but I've watched a lot of football, and a lot of City home and away down the years, I thought I knew alot about the game. Until I read "Inverting the Pyramid - The History of Football Tactics" by Jonathan Wilson and "Calcio", a history of Italian football written by John Foot. Between them they beautifully expose why it is that the English national side is so poor and why English football is in many ways stuck in the past. I'd recommend both...great reads.

And I've viewed the recent developments at City in a different way since reading them...and come around to what might be termed the "Spudski" world view. I think we're heading in the right direction on and off the pitch. I sympathise with the obvious hurt felt by folk on here who went last night expecting us to win. I didn't. Hull are good side, thrashed us last time I saw us play them, they played most of their best available players. I thought we played well and I got more out of the match than I thought I would.

Which isn't the same as saying that I don't mind us losing. My in-laws all support Hull, unfortunately they're visiting tonight.

 

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spudski

spudski

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9 minutes ago, Red Exile said:

Last summer, after the disappointment of England's performance at the Euros, and having watched them and a couple of other matches, I was given two books to read by my eldest. Now to respond to a point in another thread I am a poor and uneducated football player, and I guess that like most City fans I have zero experience of football management but I've watched a lot of football, and a lot of City home and away down the years, I thought I knew alot about the game. Until I read "Inverting the Pyramid - The History of Football Tactics" by Jonathan Wilson and "Calcio", a history of Italian football written by John Foot. Between them they beautifully expose why it is that the English national side is so poor and why English football is in many ways stuck in the past. I'd recommend both...great reads.

And I've viewed the recent developments at City in a different way since reading them...and come around to what might be termed the "Spudski" world view. I think we're heading in the right direction on and off the pitch. I sympathise with the obvious hurt felt by folk on here who went last night expecting us to win. I didn't. Hull are good side, thrashed us last time I saw us play them, they played most of their best available players. I thought we played well and I got more out of the match than I thought I would.

Which isn't the same as saying that I don't mind us losing. My in-laws all support Hull, unfortunately they're visiting tonight.

 

I'll take that as a massive compliment mate...both books are excellent reads. And indeed help any football fan understand football better.

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spudski

spudski

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39 minutes ago, zombie said:

I'll take that as a massive compliment mate...both books are excellent reads. And indeed help any football fan understand football better.

 

Any other recommendations Spudski? If you don't mind.

Depends what you like mate...

I found all of these good reads and they are quite varied.

Brilliant Orange

The nowhere men

A season with Verona.

The secret footballer series of books

The miracle of Castel di sangro ( shows how corrupt football is in Italy...great book and story )

The numbers game ( moneyball )

Football against the enemy.

Google them fella...and find out what could be to your taste.

 

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Red Exile

Red Exile

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1 hour ago, spudski said:

Depends what you like mate...

I found all of these good reads and they are quite varied.

Brilliant Orange

The nowhere men

A season with Verona.

The secret footballer series of books

The miracle of Castel di sangro ( shows how corrupt football is in Italy...great book and story )

The numbers game ( moneyball )

Football against the enemy.

Google them fella...and find out what could be to your taste.

 

And I'd add any of David Goldblatt's books...particularly The Game of Our Lives, his recent book on English football

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CheddarReds

CheddarReds

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On ‎27‎/‎10‎/‎2016 at 13:58, spudski said:

Depends what you like mate...

I found all of these good reads and they are quite varied.

Brilliant Orange

The nowhere men

A season with Verona.

The secret footballer series of books

The miracle of Castel di sangro ( shows how corrupt football is in Italy...great book and story )

The numbers game ( moneyball )

Football against the enemy.

Google them fella...and find out what could be to your taste.

 

Thoroughly good read is The Nowhere Men.

Reading that list, and knowing you're a coach like me, you might enjoy The Manager by Mike Carson. He speaks to Wenger, Mourinho, Sir Alex Ferguson and half a dozen odd more on specific areas of management and how they handle it. About two thirds of the way through and really interesting

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And Its Smith

And Its Smith

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On 27/10/2016 at 13:58, spudski said:

Depends what you like mate...

I found all of these good reads and they are quite varied.

Brilliant Orange

The nowhere men

A season with Verona.

The secret footballer series of books

The miracle of Castel di sangro ( shows how corrupt football is in Italy...great book and story )

The numbers game ( moneyball )

Football against the enemy.

Google them fella...and find out what could be to your taste.

 

The Miracle of Castel Di Sangrio is a must-read for all football fans.  Amazing book 

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spudski

spudski

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2 minutes ago, RedDave said:

The Miracle of Castel Di Sangrio is a must-read for all football fans.  Amazing book 

One of my favourite books ever...

As I write this post, I've a new book just purchased this morning. Living on the Volcano ' the secrets of surviving as football manager'...by Michael Calvin who wrote the Nowhere men. Looks like it could be a good read :-)

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'Orns

'Orns

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On 10/27/2016 at 13:58, spudski said:

Depends what you like mate...

I found all of these good reads and they are quite varied.

Brilliant Orange

The nowhere men

A season with Verona.

The secret footballer series of books

The miracle of Castel di sangro ( shows how corrupt football is in Italy...great book and story )

The numbers game ( moneyball )

Football against the enemy.

Google them fella...and find out what could be to your taste.

 

The four highlighted are superb books, Castel di Sangro I couldn't put down. Must be about time I read that again. Football against the Enemy comes a close second
Might add the Secret Footballer to the Christmas list.....and Moneyball, that really intrigues me. May as well add The Nowhere Men, then I've done the entire list!!
 

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spudski

spudski

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5 minutes ago, Woodsy said:

The four highlighted are superb books, Castel di Sangro I couldn't put down. Must be about time I read that again. Football against the Enemy comes a close second
Might add the Secret Footballer to the Christmas list.....and Moneyball, that really intrigues me. May as well add The Nowhere Men, then I've done the entire list!!
 

And there was me thinking I was the only one on the planet that had read Castel di Sangro...who'd have thought :-)

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spudski

spudski

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17 minutes ago, Threshing Red said:

I'm waiting for you to write your book @spudski, with your football knowledge on how things work behind the scenes I am sure it will be a very interesting read. So long as I can have the first issue please

It wouldn't fill many pages TR.... plus I'd probably be sued within 5 mins :laugh:. But thanks all the same :-)

I think that's why a lot of things in football don't come to print.

It's still pretty much a closed shop, and a job for the boys. They all look after one another. Put someone's nose out of joint and upset too many, and you get black balled so to speak.

You hear so many things via people who work in the game, but often you daren't speak about it openly...for fear of consequences. And then if you do, 50% would say it's hear say.

I do have a book planned for when I retire though...and a publisher in Italy waiting to print. It's going to be a big glossy coffee table style book. I'm still collecting pictures for it.

However...it will probably bore most people to tears.

It's going to be a pictorial reference and historical guide, to all the official catalogued Teams, and known special orders, that were produced by Subbuteo during the late 60's to early 80's...a thankless and never ending task, as new one's keep appearing :laugh:

However it's a passion and past time and keeps me out of trouble ;-)

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handsofclay

handsofclay

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I read the miracle of Castel di Sangro about a decade ago. Superb book throughout and really grabsvyou which makes the final parts, where match fixing comes in, all the more stark. It is like an evening with Bardot in her prime and just as you are making your way to the bedroom, she suddenly transforms into Ena Sharpels.

Another good book is Dynamo by Andy Duggan about a match in Kiev where a crack Nazi team were geared to win against the best of the locals...called FC Start I think, but FC Start have other ideas and, knowing death awaited them if they won, go on to win. They were soon despatched for defying the Nazis. I think the film Escape to Victory was loosely based on it. 

 

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spudski

spudski

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25 minutes ago, handsofclay said:

I read the miracle of Castel di Sangro about a decade ago. Superb book throughout and really grabsvyou which makes the final parts, where match fixing comes in, all the more stark. It is like an evening with Bardot in her prime and just as you are making your way to the bedroom, she suddenly transforms into Ena Sharpels.

Another good book is Dynamo by Andy Duggan about a match in Kiev where a crack Nazi team were geared to win against the best of the locals...called FC Start I think, but FC Start have other ideas and, knowing death awaited them if they won, go on to win. They were soon despatched for defying the Nazis. I think the film Escape to Victory was loosely based on it. 

 

Haven't read Dynamo, but I've read up about the 'Death match' which the film is based loosely on, which you correctly point out.

If anyone is interested...it makes some grim reading but intriguing non the less... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Death_Match

I also remember going around Russell Osman's house, and the only pictures he had up relating to football at the time, were those of the Escape to Victory film which he was in.

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T R

T R

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49 minutes ago, spudski said:

It wouldn't fill many pages TR.... plus I'd probably be sued within 5 mins :laugh:. But thanks all the same :-)

I think that's why a lot of things in football don't come to print.

It's still pretty much a closed shop, and a job for the boys. They all look after one another. Put someone's nose out of joint and upset too many, and you get black balled so to speak.

You hear so many things via people who work in the game, but often you daren't speak about it openly...for fear of consequences. And then if you do, 50% would say it's hear say.

I do have a book planned for when I retire though...and a publisher in Italy waiting to print. It's going to be a big glossy coffee table style book. I'm still collecting pictures for it.

However...it will probably bore most people to tears.

It's going to be a pictorial reference and historical guide, to all the official catalogued Teams, and known special orders, that were produced by Subbuteo during the late 60's to early 80's...a thankless and never ending task, as new one's keep appearing :laugh:

However it's a passion and past time and keeps me out of trouble ;-)

Think we all know about the closed shop in football, i think a lot of it has to do with fear and saying anything about what's happening in case you don't get another job. You only have to look at managers who have been sacked and never say anything about the reasons why they have been sacked, apart from being crap.. but there must be other reasons. We only have to look at FIFA and the FA, it is all a boys club. I suppose we only hear a quarter of what really goes on and imagine the rest of it. 

As for your book how long do I have to wait? Cause I am getting on now

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spudski

spudski

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24 minutes ago, Threshing Red said:

Think we all know about the closed shop in football, i think a lot of it has to do with fear and saying anything about what's happening in case you don't get another job. You only have to look at managers who have been sacked and never say anything about the reasons why they have been sacked, apart from being crap.. but there must be other reasons. We only have to look at FIFA and the FA, it is all a boys club. I suppose we only hear a quarter of what really goes on and imagine the rest of it. 

As for your book how long do I have to wait? Cause I am getting on now

Exactly...as for the book....I'm a good few years off of retirement. City will keep you going fella ;-) Good times ahead :-)

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Stortz

Stortz

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52 minutes ago, One Team In Keynsham said:

All Played Out - Pete Davies

This is my favourite football book ever, just in front of The Miracle of Castel di Sangro. It's a fantastic read, brings all the Italia 90 memories flooding back!

A lot of great recommendations there @spudski, I love Brilliant Orange and Football Against the Enemy too.

@Red Exile, Inverting the Pyramid is excellent, do you read Wilson's columns in the Guardian? Always very enlightening.

If anyone wants a complete global history of the game, The Ball is Round by David Goldblatt is unbeatable.

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