Reviews (1)

Immigration policy before soccer
This is an interesting book but the reason why is a bit illusive.The first page and the author's background indicate that it should be about immigration policy.The title and the bulk of the read say that it is about soccer.And buried in the story is the role of high school sports in shaping young peoples' lives and the debate about the relative roles of club soccer and high school soccer in developing the game in the United States. The game may be different, but the stories of the boys and how they formed a winning team is similar for instance to the stories told about boys in "Friday Night Lights." A select few become high school sports stars in a small town and on a state championship team, with all the notoriety that entails.However, one key difference is that although the boys grow up, go to school and live lives of American high school students until they graduate (or drop out), then they must blend into the faceless mass of illegals without the opportunities or rights that their fellow graduates have.Caudros explains the reason 12 million illegal immigrants are here as he humanizes the problem.It should be clear by now that these persons are not leaving 12 million citizens unemployed or even underemployed. The jobs in poultry and meat processing are not being filled and need the influx of illegal workers. Further, the companies operating the plants are eager and willing employers of the illegal immigrants.The illegal workers pay taxes, shop in the local stores, and worship in the town's churches.Deporting all the illegals described here could have a disastrous impact on a community like Siler City.The stories told here - and the facts presented - need to become part of any discussion of immigration policy and what we will do about 12 million workers and their families.This book should be on the top of any list dealing with immigration policy. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Baseball - Essays & Writings    2. Latin American students    3. North Carolina    4. School sports    5. Siler City    6. Soccer    7. Sports    8. Sports & Recreation    9. Sports (Specific Aspects)    10. Sports Psychology    11. Sports & Recreation / Soccer   

Reviews (5)

Good drills, light on pictures/graphics
The list of drills are comprehensive, meets the needs of every position, and are well organized. The graphics are poor, and there are no support pictures. If this book is updated with better graphics, I would highly recommend.

Good comprehensive book.
I liked this book very much. For anybody that wants a solid knowledge of how to coach any position, this book is a must have. I found the drills to be very well drawn and easy to understand. I would definitely recommend this book.

Must have for ALL coaches
This drill book is one of the best out there!Read more

Subjects:  1. Coaching    2. Football    3. Football - General    4. Sports    5. Sports & Recreation    6. Training    7. American football    8. Soccer (Association football)    9. Sports & Recreation / Football    10. Sports coaching   

Subjects:  1. Soccer    2. Sports    3. Sports & Recreation    4. Training    5. Soccer (Association football)    6. Sports training & coaching   

Reviews (2)

History of Spain
This is a remarkable book.Whereas it took Jimmy Burns of the Financial Times a whole book to wax about Barcelona, Phil Ball does it beautifully in a few pages.Morbo is a superb exploration of Spanish politics, Spanish geography, and the one thing that unites all of Spain-football.Spain is, it seems, a poor advertisement for the sort of national unity that dominated 19th. century Europe-Germany, Scotland, and Italy and later, India and China.Phil Ball's book exhibits a child-like happiness when he visits soccer stadiums in the forgotten corners of Spain.He exposes the hypocrisy of Basque politics, the long shadow of Francisco Franco in Spain and, finally, the exuberance of that Catalan city: Barcelona.This is a must-read for people who are interested not only in the cuisine of a particular peoples-Basque and Catalan- but in their vibrant history beyond the kitchen, beyond the football pitch as well.

Spanish culture revealed through sport
Morbo is fantastic.Phil Ball, as he always seems to do in his regular columns on Spanish football, manages to capture the essence of Spanish society through the culture of the game.This is a story not only of the greats - di Stefano, Barcelona, Real Madrid, etc - but of the cab driving Betis supporter of Seville and the forgotten cities and clubs of Huelva and Irun.For the American reader possessing a passion for the game with sources unknown, this opens up a culture for further exploration.It is not a complete history, nor was that ever its intent.Rather, as the title suggests, it is an eploration of morbo - the passion and rivalry of the game set against a backdrop of franco, poverty, wealth, isolation, regional pride, and most other issues that form the very foundation of Spain during the past century-plus.Read more

Subjects:  1. Soccer (Association football)    2. Spain   

Reviews (1)

Excellent!
As a book this has not been published yet, but I have read serializations of it in the English The Times.I'd have to say that this is one of the few books which give very rare insights into English and Italian football cultures.The writers, Gianlucci Vialli and Italian journalist Gabriele Marcotti, have extensive experience in both countries' footballing leagues, and they draw on a number of respected coaches and managers, amongst them Alex Ferguson, Jose Mourinho, Arsene Wenger, Marcello Lippi and Fabian Capello, on how tactics, techniques and footballing cultures differ in and shape the two nations.As Vialli says, while England football is played with the heart, in Italy football is played with the brains.If you are concerned about how the English game can evolved to be the best in the world (which I seriously think it could), then, as this book prescribes, we should marry English passion with European astuteness.This is one of the most perceptive books on football that I have read.I find it fascinating and revealing at the same time.5 stars! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Outdoor Skills    2. Sports & Recreation    3. England    4. Italy    5. Soccer (Association football)    6. Sports & Recreation / Outdoor Skills   

Reviews (6)

Good beginning tool.
Well written.Easy to understand.Good remainder for coaches who forget who they are coaching for and why they are coaching youth football.
Slow start, but builds speed
For a coach, the first 3 chapters were not needed. The rest of the book provided great insight and help with the game.

Very Helpfull for the Beginner
This is my first year coaching and I found my knowledge of the game,and conditioning and prep drills lacking.This book may be too simple for those that have played the game a lot and are more than arm-chair quarterbacks.
Read more

Subjects:  1. Coaching    2. Education    3. Football    4. Football - General    5. Parenting - General    6. Physical Education    7. Secondary School Athletic Programs    8. Sports    9. Sports & Recreation    10. Youth league football    11. American football    12. Soccer (Association football)    13. Sports & Recreation / General    14. Sports coaching   

Subjects:  1. Nutrition    2. Soccer    3. Sports    4. Sports & Recreation   

Subjects:  1. Soccer    2. Sports    3. Sports & Recreation   

Reviews (7)

Like a Cruyff feint--brilliance!
Not only does this book take you in to the mind of Dutch soccer geniuses like Cruyff, Michels, etc. it gets into the mindset of the Dutch themselves. I also loved the stuff on the 1978 World Cup Dutch team which is probably my fave, even more than 1974., for making it to the Final without Cruyff, Krol and other top stars who boycotted the tourny. The Dutch are deep
A great book on so many levels.More than just a book about soccer, but the whole philosophy behind the culture around it in the Netherlands.Could be interesting to those not so passionate about soccer, but without my interest in the game I would never have looked into it.A super book for any fan.I read Hornby's Fever Pitch immediately after Brilliant Orange.Talk about different philosophies!Highly recommended.

the simplist pass is the hardest to make
this was the best book i have read about soccer.the only books i can usually find about soccer have to do with coaching and drills.if you are interested in soccer beyond this level, this is the book for you.i have always compared playing soccer to "playing" life.and this book connects the too.but in a brilliant dutch way.Read more

Subjects:  1. Netherlands    2. Soccer (Association football)   

Subjects:  1. Soccer    2. Sports    3. Sports & Recreation    4. Training    5. Soccer (Association football)    6. Sports training & coaching   

Reviews (2)

Splendid book, but with a major editing error
The work Kuper put into this book is terrific (one can see where Foer got his inspiration, as "How Soccer Explains the World" reads like an attempt to write a new version of this book). However, it seems that the folks at Nation Books (or whomever was in charge of updating this book) has made a blunder with Kuper's words. Since they decided to change the name of the book from "Football Against the Enemy" (the original title, if I recall) to "Soccer Against the Enemy", they also decided to change references inside the book from "football" to "soccer". While this change is no problem in itself, it appears that the editors may have ran Kuper's text through a "find/replace" program, because now EVERY time the word "football" should be mentioned, it has been changed to "soccer", even if it messes up the grammar or meaning of the sentence. For example, when Kuper referres to the position of "an American Football Quarterback" the text reads "an American Soccer Quarterback", which makes no real sense. Or the "corrected" sentence that reads, in part, "they saw or even bought a World Cup bumper sticker that depicted a soccer covered by barbed wire" (page 215), where it should read as either "a football" or even "a soccer ball." This happens in many parts of the book, and detracts from the fantastic work Kuper has done.

The politics of sport
Finally available in the U.S., this is essentially the same book as Football Against the Enemy, which was originally published in England in 1994, with an additional chapter touching on the connection between soccer, terrorism, and the Middle East.According to FourFourTwo magazine, this is the number one football/soccer book ever.The author travels to Croatia, Russia, the Ukraine, Argentina, South Africa, and many other venues famous and obscure, talks to the people that matter, and focuses on telling stories about the beautiful game and the people who play it, own it, use it, and live it, while including great insights on the cultural and political issues that surround this truly international sport.Much better than "How Soccer Explains the World," the people, places, and stories in this book remain as vivid and relevant as ever.As you read how an East Berlin fan of "Western" teams was stalked for years by the East German secret police, you realize that international soccer is much more than a sport.Not just for soccer fans, this is also highly recommended to anyone interested in politics or travel. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Anthropology - Cultural    2. Government - Comparative    3. Political Ideologies - Nationalism    4. Politics / Current Events    5. Soccer    6. Sports    7. Sports & Recreation    8. Sports & Recreation / Soccer   

Subjects:  1. Soccer    2. Sports    3. Sports & Recreation    4. Soccer (Association football)   

Features

• Illustrated

Subjects:  1. Football - General    2. General    3. Soccer    4. Sports    5. Sports & Recreation    6. Biography: sport    7. FOOTBALL_BIOGRAPHY    8. GREAT BRITAIN_BIOGRAPHY    9. Soccer (Association football)    10. Sports & Recreation / Football   

Reviews (4)

PERFECT
Exactly as described.Nice diagrams follow step by step implemetation and practice of developing flat back defense AND includes the midfielders and forwards as well. PLUS, has attacking diagrams and options to boot.PERFECT book - exactly what I was looking for.

Fantastic Introduction to the 4-4-2 system particularly zone defense
This book is exactly what it purports to be, a practical programme for coaching the 4-4-2.
Great book
This book is great for teams newly using the 4-4-2 formation.Diagrams are easy to interpret. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Soccer    2. Sports & Recreation    3. Soccer--Coaching   

Reviews (5)

Must Have For All Coaches
This is a must have book for soccer coaches, especially coaches of girls soccer.I also recommend it for coaches of boys since 98% of the material translates over.The book not only details performing specific skills, tactics and team management, but also covers team and individual motivation and correction styles.This is where the book becomes a little more specific to females then males, which is a good thing because there are a lot of male coaches that coach all girl teams, and they need to understand what motivates boys doesn't work with most girls.While boys tend to be motivated by accomplishment, girls are motivated by relationships.Understanding that will be rewarding and help you bond with your players and develop them as a team.
The ultimate guide for coaches of girls' soccer teams
This book is all it claims to be. Clear, useful, full of great advice and fun training games and drills. Not a book about the author, but a real accent on the girls themselves. Brilliant.
Not just for girls
After coaching, reffing, and helping to run leagues for 15+ years I am always on the lookout for ways to keep myself fresh and relevant to the kids I have the pleasure to deal with.If every coach could start with this book the world of soccer would be a funner place.This may not be the only book you ever need as you advance, but the broad range of advice, attitude, basic knowledge, and practical tips make this one a "must have".My only gripe is the title, there is some information specific to girls but so much of it is just plain good I hate to see someone miss it because the only coach or have boys. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Coaching    2. Coaching - Soccer    3. Soccer    4. Soccer for women    5. Sports    6. Sports & Recreation    7. Soccer (Association football)    8. Sports & Recreation / Soccer   

Reviews (38)

An Absolute Inspiration
I think this book, The Beautiful Game, was an extraordinary display of a group of 14-year-old girls, who came together as a magnificent soccer team, to overcome a new coach, and many of the road bumps they had on the highway to success. This soccer team was extremely committed and dedicated, not only to the game of soccer, but to each other. And that is the key to playing competitive club soccer. I especially enjoyed this story about this club team called Thunder, because I also play club soccer in Dallas, Texas. My club is called the Dallas Texans (West). I am a '92, which makes me 14 in January. I was incredibly inspired by this book to train as hard as I can, and I learned that getting along with my team is very important. I was also very interested in this book because it must have taken a lot of courage to accomplish what these girls did. I was very fascinated by how well this book was written, and how much I felt like I knew every one of the girls on this team. I think I enjoyed this book because I can relate it to my own experiences. But I don't think you have to be a soccer player to have you heart touched by the lives of the girls in this story. And I also don't think you have to be an athlete to be inspired by the soccer these girls learned to play. This book should be passed down from generation to generation. The Beautiful Game is a phenomenal display of what soccer and true friendship is really about. I overall enjoyed this book because of its amazing life story of the club soccer team Thunder, and its talented 14-year-old players.

I was there.
I am the mom of one of the players and have just recently re-read this book about my daughter's team. Looking back on our Thunder experience, I know that it was a unique, almost surreal experience. At the time, we knew it was special but of course, you can't fully appreciate it until it is over. After winning State Cup, Thunder continued to grow and develop as a team, winning several major tournaments and getting back to the State Cup finals in 2000 only to lose to the Placer Sharks.I still see many of the girls and most agree that Thunder was an experience that shaped their life. It wasn't just the soccer or the incredible success the team had, it was more than that. It was the relationships, the experience, and the unique bond that is formed when a group comes together with a unifying goal. It is that undefinable, special something that takes just a talented team and makes it into a great team. So, for those readers that wonder, did it work out okay? I think, for the families that I am close, that yes, yes it did. We are better for the experience.

Inspiring, Amazing
This was one of th most fantasic books I have read in a while. It show how deticated you have to be to go all out in a sport and how good you can get if you have a good coach. I read the book, and a year later I got a really tough coach. I was temted to quit the team because of the endless running but I remembered how much the coach in this book put the tea through and how far they got, and I kept with it. I have gotten really far and I am still on the team. This is the most wonderful and well written book about teen soccer out there. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. California    2. Santa Rosa    3. Soccer    4. Soccer for women    5. Sports    6. Sports & Recreation    7. Women athletes    8. Women's Studies - General    9. Science fiction    10. Sports & Recreation / Soccer   

Reviews (3)

Great beginner youth coaches book
I purchased about 5 books on coaching soccer, particularly youth soccer (13 and under).This was by far the best of the lot, most covered only rules and strategy and not teaching basic skills.This is the first coaches book I found that actually explained how to kick a ball!It does a great job in explaining how to teach the basic skills, which is what most of the young players need.The drills were helpful and made a definite improvement in the play of the team.

great coaching skills for beginner coaches
goes in detail of coaching young kids [fantastic

A decent book for beginners and intermediates
This is an okay book for beginner and intermediate level youth soccer coaching.There are two main problems with this book.One is that the illustrations are extremely crude, often reduced to literally stick figures. The other problem is that, having collected several other youth soccer coaching books and videos, I'm not sure that I actually learned anything new from this book, and so in retrospect, I don't think I would have gotten this book.For beginner coaches learning how to coach very young kids (i.e., ages 4-8), Karl Dewazien's "FUNdamental Soccer" is a better book in terms of the illustrations, and in its emphasis on how to handle these very young children.For a more detailed explanation of tactics and intermediate to advanced skills for older children (ages 8+), Alan Hargreaves' book "Skills and Strategies for Coaching Soccer" treats essentially the same topics in a much more thorough fashion.For teaching soccer dribbling "moves", Wiel Coerver's "SCORE!" is the ultimate book (although, as I noted in my review of that book, the companion videos, viewed in slow motion, are more useful). However, if you haven't gotten any soccer coaching books yet, and are looking for your first ever youth soccer coaching book for slightly older kids (ages 8+), this book might be useful.It does have a cookbook set of week-by-week soccer drills that will get you through your first soccer season, if you don't want to have to think too hard about what it is that you're going to have to do. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Coaching    2. Coaching - Soccer    3. Soccer    4. Soccer for children    5. Sports    6. Sports & Recreation    7. United States    8. Ball games    9. Sports & Recreation / Soccer    10. Teaching of a specific subject   

Subjects:  1. Reference    2. Soccer    3. Sports    4. Sports & Recreation    5. Training   

Reviews (13)

Good reading for the most part
This book includes a chapter on each team that qualified for the 2006 World Cup in Germany.The chapters are written by different authors, who have some affinity for the nation.It also includes an interesting introduction and plenty of appealing statistics.
Day is coming.
One day America will come to see what a great game SOCCER is.

wonderful
It was one of the most interesting book i read. It captured the country and its relationshipwith soccer. wonderful writers I wish I could compliment the editors and the writers . Selection of the writers was the essence of this book.
Read more

Subjects:  1. (2006)    2. Essays    3. Soccer    4. Sports    5. Sports & Recreation    6. World Cup (Soccer)    7. Sports & Recreation / Soccer   

Reviews (6)

Awsome book
I first got the book sometimes in 2001. It is an excellent soccer reading to say the least. I was a bit disappointed because of the omission of some of the good players in world cup history. A reminder to all that world cup soccer is not what it used to be. We had an elite of 16 countries at some point but nowadays it is 32. I mentioned the omission of some players. Who could ever forgot tiny "HAITI" in 1974 scoring on the mighty "AZZURI" when other powerful world teams could not. Who could ever forget Emmanuel Sannon scoring twice during that world cup both against powerful teams "Argentina and Italy". We all forgot about his achievements. In the book you have names such as Marcelo Balboa, Alexis Lalas!!! What did they do? Who did they play? They never faced a group that contained with Italy, Argentina and Poland... Again I want to reiterate my displeasure or dissatisfaction for not reading more about some good players that have made history when the world cup was "Elite 16" but want to credit Radnedge for a good job....

What ever happened to soccer bumper stickers?
The cultural importance of soccer in America was first brought home to me back in the early 70's with those classic bumper stickers such as, "It takes leather balls to play soccer," and "Soccer's played on grass." Well, I don't know if soccer ever really took off as a sport in America, but they did have the best bumper stickers of any sport around back then.

The complete Encyclopedia of Soccer
Disappointing... I received this book as a gift or I would have returned it! For a such an expensive tome I would have expected fewer typographical/factual errors. The production quality is excellent but there are so many text errors that I believe the publishers quality control to be suspect. Was there a rush to get it out by last Christmas? During my less than intense reading I noticed 22 errors including 1 on the sleeve! As far as content, the writer seems to be doing his best inflate US players as much as possible.Inclusion of players such as M. Balboa, T. Ramos and A. Lallas and ommiting Dwight Yorke who has scored dozens of goals for Manchester United as well as won the Champions League with United, speaks volumes! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. General    2. Reference    3. Soccer    4. Sports    5. Sports & Recreation    6. Outdoors