soccer

There are some good insights in this book (and some really nice pictures). However, I was put off by the author's tone, which is pedantic and mildly condescending, and I was unimpressed by his grocery-list application of the insights to the game. The Sun Tzu quotes were appropriate but gratuitous, and the author does not apply the simplicity which has made "Art of War" such a classic. Where "The Art of War" is about fifty pages (including third-party commentary), "The Art of Soccer" is about four times that length.

Brevity would have greatly improved this book. The real insights (primarily regarding the importance of using space in effective soccer) were covered fully in the first chapter or two; the details in the later part are covered more eloquently and carefully in other works (see "Coaching Soccer Successfully," by Roy Rees et al ...

For an intermediate coach or player this book could be quite helpful, but I suggest skimming rather than reading it.

I have played soccer for many years and this book would enable many coaches and players to better understand each others roles so much better. This level of understanding takes many years to develope. This book could really help to simplify that process. This book takes sun tzu's principles and applies them to soccer.In the business and martial arts communities,it has always been said that these principles are applicable to all times and places where people compete against each other.Thus this interpretation can be made applicable to basketball, hockey ,etc - ALL SPORTS.

If you are involved with a team which has the basics of feinting, dribbling, and passing, then this book will take you to the next level of understanding of how and why positioning should work. As the author points out early, 10 minutes after a game starts you can't tell whether the team is using a 5-3-2 or a 3-4-3 because the game is really about space and how to set up spaces, manipulate it, and work into it. Really a great understanding of the game as it is played and not as a bunch of X's and O's. You MUST read this book if you coach or play U-12 or above.