| Inverting the pyramid 09:45 - Jun 29 with 2864 views | joe90 |
Anyone read 'inverting the pyramid' by Jonathan Wilson?
Thinking of getting it to take on my upcoming holiday and was wondering what those who read it thought of it. |  | | |  |
| Inverting the pyramid on 10:32 - Jun 29 with 2721 views | dmm |
Yes, Joe. I've not read that many, but this is the best football book I've read. It's really a history of formations and tactics on an international scale which sounds a bit dry but I found it fascinating, and Wilson really knows his stuff. If you do read it, let us know what you think.
Have a grand holiday. |  | | |
| Inverting the pyramid on 10:52 - Jun 29 with 2686 views | joe90 |
| Inverting the pyramid on 10:32 - Jun 29 by dmm |
Yes, Joe. I've not read that many, but this is the best football book I've read. It's really a history of formations and tactics on an international scale which sounds a bit dry but I found it fascinating, and Wilson really knows his stuff. If you do read it, let us know what you think.
Have a grand holiday. |
Thanks dmm.
That's a ringing endorsement! Looking forward to reading it.
I listened to a Jonathan Wilson lecture on YouTube, he was discussing the influence of a set of Hungarian players, fascinating stuff. Like you said, might seem dry to some, but definitely will have an appeal for others. | | | |
| Inverting the pyramid on 11:14 - Jun 29 with 2642 views | Logman |
I'm just coming to the end of Dom Ball's book. It is good and it draws you further and further in as it goes along. You get a very strong sense of how he sees himself as a nearly man. I think he will do well at Ipswich though and he is managerial material thereafter.
Next I am going to read the book which Beale recommends in his coaching interview - by the NBA coach. |  | | |
| Inverting the pyramid on 13:02 - Jun 29 with 2499 views | BklynRanger |
| Inverting the pyramid on 11:14 - Jun 29 by Logman |
I'm just coming to the end of Dom Ball's book. It is good and it draws you further and further in as it goes along. You get a very strong sense of how he sees himself as a nearly man. I think he will do well at Ipswich though and he is managerial material thereafter.
Next I am going to read the book which Beale recommends in his coaching interview - by the NBA coach. |
Can you remember the name of the NBA book? Might take a look at it. |  | | |
| Inverting the pyramid on 13:34 - Jun 29 with 2427 views | Logman |
The Carolina Way by Dean Smith is the one he recommends on man management/team building.
He also recommends Quiet Leadership by Carlo Ancelotti. Anyone read that ?
For the life of a pro-footballer he recommends Denis Bergkamp's book and for the story of a season he recommends Pep's book.
On Team building he recommends Legacy (The All Blacks) | | | |
| Inverting the pyramid on 14:21 - Jun 29 with 2358 views | CliveWilsonSaid |
| Inverting the pyramid on 13:34 - Jun 29 by Logman |
The Carolina Way by Dean Smith is the one he recommends on man management/team building.
He also recommends Quiet Leadership by Carlo Ancelotti. Anyone read that ?
For the life of a pro-footballer he recommends Denis Bergkamp's book and for the story of a season he recommends Pep's book.
On Team building he recommends Legacy (The All Blacks) |
Well we’ve moved on a bit from Ian Holloway and Coach Carter! |  |
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| Inverting the pyramid on 14:29 - Jun 29 with 2334 views | BrianMcCarthy |
Inverting The Pyramid is definitely heavy, but really enjoyable. |  |
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| Inverting the pyramid on 22:01 - Jun 29 with 2019 views | DannyPaddox |
I Bobby Moncur with dmm on this. Of the few football football books I’ve read (admittedly most being 1970s Shoot Annuals) Inverting The Pyramid is the best. I was expecting it to be a dry tome but was surprised what a good read it was in it’s own right. The evolution of football formations and strategies are both well explained without getting bogged down in too much technical detail. But saying that the technical football stuff is interesting. What lifts the book is how Wilson sets the context and the eras well whether it’s Europe or South America and he highlights some fascinating characters.
The one I still remember is the coach Bela Guttmann. A Budapest Jew. Trained dancer and psychologist. Played footy all over the world and but for escaping from a Nazi-Labour camp would have ended up in Auschwitz. As a manager he won the league in countless countries including Brazil, Italy, & Portugal. His usual routine was win the league in his first season then row with the chairman in the second season and leave. He was the first to introduce the 4-2-4 formation and claimed to have introduced the style of football that Brazil became synonymous with (although several others claim this too) He also mentored a young Eusebio.
My favourite story of his is towards the end of his career he gets a surprise invitation from Port Vale to manage them. By then he’d done it all, won the medals, got the T-shirt, except manage in England. Port Vale like today were a modest club, In Division 2 but had an ageing though still potent Stanley Matthews. They were surprised when Guttmann accepted their invitation but when he turns up for the interview he’s not happy. He’s asked if there is a problem. “You’re not by the sea” he says. “You’re called Port Vale. You should be by the sea” He didn’t take the job.
A great read. Highly recommended. Have a great holiday. |  | | |
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| Inverting the pyramid on 23:10 - Jun 29 with 1945 views | CamberleyR |
Jonathan Wilson is an excellent writer. Another vote here for Inverting The Pyramid. I'd also recommend another of his books 'The Anatomy of England: A History in Ten Matches' as a good holiday read.
I'm currently reading his biography of Brian Clough 'Nobody Ever Says Thank You' which I missed when it was originally published in 2011. [Post edited 29 Jun 2022 23:11]
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