Soccer

An opinionated masterclass in the art and science of “reading” a match from one of professional soccer’s most respected and beloved international figures. "For Americans new to European soccer, terms like 'false striker,' 'double accordion' or 'moving trios' need Mr. Gullit’s expert explications." —Wall Street Journal Ruud Gullit knows better than anyone else that to understand soccer you have to understand strategy. When he started playing soccer, his only “strategy” was to get the ball, outrun everyone else to the other end of the field, and score. At first it served him well, but as he advanced through the sport, he learned that it takes much more than one player's speed to make a winning team. Over the course of his career, he worked his way from the Dutch junior leagues all the way to the legendary AC Milan, eventually retiring from the field to be a trainer, then a manager, and finally a commentator. Each step came with its own lessons, and its own unique perspective on the game. Now, having looked at soccer through every lens possible, Gullit shares his own perspective. Most spectators simply watch the ball, but in How to Watch Soccer, Gullit explains how to watch the whole game. He shows how every part of a match, from formations to corner kicks, all the way down to what the players do to influence the referees, is important. And he uses his own vast experience to illustrate each point, so his lessons are filled with anecdotes from his years on the field and insights from his observations as a manager and commentator. This exhaustive guide will change the way even the most die-hard fan watches the beautiful game.

This Level 3 book introduces and examines the different aspects of soccer. Students will develop word recognition and reading skills while learning about the history and rules of soccer, as well as how to play the game. Additional text features and search tools, including a glossary and an index, help students locate and review important information.

The Fix is the most explosive story of sports corruption in a generation. Intriguing, riveting, and compelling, it tells the story of an investigative journalist who sets out to examine the world of match-fixing in professional soccer. From the Introduction Understand how gambling fixers work to corrupt a soccer game and you will understand how they move into a basketball league, a cricket tournament, or a tennis match (all places, by the way, that criminal fixers have moved into). My views on soccer have changed. I still love the Saturday-morning game between amateurs: the camaraderie and the fresh smell of grass. But the professional game leaves me cold. I hope you will understand why after reading the book. I think you may never look at sport in the same way again.

Thirteen-year-old Franco dreams of playing professional soccer, but the team in his new school is terrible, and nobody on the team, including the coach, seems to care--Franco has always been a pass-first, team-first player, but persuading this bunch ball-hogs to play the right way may be more than he can handle.

“An eccentric, fascinating exposé of a world most of us know nothing about. . . . Bristles with anecdotes that are almost impossible to believe.” —New York Times Book Review “Terrific. . . . A travelogue full of important insights into both cultural change and persistence. . . . Foer’s soccer odyssey lends weight to the argument that a humane world order is possible.” — Washington Post Book World A groundbreaking work—named one of the five most influential sports books of the decade by Sports Illustrated—How Soccer Explains the World is a unique and brilliantly illuminating look at soccer, the world’s most popular sport, as a lens through which to view the pressing issues of our age, from the clash of civilizations to the global economy. From Brazil to Bosnia, and Italy to Iran, this is an eye-opening chronicle of how a beautiful sport and its fanatical followers can highlight the fault lines of a society, whether it’s terrorism, poverty, anti-Semitism, or radical Islam—issues that now have an impact on all of us. Filled with blazing intelligence, colorful characters, wry humor, and an equal passion for soccer and humanity, How Soccer Explains the World is an utterly original book that makes sense of our troubled times.

Put your opponents on their heels and the ball in goal! Use the strategies, plays, skills, and drills of Attacking Soccer to develop a high-powered offensive team that will take your club, high school, or college league by storm. The expert contributing coaches cover the following: - Playing out of the thirds - Possession soccer - Changing points of attack - Quick counterattacks and transitions - Flank attacks - Offensive patterns of play - Restart plays - Individual skill development Editor Joe Luxbacher, head coach at the University of Pittsburgh, has assembled many of the game's top offensive-minded coaches including Dave Sarachan of D.C. United, Jay Hoffman of the U.S. Women's National Team, former Tampa Bay Mutiny coach John Kowalski, and college coaches Dean Foti of Syracuse, Sam Koch of Massachusetts, and Dave Masur of St. John's. Each coach explains and illustrates a specific aspect of developing an attacking offense, helping you develop and implement the tactics, skills, and drills that are needed to maximize scoring opportunities.

From patches of dirt to gleaming turf, soccer is a game for all. Includes fun facts, maps and infographics, an illustrated diagram, a photo gallery, an interactive glossary, and more. Full color.

This book provides drills accompanied by useful tips and understandable instructions with easy to follow diagrams. Sections include: Practical Warm Ups, Drills with the Ball, Drills with Rods and Cones, Running Technique, Plyometric Exercises and more.