Inverting the Pyramid

**shaneker** · 08/04/2010, 8:08 PM

Has anyone ever read this book, by Jonathan Wilson? It's a history of football tactics, starting in England and Scotland at the end of the 19th century, and looking at the development of formations and patterns of movement. So far it's dealt with central Europe, including the Austrian Wunderteam and Hungary's great side, and I've just moved onto Brazil and the first flat back four and runners from the back and midfield.

Sounds dry, but it's incredibly interesting to see how the game developed and how the thinkers of the day were so open-minded and non-cynical about how the game should be played. Also, after about 30 minutes of reading one of the author's Guardian articles, I tweaked the tactics for my Spurs team on Footy Manager and went from 8th to 3rd in 3 games, scoring 11 and conceding none! Coincidence?

Anyone else read the book, any thoughts?

**HarpoJoyce** · 08/04/2010, 8:44 PM

Is this an example of a WMing thread?

I havn't read the book but "how the thinkers of the day were so open-minded and non-cynical about how the game should be played." your mind might change when you get onto Helenio Herrara.

**shaneker** · 08/04/2010, 10:17 PM

Originally Posted by HarpoJoyce

Is this an example of a WMing thread?

I havn't read the book but "how the thinkers of the day were so open-minded and non-cynical about how the game should be played." your mind might change when you get onto Helenio Herrara.

Not at all. The book talks about how formations had 8 or 9 men up front in the 'olden days', and basically about how scoring goals was the be-all and end-all of every tactic played back then, none of the modern cynicism about conceding one less instead of scoring one more. I already knew that (presume most people do) but to hear the details of how it developed and how to ideas took shape is great - it's very well researched, lots of direct quotes and the like. Give it a whirl.

I don't know anything about Herrara except that he was French, what's his story?

**HarpoJoyce** · 08/04/2010, 11:08 PM

And I thought Herrera was Italian!

Obituary from the London Independent
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/ob...a-1293412.html

Trap comparing The Special One with HH
http://www.goal.com/en/news/10/italy...endary-helenio

His myspace page
http://www.myspace.com/il_mago_herrera

Don't paticularly like Glasgow Celtic but they did a good days work in 1967.

It has been reported just before the European Cup Final of 1961 (Benfica and Barcelona) the Directors of Barcelona were discussing the fall in revenue that would take place if Barcelona didn't win the Final and return to European Cup as they hadn't won the domestic trophy. With half the Hungarian National side they were unlucky not too win, but Benfica turned them over. (I realise you are talking about tactics, but some of the modern cynicism comes from the economics and some of the cynicism isn't very modern at all).

(BTW about my earlier post, the WM refers to a style of play. I think it was Walter Winterbottom specialised in it).

**shaneker** · 08/04/2010, 11:19 PM

Doh! Given that the WM was the focus of the first quarter of the book, really ought to have got that!

Thanks for the links, I just took a peek in the index of the book and you're right, he has about 20 mentions, so I'm sure I'll be coming across more of him soon. And yes, I'm sure the business side of football has always been shady and cynical, I just liked the concept of the game starting out like a bunch of kids in the street, all wanting to play up front!

Just found a foot.ie review of the book from last year http://foot.ie/entries/6-Foot.ie-rev...e-Pyramid-quot

Like I say, it's really interesting, especially since I'm too young to remember Total Football, or Brazil's great sides, or even the AC side of the 90s too well, so it explains a lot that I knew very little about.

**HarpoJoyce** · 10/04/2010, 3:35 PM

Originally Posted by shaneker

Doh! Given that the WM was the focus of the first quarter of the book, really ought to have got that!Thanks for the links, I just took a peek in the index of the book and you're right, he has about 20 mentions, so I'm sure I'll be coming across more of him soon. And yes, I'm sure the business side of football has always been shady and cynical, I just liked the concept of the game starting out like a bunch of kids in the street, all wanting to play up front!

Just found a foot.ie review of the book from last year http://foot.ie/entries/6-Foot.ie-rev...e-Pyramid-quot

Like I say, it's really interesting, especially since I'm too young to remember Total Football, or Brazil's great sides, or even the AC side of the 90s too well, so it explains a lot that I knew very little about.

Don't worry, I've been saving up that one-liner for several years since I started using MB's, no reason to use it before that.
I'm very grateful.

**seand** · 15/04/2010, 9:24 AM

I'll have to adjust my anorak and admit to admiring HarpoJoyce's WM joke!

Good book, a bit heavy going at times, but eminently readable and interesting. Typical Jonathan Wilson then.