International Soccer Network

"Your Source for the Beautiful Game"

Category Archives: Reviews

Pep Guardiola: Another Way of Winning (Review)

Guillem Balague’s Pep Guardiola: Another Way of Winning is a special title written about a special coach, player, and person.  Some might call Guardiola a legend as a player and coach and that certainly would be fitting.

This book sheds some light on the enigmatic Guardiola, an intellectual on the pitch and the sidelines.  He is a man that brought honor and stability back to Barca, coming on board at a time of great turbulence.  What he did was make history, leading FC Barcelona to the greatest run in club football history.

But was it easy? No, he had to deal with complex players like Ronaldinho, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Thierry Henry, and Samuel Eto’o.  At the same time, he had to be ever so concerned about the development of Lionel Messi.

He performed his job with class and emotion, creating a family-like atmosphere at Barcelona.  He would play the role of big brother, father figure, disciplinarian, mentor, and friend.  His players wanted to play well for him because he gave so much, truly his heart and soul, to the club.

His fellow coaches have only great things to say about him.  Sir Alex thought enough of Pep to write the foreword.

Why did he have so much success? The title suggests there were a lot of factors.  A world full of talent certainly helps, but a leader in touch with a club’s history and tradition might play a bigger role.  Add in that Guardiola is a man-manager of the highest quality, bringing out the best in the best.  I think it is safe to say that his players, especially Messi, would agree.

A lot of people questioned Pep’s decision to walk away from the ever so successful Barca side, but that choice to get away makes so much sense after reading this book.  So does the decision to return to football at Bayern Munich.  Taking an unorthodox path in football is nothing new for Guardiola.

The best part of Balague’s work is showing Pep as a young player just learning the ropes at La Masia, Barca’s famed youth academy.  He learned what it meant to play for the club, what it meant to pull on that legendary kit, and all about those that came before him. Framing that legacy was a key part of his development as a player and eventually a coach.

Reading this book will give you a deeper understanding of Guardiola and his constant, unchanging quest for excellence. It is well-written, thoughtful and perfectly capture Pep’s love and emotion towards the game.

Why Always Me?: The Biography of Mario Balotelli (Review)

Why Always Me?: The Biography of Mario Balotelli by Frank Worrall is the story of an enigma.  Balotelli is as controversial as he is talented, which makes him world-class in both category.

Worrall knows how to get the job done, bringing in dozens of sources to tell the whole story.  I have to say I have never seen anything about Balotelli’s childhood before and that is thoroughly dissected here.  It helps you understand why Balotelli is so complex and so complicated on and off the pitch.

Delving into his psychology is important to understanding such a player, someone so talented and unpredictable at the same time.  You hear about his time with Inter Milan, the Italian National Team, and Manchester City.  You hear about his love of AC Milan and the reasons why he eventually ended up there even though the book was finished before his move back to Italy.

We hear a lot about people that surrounded and influenced him.  His teammates were all over the place; some supported and some condemned him.  But no one doubted his potential.  Roberto Mancini was arguably the most influential person in Mario’s life, someone who was a both father figure and a mentor. No one believed in or pushed “Super Mario” more than Mancini. It is unclear whether he even got all he could out of  Balotelli.

Potential is a dangerous thing, something you will never shake.  The chance to be the best in the world is something that Mario has to live with, but it is his opportunity and responsibility alone.

The book was stellar, which is expected when you see something from a journalist with experience like Worrall. It was world-class in every way.

The Didi Man: My Love Affair with Liverpool (Review)

The Didi Man: My Love Affair with Liverpool by Dietmar Hamann is a candid look into the game of English football and more importantly, the greatness of the Liverpool experience.

Hamann is a great storyteller, someone that recalls the greatest moments and players of the  Modern Era.  It is truly a LFC love affair with an unlikely main character, a German National Teamer that helped bring hardware home to one of England’s most storied teams.

You get an insider’s look into everything Liverpool from players, managers, coaches, staff, and the city itself.  It is an absolute masterpiece, one where you learn something while cracking a smile.

It must have been quite a ride playing with Hamann, who by all accounts is quite a character in his own right.  He was a quality footballer that surrounded himself with the stars of the beautiful game.  Yes, we are talking about players like Steven Gerrard and  Jamie Carragher and managers like Rafa Benitez and Gerald Houllier.

Hamann is a player that has seen it all: the World Cup, the Champions League, derbies in the EPL, the Euros.  You name it and he has been there.  He was a fan favorite everywhere he went; his personality was simply contagious.

This book represents the best of biography, sports writing, and comedy.  It is nice to see an author that doesn’t take himself too seriously, someone willing to have a laugh right there with the reader.

It feels like Hamann actually enjoyed writing this book and actually enjoyed sharing his legendary stories.

It is a no-brainer for any EPL fan and an absolute must-have for any who has fallen in love with Liverpool. There are so many people that fall into the latter category thanks to Liverpool’s massive North American tour and the Being: Liverpool series from FOX.

This title is just another piece of the puzzle in a fan’s love affair with the Reds.

Scottish Football: It’s Not All About the Old Firm (Review)

Everyone loves the SPL.  It has a long and rich history, great derbies, and incredible personalities.

But when you think of the Scottish game, you think of Celtic and Rangers.  The fact Rangers went into administration and went into the lower leagues doesn’t change a thing.

Even British prime minister David Cameron is talking about Celtic and Rangers; this time he wants to bring these two Glasgow giants into the England football system.  Some call it a political move; others think the two could seriously benefit from the move.

There is something about Scottish football that is special and more importantly, unique.  But who gets all the glory and is the subject of all the stories?  It all changes now.

Scottish Football: It’s Not All About the Old Firm by Scott Burns is a special read; it is different than all the other books written about the Scottish game.  It offers up stories and a focus you won’t find anywhere else.  It takes the back road through Scottish footballing history, getting past the Old Firm.

A lot of people probably know about Sir Alex’s time at Aberdeen, but most people probably would look past the likes of Raith Rovers and Livingston.  Some might be familiar with Hibs and Hearts, but might not be able to recall anything about Inverness Caledonian Thistle.

The book gets to the heart of football in Scotland.  It isn’t about what happens in Glasgow. There are so many other stories to tell and this book does just that in a masterful way.  You feel connected to the legendary teams that beat the odds, winning hardware that was supposed to end up somewhere else.

This is a must have for all those who love the beautiful game. It is about the battle of David and Goliath and the fact that games are played on the pitch, not in popularity polls.  It is about games that deserve and need to be played because the giants sometimes fall.  People often refer to the giant-killing of the FA Cup, but that is just a typical week in Scottish football.

Review: Sunderland AFC Miscellany

Rob Mason’s Sunderland AFC Miscellany is a treasure trove of Sunderland legend and lore.  It is a pint-sized book full of big stories, from the well-known to the obscure.  I think it is a safe bet to say that you will learn things you never knew before.  Don’t take our word for it though.  Just read the foreword from former SAFC player Len Ashurst.

A legendary club like Sunderland has loads of history; it is after all a team built on tradition and a legacy of excellence. Yes, Sunderland has seen better days, actually much better days.  Today they might reside in the lower third of the BPL table, but they were once among the kings of English football.

This title delivers information from every era.  You will hear about legends like Arthur Bridgett and Bobby Gurney and modern marvels like Darren Bent and Asamoah Gyan. This is a team that had their first goal scored in 1880, survived two World Wars, the commercialization of football, and still wields a legion of supporters from around the globe.  Here in the States they remain a fan favorite.

This book is a no-brainer for anyone who loves the English game.  It is overflowing with content, providing the reader with endless information.  It is presented in an easy to read format with short pieces of trivia, history, statistics, and facts.  The best part is that it is written by the team’s publication editor and historian.  Who else would be better at sharing the team’s illustrious history? No one I could think of.