Friday, April 17, 2015

Left Wing Soccer

This web page has a collection of interesting pieces on soccer. My preferred ones are about the positional game of Pep Guardiola's teams, and about the application to soccer of the Moneyball strategy, popularized in baseball by manager Billy Beane in the Oakland A's. I am not sure that I agree with all the elements of the definition of a soccer left wing given in this site, but some of them seem OK (very subjectively, I would add believing in the working philosophy of managers such as Louis Van Gaal and Luis Enrique and criticizing the arrogant and childish behaviour of this medieval aristocracy in the XXI century, the most famous players... sorry guys!):

"Why left-wing? Quite simply I believe in:


  • the investment in academies and the right for all clubs to finance one.

  • financing for grass-roots football from the Premier League.

  • Greater punishments for clubs (outsider investors) who overspend.

  • the importance of fans and their prioritization as footballs most crucial investors.

  • a creative thought-process for transfers shown by Porto and Benfica.

  • the sport being a force for good to unify agencies, in contrast to its tendencies to exacerbate.

  • the simple joys that football brings for free, to all.

  • the left-wing attachments the game gives us: our identity, civic pride, emotional highs beyond normal daily drudgery; a chance to sing and worship; a chance to brag, feel pride and hold our heads up high."

No comments:

Post a Comment