Publisher Description
A mazy dribble through the recent history of European soccer, showing how shifting styles and influence have shaped the game.
In the early 1990s, the Dutch footballing philosophy was worshipped across the continent. Then the baton passed to the Italians, who clearly boasted Europe's strongest league. But when France started winning everything at the international level its national academy became the template for others, until suddenly, almost out of nowhere, Europe's most revered player and manager both hailed from Portugal. Next, Barcelona and Spain won everything during a very obvious four-year period of dominance, before tiki-taka's decline meant Bayern and Germany took control. Finally, Europe's most successful coaches found themselves competing in England, introducing a brilliant cacophony of styles to the Premier League.
Zonal Marking is a glorious travelogue through soccer's triumphant styles and characters.
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About the Authors
Michael Cox is the author of The Meaning of Night, which was shortlisted for the 2007 Costa First Novel Award. He is also the biographer of the ghost-story writer and scholar M. R. James and coeditor of a number of Oxford anthologies of short fiction, including The Oxford Book of Victorian Ghost Stories. He lives in rural Northamptonshire, England.
About Colin Mace
Colin Mace is an actor recently seen in the National Theatre’s One Man, Two Guvnors. He starred in the critically acclaimed drama The Night Watch for the BBC, Shirley for BBC2, as well as several episodes of Eastenders. His theater credits include “Ted Narracott” in War Horse at the National Theatre and West End, as well as Cash at WYP, and The 39 Steps and The Odysee at the Lyric Hammersmith. Other television credits includes Peep Show, Abolition, The Bill, Down to Earth, and The Project.