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Positionism: Inside the Philosophy of Space, Structure, and Control in Modern Football
190 pages, Paperback
Published April 15, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
October 5, 2025
The premise of the book is reasonable. It seeks to explain the basic tactical concepts within modern football with particular reference to the positional play popularised by managers like Pep Guardiola.
Unfortunately the writing is breathtakingly bad. From kick-off you're confronted by a series of clichés, repetitions and tautologies (gems like "...not by accident. It's intentional"), all infused with the irritating air of a preachy self-help book. The actual substance of the book is almost immediately lost.
At the end of one chapter, Slaney asks for support so that his work may be accessed by the increasingly 'curious' and 'smart' fans watching and analysing football. Despite the patronising arrogance he may have a point - and it's for that reason I could simply not read any further. The writing style was already sending me into a state of some agitation.
I'm thankful I could preview this using Kindle Unlimited because had I spent £15 on the hardback version of this there'd probably be a hole (or a 'dynamic spatial chasm' as Slaney would call it) in my wall. So beware...
Unfortunately the writing is breathtakingly bad. From kick-off you're confronted by a series of clichés, repetitions and tautologies (gems like "...not by accident. It's intentional"), all infused with the irritating air of a preachy self-help book. The actual substance of the book is almost immediately lost.
At the end of one chapter, Slaney asks for support so that his work may be accessed by the increasingly 'curious' and 'smart' fans watching and analysing football. Despite the patronising arrogance he may have a point - and it's for that reason I could simply not read any further. The writing style was already sending me into a state of some agitation.
I'm thankful I could preview this using Kindle Unlimited because had I spent £15 on the hardback version of this there'd probably be a hole (or a 'dynamic spatial chasm' as Slaney would call it) in my wall. So beware...
June 24, 2025
I watch a lot of football punditry and I really appreciate the subject matter. Some may learn a fair bit and will enhance their football understanding. It will certainly make you want to watch football in stadiums where you can see the whole pitch - suddenly watching the closeups on TV feel like you’re being short-changed.
However, the writing is really poor. It’s so formulaic (you might even say robotic) that I was often unable to penetrate the concepts, which are hidden behind irritating rhetorical devices and one-dimensional phrasing. I suspect this book could have been edited much more effectively; preferably by a human being.
And “here’s the kicker” (a telling refrain): despite having the ambition to explain the technical nuances of people running around a rectangle pitch, THIS BOOK HAS NO DIAGRAMS!
When one asks so much of the poor reader, this extremely challenging read suddenly doesn’t feel worth the trouble.
After all, it’s only a game, innit?
However, the writing is really poor. It’s so formulaic (you might even say robotic) that I was often unable to penetrate the concepts, which are hidden behind irritating rhetorical devices and one-dimensional phrasing. I suspect this book could have been edited much more effectively; preferably by a human being.
And “here’s the kicker” (a telling refrain): despite having the ambition to explain the technical nuances of people running around a rectangle pitch, THIS BOOK HAS NO DIAGRAMS!
When one asks so much of the poor reader, this extremely challenging read suddenly doesn’t feel worth the trouble.
After all, it’s only a game, innit?
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews