What do you think?
Rate this book
How To Watch Football
How can one striker be better than three? Why do the best defenders never need to make a tackle? What's the secret of Tiki-taka?
Welcome to Ruud Gullit's masterclass on how to 'read' a match.
From his unrivalled perspective as player, manager and pundit, the Dutch football legend shows us everything to look for in a 90 minute match. From formations and tactical decisions to player qualities and pivotal moments, Ruud Gullit unveils the hidden patterns on the pitch.
Packed with his acute insights, original observations and talking points, How to Watch Football will quite simply change the way you see the beautiful game.
Welcome to Ruud Gullit's masterclass on how to 'read' a match.
From his unrivalled perspective as player, manager and pundit, the Dutch football legend shows us everything to look for in a 90 minute match. From formations and tactical decisions to player qualities and pivotal moments, Ruud Gullit unveils the hidden patterns on the pitch.
Packed with his acute insights, original observations and talking points, How to Watch Football will quite simply change the way you see the beautiful game.
267 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 8, 2016
About the author
Ruud Gullit
3 books9 followersRuud Gullit is a Dutch football manager and former footballer who played professionally in the 1980s and 1990s as a midfielder or forward.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 165 reviews
July 19, 2017
Given the title, I assumed this would be about analysing the game. It is not. It's a bizarre, directionless collection of comments on the personality of various managers, and incredibly basic information about football that would not be new to anybody who had ever watched or played a game. For example, there's a page about how the way most formations are written don't include the goalkeeper, e.g. 4-4-2 is not 1-4-4-2.
November 17, 2016
A few interesting thoughts but all in all just the same old superficial observations and pundit clichés.
August 7, 2018
Great book that does exactly what it claims to explain
Great, accessible book from star, coach and analyst Ruud Gullit.
It's primarily for American audiences - I think, and above all else it shows that there is a lot more to the game than just the ball. There is psychology, moving without the ball, strategy - just incredible.
Thank you Ruud!
Great, accessible book from star, coach and analyst Ruud Gullit.
It's primarily for American audiences - I think, and above all else it shows that there is a lot more to the game than just the ball. There is psychology, moving without the ball, strategy - just incredible.
Thank you Ruud!
May 9, 2017
Almost as much of a letdown as the 2014 Oranje National Team not winning the World Cup.
April 20, 2020
potworne banaly, zadnych ciekawostek. jak facet bedacy jednym z najlepszych pilkarzy lat 90 miec tak niewiele do powiedzenia?
July 21, 2019
Well... that was... underwhelming.
First off, stylistically this was sub-par at best. Simply a collection of sentences following each other with no narrative flow or cohesion whatsoever.
And as for the content... The arrogance Gullit displays is simply staggering. Every victory in the history of football is somehow due to him. If anything went wrong, it was absolutely not his fault. Should have known it would be like that really... After his career as a player had peaked in the late 80's, we started referring to him as "the clown", as he didn't seem to be able to stay on his feet for more than 5 minutes at a time without falling over and calling foul - even if there was no other player even close to him.
The parts where he refrains from speaking about individual players and simply discusses tactics are readable, if nothing original, for the rest, I wouldn't recommend this at all.
If you fancy a good read about football, and Dutch football in particular, I would recommend Stillness and Speed: My Story by Dennis Bergkamp. A far superior read, which doesn't seem to feel the need to underhandedly put down every other player, and full of reminiscences about what I personally think of as "the good old days" of football.
First off, stylistically this was sub-par at best. Simply a collection of sentences following each other with no narrative flow or cohesion whatsoever.
And as for the content... The arrogance Gullit displays is simply staggering. Every victory in the history of football is somehow due to him. If anything went wrong, it was absolutely not his fault. Should have known it would be like that really... After his career as a player had peaked in the late 80's, we started referring to him as "the clown", as he didn't seem to be able to stay on his feet for more than 5 minutes at a time without falling over and calling foul - even if there was no other player even close to him.
The parts where he refrains from speaking about individual players and simply discusses tactics are readable, if nothing original, for the rest, I wouldn't recommend this at all.
If you fancy a good read about football, and Dutch football in particular, I would recommend Stillness and Speed: My Story by Dennis Bergkamp. A far superior read, which doesn't seem to feel the need to underhandedly put down every other player, and full of reminiscences about what I personally think of as "the good old days" of football.
March 5, 2023
Feels like I’m reading a disorganized personal journal of golden wisdom. The book can feel all of over the place however one can say that about Mr. Gullit’s playing style as well(all over the place yet effective). The title should be “How I watch Soccer and what shaped my vision”. A tad disorienting but nonetheless still manages to score the goal. Fun read to learn about the culture of the beautiful game for a soccer novice like myself.
May 14, 2025
Ruud Gullitin kirjan myötä innostuin avaamaan uudelleen vanhan Fifa 19 Manager mode -tallennukseni. Lähtöhetkellä joukkueeni Morecambe majaili nuorella kokoonpanollaan Valioliigan kolmannella sijalla, taistellen tiukasti paikasta ensi vuoden Mestarien liigaan. Kirjaa lukiessani innostuin jalkapallosta uudelleen, ja ajattelin kokeilla Gullitin oppeja tehostaakseni Morecambe FC:n menestymismahdollisuuksia. Puhkuin intoa.
Gullitin oppien seurauksena valitsin Alankomaalaisen jalkapalloperinteen mukaisesti Morecambelle 4-3-3 muodostelman kera alhaalta palloja hakevan valeysin. Hyökkäyksen rakenteen kannalta tuikitärkeää valeysin paikkaa pelasi nuori ghanalainen Tette Achebe. Kuten Gullit kirjassaan kertoo, formaation keskiössä on valeysin tilaa tekevät liikkeet, joita Morecamben taitavat latino-laitapelaajat Telmo Rodriguez sekä Silvio Gallardo pääsevät hyödyntämään tehdessään pallollisia haastoja keskustaan.
Gullit kertoo kirjassaan, kuinka jalkapallo-ottelun voitto määritetään keskikentällä. Morecamben keskustakolmion muodostavat puolustushenkinen britti Billy White, tilaatekevä brasilialainen juoksukone Denis Moraes sekä keskustan ruotsalainen dynamo, xavilaista eleganssia edustava Robert Lundin. Gullitin määrittämät kolme keskustaroolia on siis täytetty nuorella energialla, jossa yksilöiden ominaisuudet tukevat oppikirjamaisesti alankomaalaista jalkapalloperinnettä.
Alakerran romuluinen Rocky Bushiri ei kenties edusta Gullitin painottamaa pallovarmaa ja hyökkäysrakenteluun osallistuvaa modernia topparia, mutta tämän saksalainen aseveli Erich Ziegler on entisenä laitapakkina enemmän kuin kykenevä pelaamaan peliä ensimmäisen puolustuslinjan läpi Billy Whitelle. Kun laitapakkien tontilla pelaavat Javier Apa sekä Neto Borges ovat niin juoksuvoimaltaan kuin -vauhdiltaan ideaaleja täyttämään 4-3-3 muodostelman asettamat laiturin vaatimukset, on joukkue kenttäpelaajien osalta täsmälleen sitä, mitä Gullitin hehkuttama 4-3-3 muodostelma toimiakseen vaatii. Sitten vain puolustuspaine ylös, välimatkat pallollisena lyhyiksi ja laitojen kolmiopelaaminen kuntoon. Voisivatko kirjan opit jopa johtaa Morecamben mestaruustaistoon?
Nyt kausi on ohi. Gullitin opeilla pelasin viitisentoista ottelua. Valioliigassa Morecambe sijoittui kahdeksanneksi. Liigacup päättyi heti uuden taktiikan ensimmäiseen otteluun, vaikka vastassa oli materiaaliltaan heikompi Wolverhampton. FA Cupissa turpaan tuli alemman sarjatason Burnleyltä. Suoritustaso laski kuin lehmän häntä.
Korkeasta prässistä tehtiin kunkin vastustajan toimesta reikäjuustoa ilman sen suurempaa vaivaa. Hyökkäyskolmikko ei a) kerennyt tai b) osannut iskeä kiinni vastustajaan. Prässi vuoti ja vaati jatkuvaa paikkailua alemmilta pelaajilta. Pitkät pallot puolustuslinja selvitti itsessään hyvin, mutta kakkospalloissa ylös nostettu keskikenttä oli toisteisesti myöhässä. Näin ollen flipperipallojen voittoprosentti lienee jossakin 20 nurkilla. Omissa soi ja Dualshock 4 lenteli.
Hyökkäyspää? Surkeaa näpräilyä ja mukanokkelaa suhmurointia. Pallo pyöri mutta kenestäkään ei ollut maalintekijäksi. Achebe haki palloa suunnilleen Billy Whiten jaloista. Tämä loi toki laitureille tilaa, mutta eihän Gallardo - Rodriguez ole mikään Ribery – Robben. Kenestäkään ei päästy ohi, jolloin laukaukset lähtivät toisteisesti kaukaa ja päin puolustusta. Korjausta hyökkäyspäähän toi paluu vanhaan. Portugalilainen myskihärkä Pauleta kärkeen, pitkää päähän ja rumia räkämaaleja ripareista. Ruma englantilainen väkivaltajalkapallo osoitti ylivertaisuutensa alankomaalaisen paskantärkeyden rinnalla.
Syytän Ruud Gullitia Mestareiden liigan karkaamisesta. Taktiikka ei toiminut alkuunkaan toivotulla tavalla. Tästä eteenpäin Morecambe FC keskittyy rumiin liukutaklauksiin ja keskikentän unohtaviin roiskaisuihin.
Itse kirja oli kyllä mukavaa luettavaa, joskin se oli ajoittain hieman liikaa yksittäisiin anekdootteihin keskittyvä ja punaisen langan kadottava.
Gullitin oppien seurauksena valitsin Alankomaalaisen jalkapalloperinteen mukaisesti Morecambelle 4-3-3 muodostelman kera alhaalta palloja hakevan valeysin. Hyökkäyksen rakenteen kannalta tuikitärkeää valeysin paikkaa pelasi nuori ghanalainen Tette Achebe. Kuten Gullit kirjassaan kertoo, formaation keskiössä on valeysin tilaa tekevät liikkeet, joita Morecamben taitavat latino-laitapelaajat Telmo Rodriguez sekä Silvio Gallardo pääsevät hyödyntämään tehdessään pallollisia haastoja keskustaan.
Gullit kertoo kirjassaan, kuinka jalkapallo-ottelun voitto määritetään keskikentällä. Morecamben keskustakolmion muodostavat puolustushenkinen britti Billy White, tilaatekevä brasilialainen juoksukone Denis Moraes sekä keskustan ruotsalainen dynamo, xavilaista eleganssia edustava Robert Lundin. Gullitin määrittämät kolme keskustaroolia on siis täytetty nuorella energialla, jossa yksilöiden ominaisuudet tukevat oppikirjamaisesti alankomaalaista jalkapalloperinnettä.
Alakerran romuluinen Rocky Bushiri ei kenties edusta Gullitin painottamaa pallovarmaa ja hyökkäysrakenteluun osallistuvaa modernia topparia, mutta tämän saksalainen aseveli Erich Ziegler on entisenä laitapakkina enemmän kuin kykenevä pelaamaan peliä ensimmäisen puolustuslinjan läpi Billy Whitelle. Kun laitapakkien tontilla pelaavat Javier Apa sekä Neto Borges ovat niin juoksuvoimaltaan kuin -vauhdiltaan ideaaleja täyttämään 4-3-3 muodostelman asettamat laiturin vaatimukset, on joukkue kenttäpelaajien osalta täsmälleen sitä, mitä Gullitin hehkuttama 4-3-3 muodostelma toimiakseen vaatii. Sitten vain puolustuspaine ylös, välimatkat pallollisena lyhyiksi ja laitojen kolmiopelaaminen kuntoon. Voisivatko kirjan opit jopa johtaa Morecamben mestaruustaistoon?
Nyt kausi on ohi. Gullitin opeilla pelasin viitisentoista ottelua. Valioliigassa Morecambe sijoittui kahdeksanneksi. Liigacup päättyi heti uuden taktiikan ensimmäiseen otteluun, vaikka vastassa oli materiaaliltaan heikompi Wolverhampton. FA Cupissa turpaan tuli alemman sarjatason Burnleyltä. Suoritustaso laski kuin lehmän häntä.
Korkeasta prässistä tehtiin kunkin vastustajan toimesta reikäjuustoa ilman sen suurempaa vaivaa. Hyökkäyskolmikko ei a) kerennyt tai b) osannut iskeä kiinni vastustajaan. Prässi vuoti ja vaati jatkuvaa paikkailua alemmilta pelaajilta. Pitkät pallot puolustuslinja selvitti itsessään hyvin, mutta kakkospalloissa ylös nostettu keskikenttä oli toisteisesti myöhässä. Näin ollen flipperipallojen voittoprosentti lienee jossakin 20 nurkilla. Omissa soi ja Dualshock 4 lenteli.
Hyökkäyspää? Surkeaa näpräilyä ja mukanokkelaa suhmurointia. Pallo pyöri mutta kenestäkään ei ollut maalintekijäksi. Achebe haki palloa suunnilleen Billy Whiten jaloista. Tämä loi toki laitureille tilaa, mutta eihän Gallardo - Rodriguez ole mikään Ribery – Robben. Kenestäkään ei päästy ohi, jolloin laukaukset lähtivät toisteisesti kaukaa ja päin puolustusta. Korjausta hyökkäyspäähän toi paluu vanhaan. Portugalilainen myskihärkä Pauleta kärkeen, pitkää päähän ja rumia räkämaaleja ripareista. Ruma englantilainen väkivaltajalkapallo osoitti ylivertaisuutensa alankomaalaisen paskantärkeyden rinnalla.
Syytän Ruud Gullitia Mestareiden liigan karkaamisesta. Taktiikka ei toiminut alkuunkaan toivotulla tavalla. Tästä eteenpäin Morecambe FC keskittyy rumiin liukutaklauksiin ja keskikentän unohtaviin roiskaisuihin.
Itse kirja oli kyllä mukavaa luettavaa, joskin se oli ajoittain hieman liikaa yksittäisiin anekdootteihin keskittyvä ja punaisen langan kadottava.
April 15, 2019
Nie przeczę, że czytało mi się ją całkiem nieźle, ale jeżeli chodzi o poziom zawartych w niej informacji, to szału nie ma. Wydaje mi się, że autor nie jest w stanie oderwać się od schematów wtłoczonych mu w czasach, gdy sam grał w piłkę. Szczególnie te teorie o diametralnie różnym sędziowaniu w Anglii i na kontynencie nie znajdują już odbicia w rzeczywistości. Piłka stała się bardziej uniwersalna, a przenikanie się różnych kultur piłkarskich osiągnęło tak wysoki poziom, że zespoły z czołówki grają w bardzo podobny sposób.
Spójrzmy na to w ten sposób - teoria o niskim poziomie agresywności i waleczności zespołów holenderskich jest obecnie obalana przez genialny Ajax.
Teoria dotycząca różnych sposobów sędziowania została zdeprecjonowana w Futbonomii - książce przedstawiającej matematyczne podstawy, a nie tylko wizualne wrażenia z obserwacji poszczególnych spotkań.
Niechęć do wideoweryfikacji i szerszego zastosowania technologii okazała się bezpodstawna, a implementacja systemu VAR znacząco zmniejszyła liczbę kluczowych błędów sędziowskich.
Brak piłkarzy mogących zastąpić w Holandii jej dawnych zawodników? Frenkie de Jong, Matthijs de Ligt, czy Memphis Depay zdają się przeczyć tej teorii.
I do tego powtarzanie, że żadna drużyna nie jest w stanie obronić tytułu ligi mistrzów, gdy w zasadzie trzy kolejne lata po opublikowaniu książki zwycięża w tych rozgrywkach Real Madryt, troszkę podkopują prestiż Gullita jako wybitnego eksperta.
W zasadzie trudno mi sobie przypomnieć jakąkolwiek weryfikowalną teorię Ruuda Gullita, która by się sprawdziła, a to nie najlepiej świadczy o książce.
Spójrzmy na to w ten sposób - teoria o niskim poziomie agresywności i waleczności zespołów holenderskich jest obecnie obalana przez genialny Ajax.
Teoria dotycząca różnych sposobów sędziowania została zdeprecjonowana w Futbonomii - książce przedstawiającej matematyczne podstawy, a nie tylko wizualne wrażenia z obserwacji poszczególnych spotkań.
Niechęć do wideoweryfikacji i szerszego zastosowania technologii okazała się bezpodstawna, a implementacja systemu VAR znacząco zmniejszyła liczbę kluczowych błędów sędziowskich.
Brak piłkarzy mogących zastąpić w Holandii jej dawnych zawodników? Frenkie de Jong, Matthijs de Ligt, czy Memphis Depay zdają się przeczyć tej teorii.
I do tego powtarzanie, że żadna drużyna nie jest w stanie obronić tytułu ligi mistrzów, gdy w zasadzie trzy kolejne lata po opublikowaniu książki zwycięża w tych rozgrywkach Real Madryt, troszkę podkopują prestiż Gullita jako wybitnego eksperta.
W zasadzie trudno mi sobie przypomnieć jakąkolwiek weryfikowalną teorię Ruuda Gullita, która by się sprawdziła, a to nie najlepiej świadczy o książce.
May 11, 2020
This is an enjoyable work that really delves deep into the intellectual aspects of the game with a master. The conversational tone and tidbits from Gullit's career make this feel much like a sit-down conversation.
Despite the title, I don't think this is a book for an American who wants to better understand the game. I think you need to have watched a significant amount of soccer to really understand what Gullit is getting at.
Despite the title, I don't think this is a book for an American who wants to better understand the game. I think you need to have watched a significant amount of soccer to really understand what Gullit is getting at.
January 2, 2018
The title may be this book's biggest problem.
Much of the book is a memoir. Almost every example is from his own experience, especially during his playing career with A.C. Milan or the Netherlands national team. The few examples not from his own experience are almost exclusively from FC Barcelona.
And much of this book has nothing to do with how you watch the game (hence the trouble with the title). It is doubtful Gullit's thoughts on food intolerances will change any way you see a game. And if you did not know what a false nine was before this book, it is doubtful you will now.
The book is a peak into a sophisticated an interesting soccer mind. Gullit reflects on changes in the game. He points out how unseen tactical decisions and unsung players can set up stars for success or neutralize them. He shines a light on unseen and unheralded decisions.
If you want a peak into Gullit's soccer thoughts, this is a great read. But it may not change how you watch soccer.
Much of the book is a memoir. Almost every example is from his own experience, especially during his playing career with A.C. Milan or the Netherlands national team. The few examples not from his own experience are almost exclusively from FC Barcelona.
And much of this book has nothing to do with how you watch the game (hence the trouble with the title). It is doubtful Gullit's thoughts on food intolerances will change any way you see a game. And if you did not know what a false nine was before this book, it is doubtful you will now.
The book is a peak into a sophisticated an interesting soccer mind. Gullit reflects on changes in the game. He points out how unseen tactical decisions and unsung players can set up stars for success or neutralize them. He shines a light on unseen and unheralded decisions.
If you want a peak into Gullit's soccer thoughts, this is a great read. But it may not change how you watch soccer.
April 21, 2025
How to Watch Soccer is a book which could be considered somewhat a biography and takes a deep dive into the tactical world of soccer. The book, written by football icon, Ruud Gullit, attempts to explain the game's complex tactics and roles by also adding in Gullit's own experiences as a footballer and a manager/coach, but to those who are new to watching soccer.
Gullit's main approach to communicate his ideas persuade his audience is through credibility (or Ethos). Gullit is a world renowned soccer icon known for being one of the greatest midfielders to play, and has played at the pinnacle of professional soccer and has coached top level soccer after his retirement and he uses these experiences to gain trust from the audience. Someone who often watches soccer can be able to identify players roles and develop some tactical intelligence for the game but due to Gullit's first-hand experience as a player and coach, he knows what is going through the heads of those people and has an even deeper understanding of the complexity of the tactics and what they really try accomplish. One thing which Gullit puts a huge emphasis on throughout the book is how the intensity of the game is much different and higher on the field than how people view it on the television. He explains how players "see everything a lot quicker"(Gullit 43) to infer that the true intensity is much higher then people think and how this level of intensity can heavily effect chosen tactics by managers. Gullit also provides many humorous stories from his career as a player to add on to the mentality which shows how his emphasis on tactics and strategies is just as valuable to him as the mentality and discipline of players.
All things considered, I would say that I really enjoyed reading this book. Gullit's account on being a player and his back stories of his career which are filled with advice and humor combined with the more serious accounts on managing and tactical strategizing create a very good balance and make the book very enjoyable to read. Even though Gullit's target audience for this book are those who are new to watching soccer and still getting familiar with the sport, I wouldn't generally recommend the book to them because it would be very a monotone and they would most likely only enjoy the parts of the book which include humorous backstories. But the type of person I would definitely recommend this book to is an aspiring footballer. This book is filled with advice for tactics and player mentality and discipline which could really change perspectives of young footballers and help them get a better understanding on what to expect from top level soccer and how to get to there. What aspiring footballer wouldn't like to gain such valuable insight from someone with this level of knowledge and first-hand experience?
Gullit's main approach to communicate his ideas persuade his audience is through credibility (or Ethos). Gullit is a world renowned soccer icon known for being one of the greatest midfielders to play, and has played at the pinnacle of professional soccer and has coached top level soccer after his retirement and he uses these experiences to gain trust from the audience. Someone who often watches soccer can be able to identify players roles and develop some tactical intelligence for the game but due to Gullit's first-hand experience as a player and coach, he knows what is going through the heads of those people and has an even deeper understanding of the complexity of the tactics and what they really try accomplish. One thing which Gullit puts a huge emphasis on throughout the book is how the intensity of the game is much different and higher on the field than how people view it on the television. He explains how players "see everything a lot quicker"(Gullit 43) to infer that the true intensity is much higher then people think and how this level of intensity can heavily effect chosen tactics by managers. Gullit also provides many humorous stories from his career as a player to add on to the mentality which shows how his emphasis on tactics and strategies is just as valuable to him as the mentality and discipline of players.
All things considered, I would say that I really enjoyed reading this book. Gullit's account on being a player and his back stories of his career which are filled with advice and humor combined with the more serious accounts on managing and tactical strategizing create a very good balance and make the book very enjoyable to read. Even though Gullit's target audience for this book are those who are new to watching soccer and still getting familiar with the sport, I wouldn't generally recommend the book to them because it would be very a monotone and they would most likely only enjoy the parts of the book which include humorous backstories. But the type of person I would definitely recommend this book to is an aspiring footballer. This book is filled with advice for tactics and player mentality and discipline which could really change perspectives of young footballers and help them get a better understanding on what to expect from top level soccer and how to get to there. What aspiring footballer wouldn't like to gain such valuable insight from someone with this level of knowledge and first-hand experience?
March 5, 2022
Inhoudelijk sterk boek, misschien wel het meest technische van alle “voetbalboeken” , nu ook op tv nog Ruud!
December 19, 2024
Just kind of rambling
April 17, 2026
This was not about how to watch soccer at all. Wtf.
September 13, 2026
The last sentence is "that's how I watch soccer", so it feels like a personal essay, not a strict how-to guide.
The author tells us his personal history with soccer, his achievements, and shares a lot of info about past matches (not always about himself). I learned a little bit about a lot of teams and players. The "soccer cultures" chapter was my favorite because it really shows how different soccer is around the world.
It was easy to read, it flows like you're having a conversation with the author. Obviously some of the parts are very technical, but I have been watching and understanding soccer from a different perspective thanks to this book!
The author tells us his personal history with soccer, his achievements, and shares a lot of info about past matches (not always about himself). I learned a little bit about a lot of teams and players. The "soccer cultures" chapter was my favorite because it really shows how different soccer is around the world.
It was easy to read, it flows like you're having a conversation with the author. Obviously some of the parts are very technical, but I have been watching and understanding soccer from a different perspective thanks to this book!
June 5, 2024
If you filter through the names and random facts then there are tidbits to consider.
December 17, 2022
Interesting, except that a) it’s not really how to watch football, more Ruud’s random thoughts about football, and b) there’s no synthesis or integration; it’s just a bunch of observations.
March 22, 2023
More anecdotal than anything else. It felt slightly disjointed and stream of conscious.
January 6, 2023
Good diagram of a 4-4-2
January 10, 2021
A more accurate title for this book would be "How Ruud Gullit Played, Coached, and Commentates on Soccer". It has some insights for people interested in learning how to watch soccer, but is primarily an unstructured book of (often interesting) personal reflections on Gullit's life in soccer.
October 29, 2024
Really good book about football analysis from one of the games greats! Here are the best bits:
Instead you should be trying to keep possession as long as possible, with one or two touches, keeping up the pace. Waiting to create a space and to exploit it. That's how to avoid tackles and fouls.
Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo both score often, and almost always after a run. When their side has possession they are constantly moving around to keep their opponents wondering what they're going to do. Before they get into a scoring position, they've already shaken off their markers with any number of dummies and fake runs. These top players have to evade not one, but sometimes two or three defenders whose job is to mark them, before they find a free position in the box. Once you realize that, you know the answer to the constant complaint of television commentators: 'How on earth could they have given Messi (or Ronaldo) so much space? Then you know: that's what makes them so special.
Dutch clubs don't focus on training players in how to switch roles after losing possession. Strikers can find that difficult because their focus is on the ball. During my first year at AC Milan as a striker, whenever I missed a chance I would stay where I was, absorbing the disappointment or just taking a moment to rest. To correct this I had to tell myself: Ruud, first get back into position, then you can reflect or rest. At Milan, players like Sacchi, Ancelotti and Baresi would soon bring you back down to reality if you were lost in thought and forgot your place in the organized team.
Standing still after an attack is deadly for a team. Some players look down at the ground in shame after missing a shot and walk back. Instead, you should really look up and run straight back to your position,
Experienced players see everything a lot quicker, you can tell what's going on and what's about to happen so you have more time to talk, to tell players what to do and to coach. Eventually other players start to get it and to play the way you want.
Some of the Chelsea players were less quick with the ball and they were not always moving, unlike my former teammates in Italy. Which is what made them average. For developing players, English football is a tough place: it's difficult to learn to play faster and to always be moving, while staying out of trouble and avoiding the kicking and shoving of the other side. I still had the speed in my mind and my legs. That was fortunate, because I was everyone's favourite target, especially Vinnie Jones, who got me in his sights more than once. Teammate Mark Hughes and I - he had played at Manchester United and Barcelona - took the squad under our wing. Experienced players see everything a lot quicker, you can tell what's going on and what's about to happen so you have more time to talk, to tell players what to do and to coach. Eventually other players start to get it and to play the way you want.
In England, clubs in the lower divisions often employed a tactic which involved letting the grass in the corners of the pitch grow a little longer. During the 1998/99 season, when I was coaching Newcastle United and we played Tranmere Rovers at Prenton Park, the corner flags were almost overgrown. Their manager was John Aldridge, the famous former Liverpool striker, and his central defenders had orders to kick every ball into the long grass in our corners. Since the ball rolled to a halt there, it hardly ever went over the line.
Clubs always prefer to play towards their supporters in the second half. Liverpool like to play towards the Kop after halftime, Feyenoord to Vak S and Borussia Dortmund to Die Gelbe Wand. Psychologically, playing towards the fans gives a team an additional incentive to score. You can look into their eyes and feel their desire for a goal.
If you're as good as you're supposed to be, and you're so confident and classy, then you should be helping the others and warning them about what's going to happen and the mistakes they're making. You're the one who's responsible and you should feel that responsibility, It's easy to abuse inexperienced players. When experienced players make mistakes then it's only fair they take the blame.
The greatest first tackle of a game, ever, was by Roy Keane in the World Cup qualifier between Ireland and the Netherlands on I September 2001. In the first minute he sent Marc Overmars flying with a merciless tackle into his ankles from the back. Helmut Krug blew his whistle, but the German referee kept his red card in his pocket, and didn't even show a yellow. The tone was set; the first blow struck. The intention was clear; the Irish had declared: you're getting nothing here today!
And if the defending team places two strikers on the halfway line the attacking side has to withdraw yet more players from the area to cover the possibility of a quick counter should the keeper grab the ball and loft it upfield. FC Barcelona would post three strikers up front. It was the keeper's job to find one of the strikers for a quick counterattack.
The great advantage of a 4-3-3 formation is that you can play in groups of three all over the pitch, and you can link up from one trio to the next as you move forward. Working in trios makes it easy for the player with the ball because when it's done right there are always two options to pass forward. This leaves defenders in a difficult situation since they have to make choices, and are constantly having to anticipate which direction the attack is heading in and where the trio are moving. The key to the combination is to pass the ball with the right pace and to the correct foot.
That occasional use of the long ball is not something you see often in contemporary top football. Teams often lack the cunning to use this tactic. Which has a lot to do with coaches who consider it beneath their dignity, like Louis van Gaal and even Sam Allardyce, who was keen to emphasize in his Long Ball United exchange with Van Gaal that this was not the way his West Ham played: they preferred to use their football skills.
For me, Roy Keane was one of the best. He approached perfection. First and foremost, his principal purpose was to maintain balance in the side. Keane was a good footballer, an undisputed leader, he could tackle and could get a team that had fallen into a stupor back on its feet. When the game was going badly, he could motivate individual Rayers and get everyone back on track. Someone like Keane is the ideal extension of a manager on the pitch. A rare quality.
That absence of a winning mentality is as much the result of the coaching, training and scouting as it is of referees who don't allow that mentality to find expression. I don't mean that youngsters should be allowed to go wild and kick and hit other players or go berserk at the ref or an opponent. No, I mean showing a measure of desire. I just don't see it, or not any more. And you need to have that desire if you want to play at the highest level, just as players like Nigel de Jong, Jaap Stam and Mark van Bommel had. We need to train kids. Train footballers, I hear them saying. But football is about more than controlling the ball and position. Confrontation should also be a part of training.
Link the training to rewards. Make sure the kids always play for something. And if they lose when practising finishing or passing, for instance, there should be some kind of symbolic punishment. So the losers should run an extra lap, or do ten extra push-ups, bring the balls to the pitch for a week and other minor jobs that even the youngest footballer hates doing. At the same time you should reward youngsters who win or do something well. Today talent is not exploited to its full potential in the Netherlands. In fact an essential element of the game is lacking: combat, passion, winning mentality. All you see at youth complexes are clones. Too much of the same. Admittedly it is also the result of kids being unable to play in the street any more. That was where we learned the game, choosing teams, taking the initiative, playing as well as you could until you found a way to win. The fault lies just as much in computer games and mobile phones.
Proponents of artificial turf claim that the country is ten years ahead of the rest of the world, while in fact the Dutch are really ten years behind as long as real grass is the preferred surface under UEFA and FIFA. Quite apart from the stagnation in players' development, it also changes the game and distorts the competition; players respond differently on synthetic surfaces. Tackling is slower, so games tend to resemble indoor football matches. These pitches need to be watered; otherwise they become rough and cause injuries. But water makes the surface extremely slippery so that long, deep balls race away at the speed of a rocket. To prevent that, players tend to play short-ball combination football over short distances, as you do indoors. Two major teams that introduced artificial grass in England, Luton Town and Queens Park Rangers, have now switched back from plastic to proper pitches, with real grass.
The most important lesson to learn is: dare to say no, even to people close to you, like your parents, brothers and sisters. They'll call you arrogant, big-headed, or say you're betraying your roots, but you have to protect yourself. It's not one person asking for something. No, there's a whole queue out there. If you give them what they want, you'll be busy all day long, only you won't be playing football, which is where you're supposed to be focusing your energy and your attention.
Instead you should be trying to keep possession as long as possible, with one or two touches, keeping up the pace. Waiting to create a space and to exploit it. That's how to avoid tackles and fouls.
Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo both score often, and almost always after a run. When their side has possession they are constantly moving around to keep their opponents wondering what they're going to do. Before they get into a scoring position, they've already shaken off their markers with any number of dummies and fake runs. These top players have to evade not one, but sometimes two or three defenders whose job is to mark them, before they find a free position in the box. Once you realize that, you know the answer to the constant complaint of television commentators: 'How on earth could they have given Messi (or Ronaldo) so much space? Then you know: that's what makes them so special.
Dutch clubs don't focus on training players in how to switch roles after losing possession. Strikers can find that difficult because their focus is on the ball. During my first year at AC Milan as a striker, whenever I missed a chance I would stay where I was, absorbing the disappointment or just taking a moment to rest. To correct this I had to tell myself: Ruud, first get back into position, then you can reflect or rest. At Milan, players like Sacchi, Ancelotti and Baresi would soon bring you back down to reality if you were lost in thought and forgot your place in the organized team.
Standing still after an attack is deadly for a team. Some players look down at the ground in shame after missing a shot and walk back. Instead, you should really look up and run straight back to your position,
Experienced players see everything a lot quicker, you can tell what's going on and what's about to happen so you have more time to talk, to tell players what to do and to coach. Eventually other players start to get it and to play the way you want.
Some of the Chelsea players were less quick with the ball and they were not always moving, unlike my former teammates in Italy. Which is what made them average. For developing players, English football is a tough place: it's difficult to learn to play faster and to always be moving, while staying out of trouble and avoiding the kicking and shoving of the other side. I still had the speed in my mind and my legs. That was fortunate, because I was everyone's favourite target, especially Vinnie Jones, who got me in his sights more than once. Teammate Mark Hughes and I - he had played at Manchester United and Barcelona - took the squad under our wing. Experienced players see everything a lot quicker, you can tell what's going on and what's about to happen so you have more time to talk, to tell players what to do and to coach. Eventually other players start to get it and to play the way you want.
In England, clubs in the lower divisions often employed a tactic which involved letting the grass in the corners of the pitch grow a little longer. During the 1998/99 season, when I was coaching Newcastle United and we played Tranmere Rovers at Prenton Park, the corner flags were almost overgrown. Their manager was John Aldridge, the famous former Liverpool striker, and his central defenders had orders to kick every ball into the long grass in our corners. Since the ball rolled to a halt there, it hardly ever went over the line.
Clubs always prefer to play towards their supporters in the second half. Liverpool like to play towards the Kop after halftime, Feyenoord to Vak S and Borussia Dortmund to Die Gelbe Wand. Psychologically, playing towards the fans gives a team an additional incentive to score. You can look into their eyes and feel their desire for a goal.
If you're as good as you're supposed to be, and you're so confident and classy, then you should be helping the others and warning them about what's going to happen and the mistakes they're making. You're the one who's responsible and you should feel that responsibility, It's easy to abuse inexperienced players. When experienced players make mistakes then it's only fair they take the blame.
The greatest first tackle of a game, ever, was by Roy Keane in the World Cup qualifier between Ireland and the Netherlands on I September 2001. In the first minute he sent Marc Overmars flying with a merciless tackle into his ankles from the back. Helmut Krug blew his whistle, but the German referee kept his red card in his pocket, and didn't even show a yellow. The tone was set; the first blow struck. The intention was clear; the Irish had declared: you're getting nothing here today!
And if the defending team places two strikers on the halfway line the attacking side has to withdraw yet more players from the area to cover the possibility of a quick counter should the keeper grab the ball and loft it upfield. FC Barcelona would post three strikers up front. It was the keeper's job to find one of the strikers for a quick counterattack.
The great advantage of a 4-3-3 formation is that you can play in groups of three all over the pitch, and you can link up from one trio to the next as you move forward. Working in trios makes it easy for the player with the ball because when it's done right there are always two options to pass forward. This leaves defenders in a difficult situation since they have to make choices, and are constantly having to anticipate which direction the attack is heading in and where the trio are moving. The key to the combination is to pass the ball with the right pace and to the correct foot.
That occasional use of the long ball is not something you see often in contemporary top football. Teams often lack the cunning to use this tactic. Which has a lot to do with coaches who consider it beneath their dignity, like Louis van Gaal and even Sam Allardyce, who was keen to emphasize in his Long Ball United exchange with Van Gaal that this was not the way his West Ham played: they preferred to use their football skills.
For me, Roy Keane was one of the best. He approached perfection. First and foremost, his principal purpose was to maintain balance in the side. Keane was a good footballer, an undisputed leader, he could tackle and could get a team that had fallen into a stupor back on its feet. When the game was going badly, he could motivate individual Rayers and get everyone back on track. Someone like Keane is the ideal extension of a manager on the pitch. A rare quality.
That absence of a winning mentality is as much the result of the coaching, training and scouting as it is of referees who don't allow that mentality to find expression. I don't mean that youngsters should be allowed to go wild and kick and hit other players or go berserk at the ref or an opponent. No, I mean showing a measure of desire. I just don't see it, or not any more. And you need to have that desire if you want to play at the highest level, just as players like Nigel de Jong, Jaap Stam and Mark van Bommel had. We need to train kids. Train footballers, I hear them saying. But football is about more than controlling the ball and position. Confrontation should also be a part of training.
Link the training to rewards. Make sure the kids always play for something. And if they lose when practising finishing or passing, for instance, there should be some kind of symbolic punishment. So the losers should run an extra lap, or do ten extra push-ups, bring the balls to the pitch for a week and other minor jobs that even the youngest footballer hates doing. At the same time you should reward youngsters who win or do something well. Today talent is not exploited to its full potential in the Netherlands. In fact an essential element of the game is lacking: combat, passion, winning mentality. All you see at youth complexes are clones. Too much of the same. Admittedly it is also the result of kids being unable to play in the street any more. That was where we learned the game, choosing teams, taking the initiative, playing as well as you could until you found a way to win. The fault lies just as much in computer games and mobile phones.
Proponents of artificial turf claim that the country is ten years ahead of the rest of the world, while in fact the Dutch are really ten years behind as long as real grass is the preferred surface under UEFA and FIFA. Quite apart from the stagnation in players' development, it also changes the game and distorts the competition; players respond differently on synthetic surfaces. Tackling is slower, so games tend to resemble indoor football matches. These pitches need to be watered; otherwise they become rough and cause injuries. But water makes the surface extremely slippery so that long, deep balls race away at the speed of a rocket. To prevent that, players tend to play short-ball combination football over short distances, as you do indoors. Two major teams that introduced artificial grass in England, Luton Town and Queens Park Rangers, have now switched back from plastic to proper pitches, with real grass.
The most important lesson to learn is: dare to say no, even to people close to you, like your parents, brothers and sisters. They'll call you arrogant, big-headed, or say you're betraying your roots, but you have to protect yourself. It's not one person asking for something. No, there's a whole queue out there. If you give them what they want, you'll be busy all day long, only you won't be playing football, which is where you're supposed to be focusing your energy and your attention.
May 7, 2020
Great ideas but comes across highly arrogant and patronising, just as he often did as a manger. Wouldn’t bother reading.
June 20, 2019
Tired, unoriginal, assumes the person that is reading the book has little to know football knowledge and makes a slow start to the book.
While there are some interesting insights in the book overall I’d say that a lot of the pages feel like filler content and made me quite bored.
While there are some interesting insights in the book overall I’d say that a lot of the pages feel like filler content and made me quite bored.
December 26, 2016
I have picked up this book so many times already that I wonder if it will ever make an impact on the way I watch the game of 'football'. :(
I started watching soccer more regularly less than a year ago after becoming acquainted with the game and wanting to keep up with my European football fanatic friends. But I couldn't pick up on the rules, penalties, player positions and nuances of the game at the time.
I decided that this was the book for me - I could finally be in touch with the game and carry on an intelligent conversation with friends by learning the game through How to Watch Soccer, or as the book was named for everyone except the USA, How to Watch Football.
WRONG! As the description on the back describes the book, it is an "exhaustive guide", written by the "opinionated" ex-player, ex-trainer, ex-manager, ex-commentator, Ruud Gullit, for the die-hard "core group of fans that live and breathe the game". The book is definitely not for the casual spectator who needs to learn 'how to watch soccer'.
The first item that a reader must do with Gullit's book is to wade through 40+ pages of self-aggrandizing autobiographical material. Nauseating - he disses every major player while promoting the 'legend in his own mind'. (Unless, like me, except for tidbits about the game of football, you don't read this section but skip most of it.)
Finally, a reader supposedly reaches the meat of how to watch football. Aarrghh, "when I was a player, I would . . . ", "as a manager, I preferred . ." ad nauseam.
Even if a reader is able to withstand the ego, then we are subjected to the fine dissection of particular individual games and what Barca did wrong in a game in 1995 or what Ajax did right against AC Milan in 1993 in their games. Along with the dozens of graphs and diagrams of specific plays, Ruud writes in his own language of the game thus rendering the book as impenetrable for anyone except players, managers and "fans that live and breathe the game". It would benefit greatly from including a glossary (i.e. wth is tiki-taka) and an index giving the readers more of a chance to become part of the experience of watching football.
I started watching soccer more regularly less than a year ago after becoming acquainted with the game and wanting to keep up with my European football fanatic friends. But I couldn't pick up on the rules, penalties, player positions and nuances of the game at the time.
I decided that this was the book for me - I could finally be in touch with the game and carry on an intelligent conversation with friends by learning the game through How to Watch Soccer, or as the book was named for everyone except the USA, How to Watch Football.
WRONG! As the description on the back describes the book, it is an "exhaustive guide", written by the "opinionated" ex-player, ex-trainer, ex-manager, ex-commentator, Ruud Gullit, for the die-hard "core group of fans that live and breathe the game". The book is definitely not for the casual spectator who needs to learn 'how to watch soccer'.
The first item that a reader must do with Gullit's book is to wade through 40+ pages of self-aggrandizing autobiographical material. Nauseating - he disses every major player while promoting the 'legend in his own mind'. (Unless, like me, except for tidbits about the game of football, you don't read this section but skip most of it.)
Finally, a reader supposedly reaches the meat of how to watch football. Aarrghh, "when I was a player, I would . . . ", "as a manager, I preferred . ." ad nauseam.
Even if a reader is able to withstand the ego, then we are subjected to the fine dissection of particular individual games and what Barca did wrong in a game in 1995 or what Ajax did right against AC Milan in 1993 in their games. Along with the dozens of graphs and diagrams of specific plays, Ruud writes in his own language of the game thus rendering the book as impenetrable for anyone except players, managers and "fans that live and breathe the game". It would benefit greatly from including a glossary (i.e. wth is tiki-taka) and an index giving the readers more of a chance to become part of the experience of watching football.
August 1, 2022
Rudd Guillut’s How to Watch Soccer, while misleadingly titled, was at least moderately insightful. The great Dutch footballer is given a platform to opine on everything to do with game, from his time as a player in Holland, Italy and England, to his brief managerial career at Chelsea, to his role as a tv pundit. The Dutch are known for their forthrightness, and Guillut does come across as very open and honest, but I cannot recall a single opinion that stood out, nor did I turn up a single page corner for future reference, which seems odd. Other reviewers have criticized the book’s lack of structure, and yes this is a hodge-podge of ideas. The chapters I found most interesting were his views on different systems and patterns of play, as well as his thoughts on the various positions and the players who have best filled the roles. Ultimately I was impressed with the range of topics and the level of detail Guillut went into - here is a world class player who has thought awfully hard about the game of football, and what it takes to be successful.
January 13, 2017
This is a book written by world renowned footballer and manager Ruud Gullit. The book is about tactics and strategies that can be noticed while watching football. These are explained simply and clearly.
This was a very interesting book since I love football. I was able to learn, and more importantly understand lots of new things about the world of football, more specifically, in-game situations. I really enjoyed the writing style of the book, the simplicity of language, and the short in-depth explanations of things that at first, seem rather confusing.
I really enjoyed this book, it is certainly one of the best books I have read this year and I look forward to trying to find books such as this in the future as I still think that I can learn a lot more on this subject. I loved this book and will therefore rate it 10/10
This was a very interesting book since I love football. I was able to learn, and more importantly understand lots of new things about the world of football, more specifically, in-game situations. I really enjoyed the writing style of the book, the simplicity of language, and the short in-depth explanations of things that at first, seem rather confusing.
I really enjoyed this book, it is certainly one of the best books I have read this year and I look forward to trying to find books such as this in the future as I still think that I can learn a lot more on this subject. I loved this book and will therefore rate it 10/10
September 10, 2017
Technical details are in the book, but I think the book format makes it difficult to read. Most of the book exists as short sections with few paragraphs in each section. Most of these paragraphs describe how he played or how he coached. Every once in a while, a deeply detailed technical description pops up that does not match the breezy tone of the rest of the book. It's jarring to go from one tone to the other.
August 16, 2022
I picked up and put this one down multiple times. Getting past the voluminous parts of self discussion, Ruud offers examples to help illustrate styles of play and positions. Unfortunately, if you are not familiar with the specific players or teams within the time frame discussed, you are in for some research time.
December 7, 2016
Still working through the book due to wanting to use it as a guide for coaching soccer. The way he goes over his career at the start of the book helped me to see where he is coming from in the way that he analyses soccer. Its a good resource and I look forward to finishing it.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 165 reviews