Soccernomics - Has anyone ever read it

I'm about halfway through, and I have to say that it's a fantastic book. It's about looking at the sport from a statistical point of view, and a lot of it makes sense.

http://www.amazon.com/Soccernomics-Australia-Turkey-Iraq-Are-Destined/dp/1568584253

I started a thread asking about it but no one replied

https://goallegacy.forumotion.com/t1457-soccernomics#38604

Worth the price of admission.

I always laugh a little when he goes on and on bashing England.

Sorry I did a search for it before starting a new thread but nothing came up.

To answer your question: yes, absolutely. Definitely worth a read

It's alright. Thanks for the response. I have a long list of books to read, but I might pick it up eventually for some leisure reading.

It's an easy read dude

got a pdf?

found it

theaguia wrote:found it

Mind posting it ? Wouldn't mind uploading it to my Kobo to bring to the cottage tomorrow and have a read by the lake.

pm me if you need the link

have fun

I've read it at least 4 times through, i can basically quote it now.

I like it.

Edit. Also, if anyone has or can find Simon Kupers new book "The football men" would you be so kind to post it or pm it? I promise to have all the gay or straight sex you wish

i read a similar sort of book, its called "why england always loose and other curious football phenomena explained" i found that really interesting too, might buy this one and give it a read then

looks like soccernomics is by the same authours as the on i mentioned above so its prob about mostly the same stuff. what does this one talk about, uve got me curious?

fatman123 wrote:i read a similar sort of book, its called "why england always loose and other curious football phenomena explained" i found that really interesting too, might buy this one and give it a read then

It's the same book, "Soccernomics" is just the US title and "why England lose..." is the UK/Europe one.

JuvenelCuore wrote:

theaguia wrote:found it

Mind posting it ? Wouldn't mind uploading it to my Kobo to bring to the cottage tomorrow and have a read by the lake.

Judging by your posts, you would be flipped out about it, i highly recommend you read it.

It basically contradicts you on all your points of view, like youth players. Again, i highly recommend you read the book.

so what does it mean with ''Why the U.S., Japan, Australia, Turkey--and Even Iraq--Are Destined to Become the Kings of the World's Most Popular Sport''

?

is there really a chance for Iraq, of all teams (no disrespect, i know Iraq was Asian Champs a few years back), to become a world power?

^Yes, read the book, it explains why those countries are either punching below, or above their weight currently and why they will be even better in the future (we're talking 20+ years though)

In Iraqs case the authors argue that they win way more games than they "should" and now that they're liberated they might be able to get better organized and start winning more games.

In the case of the US, Japan and Australia we're talking about first world countries that disregarded football in the past. Now that they're slowly getting more serious into it, their vast resources will make them perform on the level they "should" be.

In the case of Turkey, their population is exploding and getting bigger by the day, this should give them a big boost on the national team in the future.

The BoyWonder wrote:so what does it mean with ''Why the U.S., Japan, Australia, Turkey--and Even Iraq--Are Destined to Become the Kings of the World's Most Popular Sport''

?

is there really a chance for Iraq, of all teams (no disrespect, i know Iraq was Asian Champs a few years back), to become a world power?

there is!
that was quite an interesting chapter TBH

They do hate on England a lot though haha

Can you PM me the link theaguia? Thanks.

hrealmadrid wrote:They do hate on England a lot though haha

"In 2002 everyone knew that the obscure, bucktoothed Brazilian kid Ronaldinho must have lucked out with the free kick that sailed into England's net, because he couldn't have been good enough to place it deliberately."

lol

I'm reading the book right now. Has some interesting points, but they also contracdict theirselves quite a lot, and somethings are nonesense.

Eg of contradictions:
They first mention the importance of football culture, networking and connections in Western Europe, later they claim that managers influence, except some geniuses (Shankly and Clough) is almost null.

They mention that wages explain the performance of the teams, while saying that transfers don't, while avoiding to see that if you don't pay a transfer in most cases you can't get better players that earn more wages.

chinomaster182 wrote:

JuvenelCuore wrote:

theaguia wrote:found it

Mind posting it ? Wouldn't mind uploading it to my Kobo to bring to the cottage tomorrow and have a read by the lake.

Judging by your posts, you would be flipped out about it, i highly recommend you read it.

It basically contradicts you on all your points of view, like youth players. Again, i highly recommend you read the book.

Just curious, in what does the book contradict JuvenelCuore posts?

free_cat wrote:I'm reading the book right now. Has some interesting points, but they also contracdict theirselves quite a lot, and somethings are nonesense.

Eg of contradictions:
They first mention the importance of football culture, networking and connections in Western Europe, later they claim that managers influence, except some geniuses (Shankly and Clough) is almost null.

They mention that wages explain the performance of the teams, while saying that transfers don't, while avoiding to see that if you don't pay a transfer in most cases you can't get better players that earn more wages.

i think about transfer wages they are talking abt the actual importance of wages, they are saying yes you cant get good players if you cant pay the transfer fee for them, but the most important aspect is the wages they wont play good unless you give them decent wages no matter how expensive the player was. i think it says that sometimes you rather pay more wages to your player raather than buying a player if you want to increase the performance

I'm going to buy it soon. Read a bit and couldn't put it down for a second.