In the latest of The False Nine’s series looking back the events of 2012, James Dutton reflects on the the most in vogue tactical trend of the year and the marvellous Spanish…
Taking to his platform on the Guardian, Jonathan Wilson, author of ‘Inverting the Pyramid’ discussed some of the tactical trends of the past 12 months. Unsurprisingly possession football and the example of Spain and Barcelona was high up the list.
In the first of a series of reviews of the 2012 football calendar, editor James Dutton looks back at that thrilling June in Poland and Ukraine and a tournament likely to be fondly remembered as the last of its kind…
Viva España
Michel Platini courts controversy with every whimsical decision he makes.
In the wake of the controversy that surrounded UEFA’s decision to hold the European Championships of 2020 across the continent, The False Nine’s Joe Bookbinder, Hugo Greenhalgh and James Dutton discuss why it’s not such a bad idea after all…
Could anyone imagine the final of the European Championships taking place along the coast of the Caspian Sea, directly north of Iraq and north-east of Iran and Syria, in the Azerbaijani capital of Baku? As far-fetched, phantasmagorical and downright ludicrous as it may sound it could so easily have been reality – until the intervention of one man. A Frenchman. Continue reading
The False Nine’s Ethan Meade presents the case for expanding the Champions League to 64 teams…
Michel Platini’s announcement that UEFA were considering scrapping the Europa League and doubling the size of the Champions League was met with uproar from many corners, and perhaps understandably so. Many people have taken the view that ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ – an understandable view given the year on year entertainment which the Champions League delivers. But delve deeper into the idea and there are a number of positives to an expanded Champions League. Continue reading
This week Fifa released the shortlist for the Ballon d’Or 2012. The False Nine team share their thoughts on some interesting nominations and omissions…
The Manager’s Shortlist: The Ones Who Got Away
Ole Gunnar Solskjær Continue reading
After a series of man-management mishaps, it’s time for Giovanni Trapattoni to go quietly writes False Nine editor Hugo Greenhalgh…
Stubbornness appears to be a quality synonymous with great management. The master of this trait was probably the late Brian Clough. When asked how he handled players who disagreed with him, Clough famously replied, “We sit down for 20 minutes, talk about it and then decide I was right”. Continue reading