Author:Duncan Alexander
Kane or Vardy?
Pep or José?
Pulis or … anybody else?
Football is a game of opinions. A world where received wisdom and the law of the hunch reign supreme. But football is becoming more intelligent. The history books may say that Leicester City winning the premier league ‘defied logic’, but if you looked more closely, they were always going to win . . .
From distances run to pass success rate, shots on target to corners won, counter-attacks to tackles made, Opta, the world’s leading sports data company, records everything. But what does it all mean? And how can it add to our love of the game?
From the author and statistician behind the popular OptaJoe Twitter account, what follows is a hugely entertaining and insightful guide to football in 2016, analysing data from the world's greatest teams, players, leagues and tournaments.
Stats can never tell us everything, but combining cutting-edge analysis with wry humour, this book debunks countless myths peddled by pundits, managers, and even players. The ideas that follow are both surprising and satisfying, but may also leave you with the feeling that ‘yes, that’s what I was thinking all along’.
For anybody interested in football this is pure nectar.
—— Evening StandardThe wealth of information Opta have at their fingertips makes them the finest resource in football
—— GuardianYou'll love this if you love football trivia.
—— BBC 5 LiveThankfully, readers of OJFY should ensure that the calibre of football opinion improves.
—— News North WalesRemarkable ... a stark and searingly honest memoir
—— the42.ieStudents of Gaelic football will be intrigued by his account of the rivalry with Cluxton, arguably the most important player of modern times
—— Sunday TimesA great read. Honest and really well written
—— Conor McKeonA fine read
—— Damian LawlorJohn Leonard's brutally honest account of a road less travelled and his time as understudy to iconic Dubs keeper Stephen Cluxton transcends sport.
—— Irish IndependentEngaging, honest, sad and frightening in places - ultimately raw and real. Couldn't put it down
—— Ryle Nugent , RTÉOutstanding. Can't recommend it highly enough. Instant classic.
—— Joe MolloyCompelling and ground-breaking
—— Dave Hannigan , Evening EchoA must read
—— Loaded, Top 10 Books of 2015Dub-Sub Confidential has already become a sort of handbook for anyone in sport struggling with mental health issues, and for good reason: not many footballers will openly confess to double-popping pills or turning up for training half blitzed. Yet Leonard is clearly in a better place now.
—— Ian O'Riordan , Irish TimesSearingly honest; funny and sad at the same time
—— Gavin CummiskeyFilled with laugh-out-loud scenes and witty comments, alongside serious reflections on the consequences of the Communist dream and reminders of how disparate Europe still remains, this book was difficult to put down
—— Rhiannon Roy , Time & LeisureHe is quite, quite bonkers - and very funny
—— The BooksellerBrilliant, bruising
—— Donal Ryan , Sunday IndependentThis is so much more than the story of their journey – it’s a superbly written, endlessly fascinating book encompassing history, geology, landscape, family memories, wars experienced and lives well lived.
—— Choice MagazineOne of the most unexpected and enjoyable reads of 2016… The book fizzes erudition and is delightfully leavened by the companionship of his aged and doughty father.
—— Guardian, Readers' Book of the YearA very funny book - not jovial in the post-Wodehouse Boris mode but something more taught and Caledonian... The politician in Stewart never had a chance against the writer, a reliable adversary of consensus and cant.
—— Minoo Dinshaw , OldieBeautiful, evocative, and wise.
—— Malcolm Forbes , Star TribuneThe Marches is a transporting work from a powerful and original writer.
—— Harvard PressThis beautifully written account is a moving memoir of tales from along the route but also reflections on life and relationships – father and son on this their last journey together.
—— ProspectRory Stewart is one of the most talented men of our era. The Marches takes us from Rory’s constituency to his family house is an attempt to understand the bloody history of the Scottish borders… The quest is fascinating even if the answers are elusive.
—— Bruce Anderson , SpectatorAs the book unfurls, the march along the marches turns into a eulogy to his father, part memoir, part biography, always a love story. It also contains one of the most unflinching, moving descriptions of death I have read.
—— Melanie Reid , The TimesThis beautifully written book is a haunting reflection of identity and our relationships with the people and places we love.
—— Jane Shilling , Daily MailStewart provides much food for thought about how we value our past history
—— Susannah Law , Scottish Field