Unlocking the Playbook: My Top Book Recommendations for Aspiring Football Data Strategists
Today, I'm excited to share a detailed list of books that have significantly impacted my journey into football analytics, tactics, and personal development.
If you’ve ever visited my Medium blog on breaking into football analytics, you know how much I value education. Today, I want to share a list of essential readings for anyone looking to get a comprehensive grasp of football analytics, understand the game’s tactical aspects, learn from the greats in football management, and also grow personally and professionally.
These books are my top picks, carefully chosen to enrich your understanding and appreciation of football and to guide you towards leading a more fulfilled and successful life.
A Roadmap to Football and Personal Mastery
I’ve categorized my recommendations into four main areas to give you a well-rounded perspective:
Football Data Analytics: These books offer insights into the analytical side of football, sharing knowledge and explaining key concepts without necessarily diving deep into tutorials.
Football Tactics: Learn about the game from a tactical viewpoint, understanding the evolution and the thought processes of those who’ve influenced football’s strategic landscape.
Football Managers' Biographies: Get inspired by the stories of football's greatest managers, their leadership styles, strategies, and personal philosophies.
Growth and Mindset: Elevate your personal and professional life with books focused on self-improvement and mastering the mindset for success.
This selection isn’t just a list of books; it’s a guide for anyone serious about excelling in football analytics and living a rich, balanced life. Let’s dive in.
Football Data Analytics:
The Expected Goals Philosophy: Dives into the revolutionary xG metric, illuminating its importance in evaluating player and team performance.
Soccermatics: Merges mathematics with football, offering a fresh lens through which to view the game.
Football Hackers: Chronicles the rise of data analytics in football, showcasing its impact on modern strategies and decision-making.
The Numbers Game: Challenges traditional football myths, emphasizing the strategic role of statistics and data.
Outside the Box: Explores the disruptive force of analytics on conventional football wisdom.
Net Gains: Reveals the data-driven evolution of football management, from scouting to in-game tactics.
Sports Analytics and Data Science: A practical guide on applying data science to sports, with a focus on football.
Sports Analytics: A valuable resource for coaches and managers, demonstrating how to leverage data for team success.
Football Tactics :
How to Watch Football by Tifo Football: Enhances your understanding of the game's tactical nuances.
Record Breakers: An in-depth analysis of the tactical genius behind Liverpool and Manchester City’s record-breaking Premier League seasons.
Marcelo Bielsa: Thirteen Steps to the Premier League: Explaining the tactics behind transforming Leeds United from a Championship side, into a Premier League proper team.
Pep's City by Pol Ballús : An inside account of Manchester City's transformation under Pep Guardiola, highlighting the strategic decisions and innovations that have established City as a football powerhouse.
Zonal Marking by Michael Cox: Tracing football's tactical evolution from Dutch total football through Italian defensive mastery to Spanish tiki-taka and German high-tempo play, highlighting Europe's shifting football philosophies and their culmination in the Premier League's tactical diversity.
The Mixer by Michael Cox: Chronicles the tactical evolution of the Premier League over 25 years, detailing how changes like the abolition of the back-pass rule transformed the game from physical and bruising to one requiring skill and tactical innovation, influenced by a growing foreign presence.
Inverting the Pyramid by Jonathan Wilson: This book traces tactical milestones from South American finesse and European team play to the modern dominance of styles like Barcelona's, rooted in Dutch Total Football.
Football Managers' Biographies:
Pep Confidential & Pep The Evolution: Inside looks at Guardiola's tactical genius and his transformative impact (inverting full backs) on football during his time at Bayern Munich.
Intensity: Inside Liverpool FC by Pep Lijinders: A thrilling behind the scene delving into Liverpool FC's exceptional 2021/22 season, characterized by their high-intensity playing style.
Quiet Leadership by Carlo Ancelotti: Ancelotti, a managerial titan with five Champions League titles, unveils his journey and the essence of his leadership philosophy.
How to Be a Football Manager by Ian Holloway: Far from a tactical manual, it's a collection of uproarious stories and sage advice on surviving the managerial merry-go-round with humor and resilience.
Quiet Strength by Tony Dungy: Dungy's memoir is a profound narrative that transcends the realm of sports, offering a glimpse into the life of the first African American coach to win a Super Bowl.
Growth Mindset and Life:
Time is Money by Aiden Nolan: This small book is a game-changer for anyone struggling with procrastination. It offers a practical, step-by-step system to achieve your goals without relying on willpower alone.
The Science of Self-Learning by Peter Hollins: This transformative book redefines what it means to be a self-learner in a world that is constantly changing. Hollins offers a roadmap for anyone looking to direct their own education and life path.
The Pathless Path by Paul Millerd: This compelling narrative isn't just another self-help book; it's a deeply personal journey through the wrong turns and existential crises that lead to discovering a fulfilling life
Can't Hurt Me by David Goggins: David Goggins’ life story is a beacon of inspiration for anyone facing seemingly insurmountable obstacles.
Never Finished by David Goggins: In his follow-up, David Goggins delves deeper into the boundless potential of the human spirit. It’s not just a continuation of Goggins' narrative but an expansion of his philosophy on the limitless capacity of the mind.
Oreilly’s technical books: Essential for anyone looking to deepen their technical knowledge in data science and engineering.
Each of these books has been a beacon on my path, whether by enhancing my tactical understanding, improving my data analysis skills, or inspiring personal growth. I hope they'll guide you just as effectively in your football analytics journey or simply enrich your love for the game.
Stay tuned for detailed reviews and deeper dives into each book on my Medium blog.
Here's to learning, growing, and transforming our passion for football into insightful analysis and meaningful conversations.
Enjoy the reads, and see you on the dugout.