James Hamilton on Sport History and Psychology
Accompanied by the worst commentary ever imposed onto a single game, Manchester United see off Benfica to win the 1968 European Cup Final: [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V0y7_VwNysU] Reeking with insincerity. Here’s Brazil in blue, playing Cruyff’s Holland in the 1974 World Cup. Playing the man, not the ball: was it all only four years before that they’d given…
What first strikes you is the contrast in playing styles: [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hr8SByeSZ6Y] Somehow, Wolverhampton Wanderers come off as winners, proclaimed “the greatest in the world” by their manager Stan Cullis. That might not have been true – Honved are clearly the better team and the better players, even in these limited, poorly-filmed highlights. But in many…
..and looks better in colour: [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5nzKzlay8nY] England’s side remained unchanged for almost a year after this match, but Alf Ramsey had chopped and changed formation and tactics constantly throughout his time in charge and would continue to do so right up to the 1966 Quarter Final. Luck was with England in 1966. Brazil were kicked…
I refer, of course, to the 1981 Ashes Test Series: [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4GGtnukbjBM] Not as good as 1985, of course, but I don’t want to complain.
Glorious sunshine, a large crowd, beer and top class cricket. There’s even a South American Prima Donna. And it’s still only 1970! What could possibly go wrong? [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pd-jLv3B4S4]
Or rather, three, in order of length: Denis Law brings an end to an auld sang with a backheel: [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rRgAW_lvplo] Terrible music accompanies England out of the 1970 World Cup and out of the footballing daylight for two generations: And where the light was brightest: Brazil v England, 1970:
This site has been an attempt in part to discover if there is a market, or an audience, for sports blogging/writing at the same level as exists for literature, science and history. I’ve come to the conclusion that there isn’t (MTMG has about 100 regular readers, who visit on average once per week, although the…
One of my favourite pieces of “Edwardian” (in this case merely pre-Great War) football films was taken at an FA Cup tie of 1912 between Manchester United and West Ham. It’s been a regular victim of the Youtube Copyright Wars, in which the latest poster appears to be playing the role of kamikaze. Nonetheless, whilst…
Jamie Jackson’s review of English youth coaching and Sir Trevor Brooking’s attempts to save us from ourselves makes essential, if overwhelmingly depressing, reading: Brazil continues to produce a ceaseless line of top-class players and one of them who lit up the Premiership, Juninho, said this after watching an FA youth coaching session in England: ‘This…
I’m very fond of Coventry. My organization holds the majority of its seminars there, and after south east England, the friendliness of the locals takes getting used to. Youtube member Deanocity3 gives us this combination of two Pathe films featuring the Sky Blues, one from 1955, one from 1962. [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGp1itE6GMI] And he’s appended film to…