The Mixer/Michael Cox

This book is fully titled The Mixer: The Story of Premier League tactics from Route One to False Nines which in one sense sums it up but in another does not give justice to the engagingly anecdotal style with which the writer approaches the topic as this far from being a dry flipboard account of tactics alone. Much of it is seen through the managers themselves whom the author profiles with no little ability. They broadly divide into those that analyse the opposition and prepare appropriately (Mourinho, Benitez, Allardyce) to those that do not but have faith in their own philosophy (Wenger, Keegan). The first group tend not to be accomplished players. Mourinho, for example, was a translator for Bobby Robson who was impressed by the dossiers of analysis he prepared on the opposition.

Sam Allardyce, who comes over as a more thoughtful and visionary coach than he is given credit for, argues that the first group’s teams will as often as not beat the second’s, citing the impressive record of his Bolton against Arsenal.

The book is a history of the 25 years of the Premier League as defined by differing tactical approaches. I was fascinated to learn that at its inception there were only 11 overseas players of which 4 were goalkeepers.

The increase in overseas players – till both Chelsea and Fulham fielded an entire team of them – is one of the features of the Premier. Once serie a had the financial muscle to attract the best in the world but no longer.

Although personally irritated  by some calling it the ‘best league in the world’ when better  football is played in the Spanish Liga and, with its subsidised away travel and cheaper seat prices, the Bundesliga does far more for fans, there is no doubting the Premier’s global appeal and financial success as a business model.

Michael Cox is less interested in, though certainly aware of that and accentuates more the tactics of the successful managers.

He is great admirer of Sir Alex Ferguson, citing such triumphs as his acquisition and indulgence of Eric Cantona as the creative spark. Sam Allardyce comes in for favourable treatment as a radical thinker of the game and certainly Cox does not decry the very Britain coaches like Tony Pulis. One English coach who had a continental approach was Roy Hodgson. I showed the chapter on him and  Fulham reaching the final of the Europa Cup to Alan Tanner. He said he was spot-on for understanding the tedious repetition of drills in training to ensure that every player was aware of his role on the pitch.

All all this is one of the better football books on the market. I am not one for the ghost written account of the big time Charlie with some revelation to appeal to newspaper serialisation and some of the more highbrow efforts in recent years do not engage me. This stands as a pleasing blend of tactics and story telling which most intelligent football fans would enjoy.