How Futsal is shaping modern day footballers

One of the more lasting stereotypes in world football relates to Brazilian players and how they come to develop the skills that are a hallmark of their game.  Many still believe that Brazilian boys spend most of the day playing on sandy beaches or the narrow streets of the favelas and it is there that their ability to command the ball to do their bidding comes from.

The rest of this article can be found on Footy Analyst.

Don’t panic: The story of Juventus and mastering transition

Paul Pogba leaving Juventus at the peak of his powers defined the club’s biggest achilles heel over the last decade. And yet, it didn’t put a brake on their progress as a team. Art by Revant Dasgupta.

When rumours of the manager Juventus had chosen as the Antonio Conte’s replacement first started to emerge, they were written off as ridiculous.

The fiery former midfielder had brought success back to Juventus, winning three consecutive league titles in as many seasons as managers.  So when he left the club was once again the leading one in Italy, status which allowed it the privilege to choose any top manager they wanted to replace him.

Which is what made the eventual choice of Massimiliano Allegri such an apparently ludicrous appointment.  True, he had led AC Milan to a league title yet eventually he had become a figure of ridicule there. By the time he left, he was criticised for everything from his tactical inflexibility to the way in which he spoke.

His reputation lay in tatters.  And yet, contrary to most, Juventus saw something in him.

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A Literary World Cup

The World Cup is just around the corner which means four weeks of seriously good football. This has, of course, seen an increase in the number of books that discuss the World Cup. Which essentially means I’m in my element and eager to share my discoveries.

The rest of this article was featured on the Merlin Publishers' site.

Twitter Feedback: April to June 2018

Very cool looking spread in the latest @PicklesMagazine illustrated by @edsonlovatto #football #design #illustration pic.twitter.com/yWHeIKIITz

— Martha's Darkroom (@MarthasDarkroom) April 12, 2018

Issue 20 includes: 1994 | Divinity Lost - Shirt untucked; head bowed; penalty skied. .@paul_grech looks at how one cruel moment of misfortune has unfairly tainted the legacy of Roberto Baggio. Pre-order now. https://t.co/xNll5flV3d pic.twitter.com/5bahAleTsx

— The Football Pink (@TheFootballPink) May 1, 2018

'Calcio' by @footymac is the most comprehensive history of Italian football out there. Then there's:

- A Season with Verona
- The Miracle of Castel di Sangro
- Erbstein (@theinsidelefty)
- The Italian Job (@Marcotti & Vialli)

And worth checking e-books by @ginkers & @paul_grech

— The Gentleman Ultra (@GentlemanUltra) May 15, 2018

.@paulmcparlan reviews: Il Re Calcio II by @paul_grech https://t.co/i1tTALTZmC via @TheFootballPink

— The Football Pink (@TheFootballPink) May 17, 2018

Great read Paul

— iHyypia (@iHyypia) June 24, 2018

My #illustration for @Football_P accompanying a very interesting article about Juventus and its history of transfers by @paul_grech https://t.co/dLbaOjmmBL

— Revant Dasgupta (@dasgupta_revant) June 28, 2018