Cultured Football #151

Portuguese Coach and Spy. Megastars Not Needed. FC Stroitel Pripyat. End of Positional Football. AI Aided Football.

Mar 02, 2024

By Miguel Lourenço Pereira for Reader's Digest / Bring Me That Horizon

It is always a delight to come across stories like that of Cândido de Oliveira, Portugal’s captain in their first international game and whose ideals eventually convinced him of the need to spy for the British government during World War II. An extract from Lourenço Pereira’s new book Bring Me That Horizon: A Journey to the Soul of Portuguese Football it is fascinating to learn of a man whose epic journey did not end with the second world war.

Premier League, NFL prove it's not megastars who make a league successful

By Gabriele Marcotti for ESPN

In the world of sports, star power is often seen as essential for success. However, in both the NFL and the Premier League, it is clear that a strong and competitive product on the field is more important for long-term success. Ultimately, it is a combination of factors such as history, recognizable teams, and strategic marketing that contribute to a league's popularity, not just individual star players.

Creation, Growth and Catastrophe: The Story of FC Stroitel Pripyat

By Chris Kelly and Vincent Duitsh for Forgotten Football

The Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster stands as a cataclysmic and tragic event, above all, one that could have been prevented, leaving an enduring impact on Ukraine and Europe, with the loss of thousands of lives.

However, amidst the tragedy, a lesser-known aspect emerges – the Soviet Union's flagship city, Pripyat, was home to a football team, FC Stroitel Pripyat. Had disaster been averted, the untold potential and heights this team could have reached remain a poignant "what-if" in the shadow of the catastrophe. This is the story of FC Stroitel Pripyat.

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By Antonio Gagliardi for Ultimo Uomo

The tactics for playing football have seen a revolution over the past two decades with principles like positional play and creating space coming to dominate, but recently defenses have started using new tactics to counter these. This has led to a further evolution of the game where players are more focused on their role in relation to the ball and their teammates rather than having specific positions or functions. Is this the dawn of a new era? And, if so, who will emerge as its leading coaches?

Arsenal's Improved Load Management

By Jason McKenna for Analytics FC

Following from the lessons of last season, Arsenal appears to be using a new tactic of managing player fatigue and injuries throughout the season in order to peak at the right time and increase their chances of winning the title. If they succeed, it could be the first time that AI has shaped the way football is played.

Every Saturday, Cultured Football brings you five great football articles you should be reading.

Last Week’s (Jointly) Most Read: Multi-club ownership in football is on the rise - and it's a financial and ethical minefield

ByNick Harris and Steve Menary for Sporting Intelligence

I have a thesis which I’ve never really taken beyond some back-of-the-envelope calculation that multi-club ownerships do not make sense on a financial level; that the idea a club will be saving money by developing players at a club in its stable is a myth meaning that those who do so have ulterior motives. This piece by Nick Harris and Steve Menary brilliantly exemplifies what those motives might be. A fantastic, must read.

Last Week’s (Jointly) Most Read: ‘Our model gives us a 53% chance to win the league’

By Sid Lowe for The Observer

Professional gamblers have already made their mark in English football, using the information systems they’d built to elevate Brentford and Brighton to the Premier League. Now Haralabos ‘Bob’ Voulgaris is aiming to do the same in Spain with Castellón.