Cultured Football #229
Nottingham Mystery. New Route. Long Throws in Fashion. Lyon Back. Table Football
Nottingham Forest are a mystery wrapped in an enigma
By Kim MacCauley for The Transfer Flow.
Given what he achieved this season, the sacking of Nuno Espirito Santo seems extremely harsh. Then again, owner Evangelos Marinakis is not one to think twice before firing his manager. And it has sort of worked out for him. Getting rid of Chris Hughton resulted in promotion under Steve Cooper whilst the removal of Cooper led to Nuno who brought European football back. Could there be method to the madness?
Bonus Read: From shocking the world by beating PSG, to 7 weeks at Fortaleza
[Seam Gillen x PortuGoal]
Russia no more: Uzbeks turn to Turkey
By for How Football Explains Asia
For years Uzbekistan flirted with the big stage but fell short. That changed in 2025, with a Premier League signing, long-awaited World Cup qualification and, crucially, a new pathway opening in Turkey. The latter, thanks to a rule change in the Süper Lig that made Uzbek players highly sought after, has shifted the country’s football destiny. The story of a nation’s football awakening is only just beginning.
Long throws back in fashion
By Adam Bate for Sky Sports
Long throws were once considered a tactic adopted only by those who favoured route one football and lacked the skill to create chances from open play. That seems to be changing. Why?
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Olympique Lyonnais: Life After John Textor
By
From the brink of financial collapse to a perfect start in Ligue 1, Lyon’s turnaround has been as dramatic as it is unlikely. The chaotic John Textor era left debts, departures, and near relegation, but Michele Kang’s leadership and Paulo Fonseca’s tactical clarity have breathed new life into the club. With academy talent stepping up, smart signings delivering, and resilience forged in crisis, Lyon are rediscovering both identity and ambition. What once looked like a fall from grace is starting to feel like a rebirth.
Table Football
By Paul Grech for Football Heritage
Called by many names across the world, table football feels eternal, as if it has always been part of our lives. Yet its true beginning is far more unexpected. Out of the ruins of the Spanish Civil War, one man turned suffering into invention, creating a game that would outlive him.
Cultured Football cuts through transfer gossip and noise to share football writing worth your time. Each week, we pick five stories that inform, surprise, and remind you why the game matters.
In Case You Missed It Here’s Last Week’s Most Read: Ten transfers we enjoyed this summer
By Chris McMenamy for Tiro
I tend to avoid picking stuff about the transfer window but, given that it is over for now, I don’t mind a gentle look back like this one on the ten transfers by Serie A clubs that are particularly interesting. Including the one by a certain Englishman to a club in grey and red stripes.
Bonus Read: 5 Smart Transfers You Might Have Missed
[Tom Robinson x Hudl]
If you want something similar but with a broader scope and more tactical insight, then this is the article for you.
