Customer Reviews

Brilliant Orange: The Neurotic Genius of Dutch Soccer

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Brilliant Orange is more than just a history of Dutch football. It cleverly links the Dutch idea of football to art, architecture, culture, politics and philosophy. The book uses interviews with top Dutch footballers such as Ruud Krol, Johnny Rep and Dennis Bergkamp to provide a fascinating insight into a unique culture in which football plays an integral part. The chapters describing 'Total Football' during the 1970's are particularly interesting however the book can become a little tedious when it wanders from the topic of football.
I enjoyed this book a lot because it is original, unconventional and informative. It is easy to read and provides a useful introduction for anybody wanting to learn about this most intriguing of footballing nations. The book will interest people who are interested in the ideas behind football rather than a simple narrative history of football in Holland.

Unapologetically obsessive examination of both the Dutch national team, and the club team Ajax Amsterdam, from the origins of totaalvoetbal in the late '60s until Euro 2000. The author is David Winner, a Brit who lives in Amsterdam part-time. Winner attempts to uncover what he sees as a Dutch nation plagued by self-perpetuating pathologies related to WW2 and the Germans, democracy and its problems with committee decisions, space and the Dutch genius for creating it, and an unwillingness toward self-examination.

In a nutshell, the author suggests that Dutch society is reflected in its soccer. There are some ridiculously extraneous ideas here, such as (what I consider) filler material regarding the color orange, the seeming Dutch inability to win penalty kick shootouts, and the Jewish war experience in the Netherlands. However, the book really shines in Winner's many interviews with ex-players and managers. There are lots of great (and some contradictory) anecdotes about Cruyff, Van Basten, Rep, Rensenbrink, Keizer, Van der Gaal, and to a lesser extent Krol, Gullitt, Kluivert, and Bergkamp.

I would recommend this book only to those who are obsessed (at least mildly) with both soccer and Holland. Both worthy topics. The joy of the book is in its anecdotal fun, however; don't expect thesis material here.

I would rate this book somewhere between 3 and 4 stars - it's almost one of those oddball classics. Judging by the title, I expected more insight into the strategy of Total Football or the Dutch soccer-playing style in general, an analytical explanation of why it works. Time and space are mentioned in general; perhaps it was foolish of me but I really did hope for a detailed spatial analysis.

Part of the problem is that David Winner at times does too much telling rather than showing. One of the earlier reviewers remarked that access to video footage would be helpful. I agree, especially when Winner just keeps telling the reader how brilliant and beautiful the Dutch playing style is without much description beyond those mere adjectives. On the other hand, there are sections where the description is quite vivid, like that of the Cruyff turn. But it still falls a bit short. This book would work much much better as a documentary. Or at least there could have been greater and better use of pictures and illustrations.

Another problem on the strategy front is when Winner tries to stretch certain ideas to the absolute limit. At one point he concludes that a player's ability to curl the ball on a free kick made the defensive wall useless in such a situation. Winner fails to notice that if the wall wasn't there, someone else would blast the ball straigth through to goal. When you're forced to pick your poison with let's say Real Madrid, surely you'd rather let Beckham curl it rather than give Roberto Carlos a direct shot. A few of Winner's exasperating conclusions almost made me give up on the book.

Luckily, for the most part, I continued reading. Despite my disappointments, the book does provide fascinating observations on Dutch history, culture, people, architecture, etc. and how they all relate to soccer. One of my favorite chapters was the one about Ajax and its Jewish links; I wish I knew about this when I was traveling in Amsterdam. Sometimes, though, the material gets a bit too academic, more in terms of writing style than analytical rigor - I could really do without the commentary from Uri Geller, puh-leez.

Overall, if you're a serious fan of soccer, this book's worth a read, in part because (aside from instructional material) there's very little of quality out there on this sport. I guess I've been spoiled by all the good baseball literature.

First a list of all the things this book is not about

This won't give you all the records and statistics of Dutch football.

Doesn't have a chronological history of the game in the country. Doesn't talk in detail about all their great players, great matches or great clubs. To sum it up, this book isn't the best preparatory material for a quiz on Dutch football. You might even end up in last place.

In that sense, it is quite unlike most of the books written about a country or a club's football history and culture. In fact, the writer often goes on for pages without even talking about football, forget Dutch football. And yet, it is in my humble opinion ( as well as that of most people who write reviews on Amazon.com and [...]) quite easily the best book on Dutch football.

Because David Winner's book deals with something much more profound and goes much deeper in its investigation.

It talks about the mental makeup of the Dutch nation - why they are what they are?

It does a very good job of explaining a lot of other Dutch peculiarities - and I use that word because the Dutch are the antithesis of a conformist regular normal world. And in doing so it answers the questions about Dutch football. Why and how the Dutch came up with Total Football? Why the Dutch lose all the important matches? Why the players always get into fights? Why it is wrong to call the Netherlands the Brazil of Europe? The Dutch concept of nationalism and patriotism? And the Dutch definition of a good footballer?

If Dutch football was a living person then this book makes it very clear that the head is the most important organ; more valuable than the feet. And then it does what Freud would have tried to do - study the person's head.

And that ways, the book is very aptly named. And David Winner has written a book unlike any other.

Two of the fascinating concepts that this book deals with are individualism and space - and explains that both are as much a part of the national fabric as of their approach to football. Individualism is not the freedom to do whatever he feels like but to retain a strong sense of the self while still keeping the collective in mind. And space is to create space where there is none - something the country below sea level does on an ongoing basis.

A special mention must be made of a very fine introduction by Franklin Foer who makes a very interesting analogy that the richness of football is like a cultural Galapagos.

This book is like a fine meal. You need to eat slowly and savour every morsel. It might bore the casual fan as he looks to read about the feats of the all conquering Ajax side of the early seventies. The least he is expecting is a chapter on the three consecutive European triumphs. But all he gets is bits and pieces, here and there.

But if he can soldier on, he will have the pleasure of reading one of finest books written on football. He will see the Dutch in a new light and might just become an Oranje supporter for life (The Dutch have been one of my favourite teams but after this book, I got an Orange jersey to wear during the World Cup)

You will not win the quiz but you will surely win the paper writing competition on Dutch football.

Rating - Five out of Five all the way.

For its entertainment value, its creativity, its humor, and its depth of insight, this is perhaps the best book ever written on soccer. One should be familiar in general with Dutch football tactics and history to get the most out of it, but even if you aren't, it's still highly engaging.

I had a few friends recommend this book years back and found it to not only meet their rave reviews, but even exceeded them. The book does a great job weaving depth in understanding Dutch football (soccer) and a broad and deep understanding of many facets of Dutch culture. Many authors try to weave one or two patterns they perceive in to a deeper understanding, but this book pulls many together and can even be read from a design or architecture perspective that is an introduction to Dutch football, or from a social science perspective.

It is now about time for a reread of this book, which is the sign of a favorite book for me.

More than just a book about Dutch football, Brilliant Orange discusses all aspects of Dutch life, culture, and history and how it all relates to the football they play. From the war and the continuing rivalry with the Germans, to the Dutch reclamation of land from the sea and how it inspired the development of Total Football, this is a great read and a fascinating insight into the psyche of a truly unique nation.

No writer has tackled the topic of Dutch soccer with the vigor and enthusiasm of David Winner. Most graze the surface, but Winner went through a period of immersion into Dutch culture. He discusses every aspect of Dutch soccer from unlikely perspectives: art, history, politics, and even architecture. It gives us generous insight into the game that has been admired for generations.

The book is an intense read that brings you into the background of "Total Football," the style of play that has become a staple and trademark for the Dutch. The author takes the reader into the legendary careers of Ruud Gullit, Frank Rijkaard, Rinus Michels, and the one and only Johan Cruyff. Many wonder how a small country could produce such greatness in the world's game.

Winner chronicles the roller coaster ride of Holland's favorite pastime with all of the highs and lows. You will hear about triumph and despair, victory and defeat. Many tears have been shed during Holland's play in major tournaments. Winner is able to explain why the Dutch have failed to gain much hardware in the elusive Euros or the illustrious World Cup.

All of this is done through a wide lens of culture, society, and sport. Winner is able to peel away the enigmatic status of the Dutch game and break down their style in an enchanting manner.

This title is incredibly thorough and detailed. Winner's passion for the game comes through loud and clear. Most of all anyone could get value from this book as it tells the story of a great society that just happens to be a master of soccer. Any hardcore soccer fan would find this a welcome addition to the discussion of our treasured game.

It's a bit of a trawl at first but as you get more into it you begin to understand why the Dutch play like they do and why they have certain attitudes towards the game of football.

Whilst it isn't exactly a history of Dutch football it is a great read - especially if you have ever seen the great Ajax and Eindhoven sides play along with the 70's Dutch national teams.

This book is a Chronicle. The Orange Chronicles.

But such an interesting read it almost feels like a great work--an entertaining novel, but yes it really did happen.

The field is more than a 2-D surface, which is what it is to most TV viewers, if you never get to soccer games. Even to the most jaded soccer watcher, This book makes the field come alive in such a way that even a non-soccer appreciator could get hooked. It is just an all-around well written sports book, by a writer who really loves sports. I don;t like intellectualized sports books, but prefer a real fan's book or player's book, and WInner writes from the sidelines in an infectious way.

Ajax was usually the team I would love to hate, and I only got to see them once "live" as an opposing side, and yes I had to admit they were amazing (and beat my team : (, but little did I know that they actually started their revolutionary ways long before I was born, utilizing "the pitch" in such a way that the field became a small calculating place, without fatigue or confusion from their player switching. I don;t want to write too much and add any more spoliers than anyone else has written--since the book is like a strategist's dream...Every coach should read this.

I thought the title was strange, until I got halfway through the book and realized--yes the Dutch football developments in the 60s/70s were neurotic but Awesome in their results. Hurray for the little lowland country, home to some of the greatest soccerplayers ever.

I cannot think of a better book to read before or during the World CUp!

EEM