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Brilliant Orange: The Neurotic Genius of Dutch Soccer Hardcover – April 22, 2002

by David Winner (Author)

4.4 126 ratings

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A rollicking and peculiar study of Dutch culture is brought to life through a mysterious form of soccer called Total Football, a strange sport that continues to delight and befuddle observers around the world, vividly detailing a colorful cast of characters, including anarchists, church painters, skinheads, and Holland's beloved soccer players.

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*Starred Review* Soccer fans will not want to miss this chronicle of the rise of Total Football (soccer, of course, is known as football everywhere but in North America). What is Total Football? Here you have to get a little philosophical; you have to learn to handle phrases like "a new theory of flexible space" to wrap your mind around the idea that a football pitch isn't merely a big rectangle. The Dutch, who invented Total Football about three decades ago, are, according to Winner, a nation of special neurotics. Because space is always at a premium in their small country, they've learned to use it in wildly innovative ways. This is seen in their architecture, their art, their society--and their soccer. While other teams were playing the traditional every-player-in-his-position style of game, the plucky Dutch team called Ajax began playing a whole new game based on position-switching: defenders would suddenly become attackers and vice versa, thus substantially reducing the amount of repetitive back-and-forth running. This technique was revolutionary for its time (the 1960s), and it propelled Holland to the top of the soccer world. This extremely well written and exciting book, like Nick Hornby's immensely enjoyable Fever Pitch (1993), catches us up in its enthusiasm and puts us right there in the grandstands cheering for the Dutch coaches and players who changed the game of soccer forever. David Pitt
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review

One of those strangely informative books that will... entertain those who have little interest in either soccer or the Netherlands. -- The Economist

About the Author

David Winner is the author of Brilliant Orange: The Neurotic Genius of Dutch Soccer.

Print length

384 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Abrams Press
Publication date

April 22, 2002
Dimensions

5 x 1 x 8 inches
ISBN-10

1585672580
ISBN-13

978-1585672585
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Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Abrams Press; First Edition first Printing (April 22, 2002)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 384 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1585672580
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1585672585
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5 x 1 x 8 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #3,112,066 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #3,561 in Soccer (Books)

Customer Reviews:
4.4 126 ratings

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4.4 out of 5

126 global ratings

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Blue Skies

It's about much more than soccer, very well done!

Reviewed in the United States on February 11, 2016

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I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this book. It is not just about the success of the Dutch soccer team! The author successfully weaves political themes, history, and a general sense of culture into a nation's values and sense of self. My mom's side is mostly Dutch and I visited the Netherlands two years ago, I have a much greater appreciation for what "being Dutch" means and how it influences my choices and behaviors. I never had heard or read what the Dutch people did to their own Jewish residents during the Nazi occupation! So scary how close they came to a larger domination of society! I have given this book to my mom to read and she knows nothing about soccer. I believe she is going to very much enjoy it!

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Richard Levine

A sociologic view of sporting and national traditions

Reviewed in the United States on February 20, 2015

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People interested in sports often feel that events are controlled by jinxes or bad luck, for their own team or for the opposition. Here is a book that examines an outstanding national sport history (I remember some of those times and events) and how such things actually played out. Champions usually prevail, but it takes an entire team to perform at their best to be successful in world competitions. When all goes well it is not an accident, and a privelege to witness such events and athletes. Here was a period in which a group of very talented but fairly modest players played (for a while) mostly unencumbered, but then proved to be unable to outrun their anxieties for multiple seasons. The author showed how their strategy on the field had been successful because it was explicit, understood and shared, and backed up by talent. The cooperative approach seems to have worked so well because it was part of the national psychology.

One person found this helpful

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Dreamcatcher

Amazing book about amazing topic.

Reviewed in the United States on January 20, 2013

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In summer 1978 I was 6 years old and I watched my first World Cup finals. Dutch lost that game, but won my heart, and since then my whole understanding of football was influenced by the way that great generation that invented Total Football played. David Winner makes excellent job describing the roots of philosophy that is in the center of Total Football. This book is not historical account, does not give reader statistics and chronology, but the essence of football seen and performed by the one of two smallest nations among world's super powers (second being Uruguay). Wonderfully written, it is a must for everyone who tries to understand the most beautiful game in the world.

2 people found this helpful

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Matthew A. Tumminia

Great Read For Football Fantatics

Reviewed in the United States on July 19, 2014

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Fantastic book that details the reasons for the manner of which the Dutch play. Gives lots of background on their famous failures and how Cruyff helped change the entire country, not just from a football point of view. The architecture, politics and art of the Netherlands are also well detailed which helps give the reader a better look into the Dutch lifestyle and why some of the great Dutch teams of the past are more are seen as winners regardless of their lack of silverware.

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CROJY

The interviews with the players are pretty good. There is some good stuff in this ...

Reviewed in the United States on July 17, 2015

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An alright book. It's not badly written, but isnt exactly a real page turner - there are certainly large peaks and valleys as far as the material goes. The interviews with the players are pretty good. There is some good stuff in this book to take away, but all-in-all, maybe about 15-20 pages worth of goo material.

Reviewed in the United States on May 13, 2015

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Very well written. Digs deeply into the Dutch soccer mentality. Not just a book about Dutch soccer. Explains a lot about the mentality and attitude of the Dutchies and life in the Netherlands. Great stories about Ajax and the 1974 and 1978 World Cup teams. Love all the stories about behind the scenes intrigue involving the national team in the 70's and 80's. Very balanced view of Johan Cryuff's influence on Dutch soccer.

3 people found this helpful

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Nicholas Zachman

Good

Reviewed in the United States on January 26, 2014

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I like the book quite a lot. It was very entertaining, more so than the Italian Job. I would however recommend reading Morbo by Phil Ball before this book, no that is how to write about football.

Reviewed in the United States on November 2, 2013

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An important book for those who appreciate the beauty of the modern game. Consider watching YouTube footage of some of the games that the author discusses. Pointedly, the 2010 WC final between Spain and Netherlands. Oranje almost took that game playing ugly "un-sexy" football against a beautiful Spanish side.

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Iain Harvey

Big Orange book

Reviewed in Canada on March 12, 2015

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A bit of a slow moving book but if you love the game in any way, shape, or form, and you don't mind being "challenged" when you read, then this is a sublime choice, especially if, like me, you have always been fascinated by the Dutch machine!

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Brilliant Orange: The Neurotic Genius of Dutch Soccer Hardcover – April 22, 2002

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