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Steen Jakobsen: Soccer (a.k.a. Football) and Markets
"Bill Shankly, one of the finest British postwar (football) managers, revealed the secret of football to a pupil:
'Never run the ball out of your own box. Don't let attackers turn, and if they do, track them down quickly. Always support the man on the ball.'
'Is that all?' the pupil asked.
'What more do you want?' snorted Shankly." From 'King's Indian Battle Plans' by my seminar colleague, Andrew Martin.
Explanation from Nigel for those, like ourselves, who have no idea what this means:
a) Your own 'box' is the area just in front of your own goal. If you dribble the ball out rather than kick it out a fair distance, there's a chance you'll lose possession to an opposing player and in a very dangerous situation. b) When an attacker is 'on the ball' (dribbling with it at close quarters), then marking him closely will stop him manoevring and reduce the value of his possession. c) In providing support for the man on the ball you place yourself in a position in which he can pass it to you. The first two seem to be about reducing risk and preventing the opposing team from scoring, the third is about improving your own odds of converting the initiative to a goal. But please bear in mind that I'm no expert. -- Nigel