Association Football and How to Play It

Description

Association Football and How to Play It by John Cameron is a classic about how European football used to be played at the beginning of the 20th century in England and also a book that is often consulted by professionals even today. First published in 1908 and included in numerous collections of professional football literature, the book was written by one of the most successful goal scorers in England before the First World War and one of the most successful team managers of Tottenham Hotspur.

The book addresses almost every aspect of the tactics and positions used for developing winning strategies and it dedicates long passages to training, nutrition and harmful habits such as drinking or smoking excessively. It contains advice not only for players, but also for team captains and it discusses various aspects of refereeing as well. It contains some observations that are dated today, such as the idea that players should consume a large steak about two hours before the game to ensure maximum performance, but his advice about developing the ability to use both feet with equal readiness when kicking is worth considering. In his book, Cameron also discusses the importance of loyalty to the team and to the club – also a very important ingredient of success.

John Cameron was not only one of the greatest football stars of his time and a successful manager – he was also a trainer who not only worked with teams in his country, but was also hired to train Dresdner SC in Germany. Soon after the First World War broke out he was interned into a P.O.W. camp where he organized teams and championships and he also participated in the training process. After the war, he continued coaching at home, for Ayr United, but only for one season, after which he worked as a sports journalist, football writer and publisher.
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