Summer soccer break is good for things you do not have enough time during the season. For example, reading books. This time I picked the book about Pep Guardiola and his first year in Bayern Munich. The unique inside look at the top European club and into the mind of one of the best soccer coaches. Marti Perarnau, the author, had exclusive access everywhere in Munich during 2013/2014 season.
Book details
Author: Marti Perarnau
Title: Pep Confidential; The Inside Story of Pep Guardiola’s First Season at Bayern Munich
Paperback: 488 pages
Publisher: Arena Sport
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1909715255
ISBN-13: 978-1909715257
Book review
Maybe you remember summer 2013. Pep Guardiola, after a year-long sabbatical, accepts the offer from Bayern Munich and signs a three-year contract. He is coming to Munich just a month after Bayern won everything that was possible. German League title, German Cup and Champions League. Three trophies or “treble” every club, every player and every coach wants to win in a one season. Pep Guardiola is coming to the club who made it all and his task is not easy at all. Repeat the success of the last season and make the team better. It needs a courageous man to accept this challenge. Pep Guardiola is one of the best coaches in the world and one of the courageous too.
Marti Perarnau, the Spanish soccer journalist, got access everywhere in Munich and had a unique opportunity to witness the season in Bayern. He saw a lot, he talked to many people, he talked with Pep Guardiola and his assistants daily. And then he put it all on the paper for all of us, for soccer fans, soccer theoretics, and sports coaches. You will get a great insight into the daily operations of the team, of coaches, of management. It alone would be very interesting. But you also get insight into the Pep mind. How does he think about soccer, about players, about tactics? How does he decide about the playing style against different teams? How does he motivate players? And more and more. There is just one better way how to get into his mind. Go to his current club for a year internship, directly as an assistant. Impossible, right? This book can be a good replacement.
Pep Confidential is a really good book. Even when you remember what were the results in 2013/2014 season, you still do not know what was behind them. And this book will reveal it all. Pep did not hide anything from Marti Perarnau. And Perarnau knows soccer good enough and knows how to write simple and interesting. All together you get an ideal book for summer about soccer.