'66! - Roger Hutchinson

Just lately, football, and in particular football history, has acted as something of a "comfort blanket" for me. This process has extended to re-reading some football books.  One of these was "'66", by Roger Hutchinson, which describes itself as "The inside story of England's World Cup triumph".  Reading it, and studying other material, has given much food for thought.

As well as being a detailed and enjoyable chronicle of Alf Ramsey's stewardship of the England team from the time of his appointment to the end of the 1966 jamboree, this also serves as a dispassionate and frank assessment of the merits of that team, and its effects on football at home and in the wider world.

Even at the time, many football connoisseurs, including some in England, expressed unease about the methods employed to achieve the "triumph", even amid the patriotic afterglow of the tournament.  This book gives considerable rein to those sentiments, and the feeling is reinforced, rightly or wrongly, of a monochrome and functional team, surrounded by embittered and aggrieved opponents and detractors.

This is not to say that honest toil, organisation and endeavour should be deplored, but the author's contention is that the events of the summer of 1966 represented a defining moment in the ending of football's "Age of Innocence". The signs of corrosion had been there in defensive, cautious and violent tactics employed in various areas of the planet, but the World Cup seemed to place some kind of seal on the process, and looking back, was the 1970 event in Mexico perhaps an anomaly, conditioned by heat, altitude and a freakishly talented Brazilian outfit?

I don't altogether share the pessimism, and for me the football played in the early to mid-70s, particularly by Dutch and German teams, was intoxicating and exhilarating, combining technical excellence, tactical sophistication and physical ardour when needed. What the author, and other observers, seemed to judge correctly was the knock-on effect of Ramsey's approach on British football, its distrust of maverick, non-conformist talent, and the subordination of virtuosity to industry, and to the mundane and prosaic. The quotes attributed to some British footballing luminaries on this topic are especially eye-opening....

There are some fascinating quotes from the members of the England squad, providing an insight into the times, and Ramsey's own personality and methods. Long-forgotten episodes from the 1966 World Cup are recounted, many relating to the team's preparations and the national mood.

Despite the constant references to the contentious elements of his tenure, many of Alf Ramsey's admirable virtues and traits come through, including his man-management skills and his steadfast loyalty to the players. The respect which he commanded from the members of the team is also clearly evident.