Fans of the England and U.S. Men’s National Teams have a little bit of time on their hands with their respective World Cup exits coming sooner than we had hoped. Not having a team to root for in Brazil gives us yet another opportunity to look back at the past and how that might have an effect on the future.
The Team of 66: England’s World Cup Winners by Jim Morris is a great read for that purpose. Finding out what made the 1966 England team tick is a key part of figuring out why they won the sport’s ultimate prize. It takes more than just talent as every team in the World Cup is quality or they wouldn’t be there.
Morris takes a look at every player and staff member, from starters and substitutes to the manager and trainer. He gives you a comprehensive profile of each, allowing the reader to draw conclusions on what gave the team the “winning edge”.
We loved the way Morris organized the content, starting with the technical staff and working through the players, number by number. Star keeper Gordon Banks got things started off at #1 and the players ended at #22 with George Eastham. The book ends with those who handled publicity and promotion, followed by the match reports and a “Will It Happen Again?” section. The latter is perhaps the best part of the book as it brings everything together.
Morris did yet another great job on this title as Amberley Publishing continues to find its niche with footballing lore.
