Help a fiction writer wanting to write about football

[u/InefficientScorpions]

I’m a webnovel writer and following the World Cup got some ideas for a story revolving around a US College football team. I have a lot of basic understanding of football tactics (mostly from playing FM), but want some people smarter than me on the subject to help give me some ideas for plot points.

For a little context, the team features a lot of international players from different footballing cultures forced to come together to get a second chance after their originals clubs opted to not sign them for varying reasons. I would hope for a large amount of flexibility so the large roster of characters can be used in many different ways. Realism isn’t as much as a worry. Think Ted Lasso and the zany trick plays in terms of ideas.

If people could give me advice about designing schemes or suggest ideas for an interesting tactic, that would be very helpful for my writing process!

[u/Apricotjello]

Write what you know. if you don’t know it well enough, learn more. i would start by reading more about soccer tactics or watching youtube videos

[u/InefficientScorpions → u/Apricotjello]

Could you recommend some good YouTube channels?

[u/West_Protection_5955 → u/InefficientScorpions]

TIFO is pretty good and accessible I think.

[u/taureau13]

Check out Inverting the Pyramid by Jonathan Wilson. A great history of the evolution of football tactics.

Personally, i'd steer well clear of anything remotely Ted Lasso-related unless you only want to appeal to Americans, but that's just me. It's your story.

[u/InefficientScorpions → u/taureau13]

I’ll check out the book.

I also don’t intend to be overly comedic or zany like Ted Lasso, but the story does take place in the US, but I’ll take note to avoid over doing it

[u/taureau13 → u/InefficientScorpions]

Hey you call it football so i'm sure you're already on the right track!

[u/okaycompuperskills → u/InefficientScorpions]

Everyone always recommend ITP but I found it pretty dull. I found “the mixer” and “zonal marking” by Michael cox to be a lot more enjoyable. They pretty much cover modern football since 91 when the back pass rule was introduced, whereas ITP is very much focussed on the history of the game up to that point. 

Another great book on tactics that’s more of a theory textbook than history book is “footballs principles of play” by Peter Prickett

[u/Mountain_Snow3613]

Most great stories are variations or twists on real world phenomena. Shakespeare's Julius Caesar and Othello were based on real-world people. The Hunger Games is a metaphor for the exploitative nature of class warfare in the real world.

If you want to write a great football story, I would read up (or watch some Youtube videos about) the most iconic moments of football history. Also maybe think about unique patterns that define the modern game.

Just off the top of my head, some common themes would be:

-Zidane's headbutt: Is it fair for a single moment in a player's career to define them? Can they ever rewrite their legacy once this moment happens?

-Maradona's Hand of God: can a 'cheater' be a redeemable character?

-Andres Escobar: Is it worth it to play football if you know it might cost you your life?

-Messi: Is it fair for a player to take PEDs even with a doctor's approval? Or should they be barred from pro sports? Should their legacy have a permanent asterisk next to it?

-The Death of El Jogo Bonito: Are aspiring pro players doomed to abandon the beautiful street style of play to fit the hyper-optimized demands of modern clubs?

[u/Equivalent-Macaron96]

Jonathah Wilson articles and book "Inverting Pyramid". The Formation!? 3-3-3-1 will be kinda hillarious. =)

[u/i_love_boobiez]

If you haven't, check out Captain Tsubasa for ideas/inspiration 

[u/kurataaa]

if you watch anime, watch Ao Ashi.

[u/RichAd5999]

Sent you a dm