Power Plays on the Pitch

The Green Pitch: From Scapegoat to Godfather of Sports, He Rewrites the Nation's Destiny After Being Reborn Three points will tell you just how satisfying this book is: 1. While others are reborn as emperors, he starts out as a “scapegoat,” then turns around and pins the blame on his boss, earning three promotions at once. 2. While others build youth academies with empty slogans, he uses his “foreknowledge” to find overlooked prodigies, including a boy from the deserts of the Northwest who later wins the World Cup Golden Boot. 3. While others are besieged by the owners when they try to reform the game, he drops this line at a board meeting: “Big-name foreign players are like an aphrodisiac. They feel great, but leave you impotent. Youth development is your staple food. It may not taste good, but it keeps you alive.” The room falls silent, and the policy passes.