Football Dynamo: Modern Russia and the People's Game

I've read a large amount of books on soccer in various countries and the author's detailed knowledge impressed me. I recommend this book to anyone who shares my passion for the beautiful game!

As a lover of football and someone interested in Russia, this book was thoroughly interesting and a great, quick read. It touched on a number of different teams in Russia,how the game is emerging from the Soviet period, the nouveau riche/oil money and how it has changed things, corruption, match fixing, and a little bit on fan culture. If there was one thing I was hoping for more about, it's the fan culture aspect and the feeling from the outside looking in that nationalism drives the terraces in Russia these days and average fans are pushed out or at least silenced, especially with teams like Zenit. Also, a more detailed look inside the ultras (though that is likely inaccessible to the author) would have made the book all the better, again from the outside looking in, it appears Russian fans have taken things away from the stadium to fight club like meetings in forests, something only very briefly mentioned in the book. As a football writer in a country with plenty of issues myself, I can understand the trend to avoid focusing on the negative, this book doesn't ignore the bad side, but also does a good job balancing things. It's an excellent read and leaves me wanting even more.

This is a look inside modern day Russia that you just don't find anywhere else. As the author pointed out early in the book, it's odd that so many travel books choose to ignore sports when that is probably one of e the best ways to experience a culture from the locals' POV.When you read this you'll no longer think, as far as Europe goes, that Italy's Serie A has a grip on match fixing and corruption. Russia's professional leagues take corruption to levels that defy description although Marc Bennetts does his best to describe them in as much detail as possible.The book covers many aspects of the Russian game from the popularity of Moscow's Spartak team from the communist era through to today capitalist age to even soccer in war-torn Chechnya. The funny thing is the least interesting chapter was the last on Guus Hiddink's reign as manager of the national team when Russia surprised many by making the semi-finals of Euro 2008. By the time you reach this stage of the book, the successes just are not as crazy and wild as the rest of the tales.Although, I have the "revised and updated" version, Zenit St. Petersburg's 2008 UEFA Cup win is not covered in the chapter on Zenit. It's buried in the last chapter just in case you're wondering.

Having long since had an interest in Russia, its people and its culture, I instantly bought this book when I saw it was available.Soviet football had always fascinated me as a nipper. Teams with huge sounding names, such as Spartak Moscow, Dinamo Moscow, Zenit Leningrad, had made Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester United all sound minimal in comparison. Bennetts's book covers the history of these teams plus the post-soviet evolution experienced by Russian football in general.Bennetts covers the whole aspect of Russian football, from the crumbling stadia, the rampant corruption and its political impact to the resurgence of the national squad in recent years. He also enlightens the reader to Russian culture and its increased expression through the growth of football and the people's categorical faith that it all can and will (and has) gone pear shaped.But what I found really enjoyable was the conversations with Russian footballers, past and present. Quality players who were, are and had been disillusioned with the sport and how normal they all come across as being. I found this particularly strange given the conditions in which they had to play, politically, physically and environmentally.Very good read, even for those who have no particular interest in footy. Bennetts treats you to the wonder that is the Russian psyche.....

Not only does the book cover the basics of Russia's new found status as a world force, it explains the political and social contexts of Russian football. The author uses his 10+ years of knowledge in the country to give a run down of all the leading clubs, memorable events and corruption. There are basic histories concerning all the major clubs in Moscow etc and the accusations thrown about of match fixing, corruption, racism and hooliganism. Along with "Behind the iron curtain..." this book is essential reading for those wanting to know more about Russian football.

Maybe if the author was at Manchester he would have the noticed the unfriendly and unapproachable attitude of zenit fans in the city that day, secondly the screen didn't malfunction it was turned off because the police allowed a fanzine to become dangerously overcrowded, thirdly the Rangers side were dead on their feet during that final due to a fixture pile up and Celtic refusing to extend the season,zenit had two weeks off .There was at least 150.000 fans from glasgow that night and only around a hundred were involved in the trouble.the Rangers fans in the ground behaved impeccably despite a pitch invasion and goading from hundreds of zenit fans at the end of the game.

Very in-depth and sometimes I struggled to remember all the characters etc, but still very enjoyable.

putins modern russia in a football book really..corrupt racist behind the times going backwards awash with oil money..i enjoyed it though and its worth a read