Saturday 21 July 2012

Football Book Reviews

Football Book Reviews



I have read a fair few football books and amongst those have been some poor ones, which is to be expected really.  However, there have been some good ones in there and have enjoyed reading the books of the games characters, particular players I've admired and also the managers themselves.  Here is a small selection of my favourites: 








Sir Bobby Charlton, it is his autobiography (which he does in two parts, one United and one England). It was a long awaited release. He goes back through his life, childhood, playing for United and speaks about modern day United and his love of a certain Paul Scholes in particular. It was such an incredible read and interesting to get a personal account of the man who seen it all in the brilliant and devastating times of Manchester United. The part about Munich is incredibly sad. Every United and indeed football fan would love this book.  Bobby really does tell a great story and he is the very essence of the club itself.  It is the way it is written too that makes this so strong, a real read unlike too many football books especially autobiographies.






Published just after the treble it gives you a great insight into the man from his childhood right up to winning it all on that brilliant night in Barcelona. You get a real sense of the man and what makes him tick and he takes you right back through time chronologically including his own playing days and early jobs in management. Good to read about the wonderful things he did in Scotland too. He talks of how the games changed and times passed, family values and they are the ones he carries into his working life. Some great pictures and great stories, top book.




Due to age I seen much more of McCoist on a Question of Sport than I ever did of him playing.  Only seen archived footage of him.  But, he is of course quite the character, cocky, very funny and there is something about him that you can't help but like.  His beloved Rangers are in dire straights at the moment.  The book itself was published in 1992 so is obviously all about Ally the player.  Very easy to read with some laugh out loud moments as he recounts stories- particularly those featuring Paul Gascoigne.  He came across well and the book looks at his family life, upbringing and how he got into football.  Follows his journey in football and the trials he faces along the way- such as his poor spell in England, being treated unfairly by managers etc...  Interesting getting a perspective on him and found it a very good read.







Mitten as teenager started the fanzine "United We Stand" and is a passionate United fan, he writes for MEN and 442 amongst other publications. It is a book that is the players stories during the 90's- Fergie’s period at United. The book doesn't pick the most glamorous names and that’s the way he wanted it.  Mitten wished to reveal a real book with individuals willing to speak their mind with no caution over offending others/club itself.  Players featured include Cantona, Cruyff, Butt, May and Pallister- Martin Edwards is also interviewed amongst others. Players reflect in their own words what life was really like, some excellent stories and hilarious ones too. It is good to read it from their side.  The book looks into what the players did after United and are doing now. Very enjoyable and there is a great story about Nicky Butt burning Schmeichel’s nether regions with a teapot and big Pete chasing him all about the changing room naked!




 
 
A true gentleman of the game.  A remarkable man who had a fantastic career most notably as manager.  Pioneering, he was one of the few English managers to venture out of the comfort of his own country.  The book touches on his life as a player, what it was like growing up in post-war Britain and of course his life in management.  The book opens at his first stage in life, his childhood in the North East and from there takes you on a journey through his life.  I particularly enjoyed the chapters discussing his years managing the English national team.  The docu-film "One Night In Turin" painted it well, the media relationship and reaction but it was quite another thing reading it in print.  Unbelievable the level of hate aimed at Robson during that time, pressure they put him and his team under and them proclaiming he should be sacked.  Not much has changed even still and that same sort of sensationalism is part of the media circus around the England team.  A great book, interesting, full of detail and one that is impossible to put down.  Fascinating to read about how the game has changed over the years.  It is a great pity that there aren't more men like Sir Bobby in football.  





Interesting to get the game from another perspective and it definitely gave me a new found respect for referees.  It isn't an easy job as Collina illustrated in his book.  A real icon, fair ref and still has the reputation of being the very best.  Usually the forgotten men of the game unless they make a name for themselves due to a high profile mistake/misjudgement.   It is so unusual for a ref to have a status all of his own and just goes to show how good he really was.  I enjoyed getting an insight into what is involved and the finer details of the job such as fitness, referee's own superstitions and starting out in the very low levels of football.  As a person found him to be very interesting.  Like to read about people and in this he comes across as a real family man, intelligent and with a deep love of the sport.  Tactics, his own life and experiences are discussed and he recounts memorable matches he officiated.  In his early career he talked of his first games in charge of lower league matches where the referee would often come under physical threat by fans, players and managers alike.  Easy to read and anyone who loves the game should give this one a go.  Despite my respect for the refs garnered through this read, I don't think it will prevent me from swearing at the TV due to the incompentency of the likes of Mike Dean, Martin Atkinson and Phil Dowd!

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