Alex Ferguson

Honest and simple

This honest account just goes to show how coaching and managing at the very top does not have to be rocket science. It also shows how his successor clearly didn't have a copy or read it before taking over! Wether you love or loath Utd and Ferguson it is a great insight into a brilliant footballing brain and the characters he dealt with and the non-negotiables he had as a manager.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Good but could have been much better

Any additional comments?

First let me state, I am not an Man U fan but I love football and having grown up knowing only Alex Ferguson as the manager of Manchester united I was very much looking forward to this audio book. There is some good content in this book but I felt a little short changed by the end.

There is little back ground to Fergies time at Man United, his time at Aberdeen as a manager and Rangers as a player were both stories I was looking forward to along with his short time Managing Scotland but all these are only occasionally referred to. He does say at the beginning he is focusing on his time at Man U as he has covered other parts of his life in other books, but what if like me you have not read these books? It did, at times, feel a little bit like a list of who he thought was rubbish, unprofessional or simply “a good Lad” with some interesting bits in-between.

Don’t expect many stories about his childhood or early life. What you get is mainly his last ten years or so at Man United. I also was disappointed in that there wasn’t more about how he manages players and situations but the sections he describes some of his techniques are interesting all the same. I did, for all of its faults, enjoy the book and there are some genuinely interesting sections.

My hope is that when Fergie finally pops his clogs (not wishing death on the man, hope he lives on till he’s 90 but death comes to us all) that we get a definitive unbiased biography of the man by someone like Duncan Hamilton.

James Macpherson narration is outstanding even though there are a few dodgy accents in there, Ryan Giggs “Welsh” accent was terrible but at least he had a crack!

7 of 9 people found this review helpful

Simply awesome

Couldnt recommend this title enough for any football fan. Kept me hoolked from start to finish

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Good Insight, but needed more.

Good insight to a top class manager, very clever Alex is. Book had alot of irrelevant stories also (horse racing) I didn't care for. wasn't enjoyable as not really an enjoyable man tbh. A bit cold in places and disagree with some of his ideas.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

insightful

so much detail about my team I never knew, some of the stories were fascinating

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Great book

Great listen about a great man with a great career within football. Truly worth every second.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

The real Fergie. Utterly entertaining.

Would you listen to Alex Ferguson again? Why?

Probably. Would have preferred Fergie reading it himself.

What other book might you compare Alex Ferguson to, and why?

Harry Redknapp, always managing. A real insight on the game of football and professional footballers.

Did the narration match the pace of the story?

Yes. Well read in all honesty, but having listened to "Self Read" biographies, there's a feeling of genuine feeling when accounts and stories are told.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Not really. Just found it a thoroughly interesting listen. To get a glimpse of the United dressing room which as been an Enigma for so many years.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Struggled to finish it

If you admire Alex Ferguson but instinctively find him hard to like then this book will probably do nothing to change your mind. Ferguson chronicles of all the things he has contributed to the beautiful game and takes credit for a few tenuous achievements besides. The book demonstrates his acute understanding of football but lacks any humour or humility. Furthermore he gracelessly and needlessly sticks the knife into anyone who has crossed his path over the years. The only time I laughed was when the narrator (who was chosen I assume because he sounds just like Sir Alex) broke into impressions of other people - something you could never imagine Ferguson doing.

It took me weeks to finish because the more more I read of it the less I liked him.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Disappointing

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

As a football coach it was interesting to hear about the inside running of a successful football club, so from that point of view it was enjoyable.

What could Alex Ferguson have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

I was expecting more information about the man this book was about. I was looking forward to hearing about his journey as a coach and his upbringing. The book felt like I was reading the tabloid newspapers at times, with rare moments of insightful substance. There was very little self-reflection by Ferguson regarding the controversial issues he mentioned.

What do you think the narrator could have done better?

The narrator should stay away from imitating accents.

If this book were a film would you go see it?

Would not be possible to make a film as there is no real story.

Any additional comments?

I would stay away from this book if you are expecting to gain an insight into the life of a man who had such a successful and colorful career. If you are looking for Ferguson's views regarding certain players he managed or managers he faced then this book would be worthwhile. Even then I was a little shocked to how bias his account of events were. Probably would of been a better book if he took some timeout to reflect on his career, as it seems like Ferguson wrote this book as if he was still the Man Utd manager making sure he was protecting the interests of the club.

5 of 7 people found this review helpful

Collection of chate

Is there anything you would change about this book?

Have it properly edited. There were many cases of stories being repeated & items out of order

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

Understanding how a team was put together & the transfer market machinations were interesting but it was noticeable that key events were diluted or not mentioned such as his son's agency & the horse ownership issues. Very little was said about the contributions of his staff nor his actual day to day activities

What does Alex Ferguson and James Macpherson bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?

Nothing

Did Alex Ferguson inspire you to do anything?

No

Any additional comments?

Not as good a read as expected, for a ghost written book it was poorly produced & felt like the notes from a few brief chats; no real rhythm nor chronology

2 of 3 people found this review helpful