My Life in Football by Gordon Strachan
Gordon Strachan has never been one to keep his opinions to himself
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Friday, 18, Aug 2006 12:12
Published by Time Warner, out now, hardback, 300 pages, £18.99.
In a nutshell.
Scottish. Introspective. Realistic. Occasionally circuitous.
What's it all about?
Having arguably reached the summit of his managerial achievements to date by helping Celtic to the Scottish league title at a canter, Gordon Strachan's name is back in the consciousness of more people than simply Adrian Chiles and Match of the Day 2 viewers - and this account of his exploits as player and manager is thus conveniently timed.
More of an account of his footballing career than a reflection on his life outside of the sport, this book provides a fairly linear series of recollections, often in considerable depth, of the sharp-tongued Scot's progression from callow Dundee youth to weathered Old Firm supremo. Showing a particular keenness to focus upon the nuances of his relationships with individuals, Strachan chooses to stop frequently and muse about how the game and the manager's lot have changed, and how they change the people he has met along the way, in preference to taking the reader through a game-by-game account of his career heroics.
Who's it by?
Strachan himself will need little introduction to most people who choose to pick up this book, but his co-writer Jason Tomas might. A seasoned football writer who can be spotted within the pages of the Observer, Tomas has written books about the Leeds United of Don Revie - making him an unsurprising choice of collaborator given Strachan's Elland Road ties - the relationship between David Beckham and Alex Ferguson, and the golden era of West Ham, among others.
The question of authorship is often a bete noire for autobiography reviewers but Tomas retains enough of Strachan's voice to pitch things above the anodyne.
As an example.
"When I was picked on by bigger lads as a kid, I found I could invariably talk my way out of trouble. I often did it by making them laugh, which is something I seem to be good at to this day.This does have its disadvantages; it occasionally bothers me that it might cause people not to take me seriously as a coach or manager."
Likelihood of becoming a Hollywood blockbuster
Slim to say the least - although with a little hair dye one could, at a stretch, anticipate Ewan McGregor being well suited to the role of tough, sharp-tongued and surprisingly deep Scottish cookie.
What the others say
"Strachan: My Life in Football is the latest in a refreshing series of genuine autobiographies. No massaging of the cold and often harsh reality, however detrimental to the subject matter." - Darryl Broadfoot, the Herald.
"Strachan is very hot on respect and discipline. He hates yob culture. Yob media. Yob television. He has a colourful way with words." - Catherine Deveney, Scotland on Sunday
So is it any good?
Perhaps in response to the propensity of 20-year-old wunderkinds to put their name to ghost-written memoirs which thank their mum, dad and granny - and chuck in a perfunctory criticism of their former manager while raving goal-by-goal about their career to date - it seems that there is increasing pressure on football autobiographies to come up with something a little deeper, more penetrating, profound even.
It's not easy, but Strachan and Tomas have a good stab at it here, tending to eschew non-footballing recollections and details of match-winning passes against Falkirk, instead devoting more time to dwelling on exactly what and who have propelled Strachan to his current position. In general the Scot's renowned loquaciousness is channelled to good use - the Sir Alex Ferguson chapter has already opened eyes and there are valuable insights into the varying methods of chairmen such as Rupert Lowe and Bryan Richardson. Such is his eagerness to analyse, explain and often worry, that digressions abound; but Strachan is in entertaining enough form here, and comes across as comfortable with his own insecurities - which makes for a slight break from the norm.
7.5/10
Nick Ames