Football - Bloody Hell!: The Biography of Alex Ferguson

Patrick Barclay

Random House, Oct 31, 2010 - Biography & Autobiography - 544 pages

SHORTLISTED FOR THE BRITISH SPORTS BOOK AWARDS

Sir Alex Ferguson is the most controversial and compelling figure in football. For many he ranks as the greatest manager of all time. He is certainly the most successful.

It's been more than ten years since Ferguson's Manchester United triumphed over Bayern Munich in the dying seconds of the Champions League final. Since then he has presided over the rise and fall and rise again of José Mourinho; the arrival and departure of the world's best player, Ronaldo; the removal of one English talisman - Beckham - and the irresistible instalment of another - Rooney. Ferguson has been instrumental in making the Premier League the most successful competition in football, and he has endured while the mountains of cash have turned to valleys of debt.

Throughout, award-winning journalist Patrick Barclay has been pitch-side and spoken to all those who know Ferguson best - fellow managers, former players, colleagues and commentators. The result is Football - Bloody Hell!: the definitive work on the game's greatest living legend.

Contents

• A Hero and an Inspiration: 9
• Street and School: 25
• A Saint at Perth: 33
• Into Europe with Dunfermline: 39
• Playing for Scotland?: 47
• Welcome to Hell: 53
• Fighting at Falkirk: 63
• The University of Life: 72
• To a Long Life: 349
• The Iraq Diaries: 355
• Magniers Gloves Come: 362
• Wine with Mourinho: 373
• Fighting Back: 383
• José and the Boss: 390
• After Schmeichel van der: 398
• Rafas Rant: 407
• Ronaldo Goes the Debt Grows: 414
• No More the Champions: 421
• Not Today but Tomorrow: 429
• Power and Control: 435
• Bibliography: 443
• 21: 450
• 44: 456
• Small Wonders: 462

About the author

Patrick Barclay is Chief Football Commentator for The Times and one of the most respected journalists in the business. During a career spanning eight World Cups he has been the chief football writer for each of the four quality newspaper groups in England: The Times, Guardian-Observer, Telegraph, and Independent. His first book, Mourinho: Anatomy of a Winner was published to acclaim in 2005.

Bibliographic information

• Title: Football - Bloody Hell!: The Biography of Alex Ferguson
• Author: Patrick Barclay
• Publisher: Random House, 2010
• ISBN: 1407084712, 9781407084718
• Length: 544 pages
• Subjects: Biography & Autobiography / Sports; Sports & Recreation / Coaching / General; Sports & Recreation / Coaching / Soccer; Sports & Recreation / General; Sports & Recreation / Soccer