| Title | : | Brian Clough: Nobody Ever Says Thank You |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | - |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Kindle Edition |
| Number of Pages | : | 550 |
| Publication | : | First published October 1, 2011 |
In this first full, critical biography, Jonathan Wilson draws an intimate and powerful portrait of one of England's greatest football managers, Brian Clough, and his right-hand man, Peter Taylor. It was in the unforgiving world of post-war football where their identities and reputations were made - a world where, as Clough and Taylor's mentor Harry Storer once said, 'Nobody ever says thank you.'
Nonetheless, Clough brought the gleam of silverware to the depressed East Midlands of the 1970s. Initial triumph at Derby was followed by a sudden departure and a traumatic 44 days at Leeds. By the end of a frazzled 1974, Clough was set up for life financially, but also hardened to the realities of football. By the time he was at Forest, Clough's mask was almost permanently a persona based on brashness and conflict. Drink fuelled the controversies and the colourful character; it heightened the razor-sharp wit and was a salve for the highs of football that never lasted long enough, and for the lows that inevitably followed. Wilson's account is the definitive portrait of this complex and enduring man.
Brian Clough: Nobody Ever Says Thank You Reviews
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أن تصبح مدربا جيدا شئ سهل ، أما أن تصبح أسطورة فهذا يحتاج الكثير سواء من العمل أو الحظ ولكن أن تحقق المستحيلات وأنت غير مهتم فهذا مستوي آخر من الأسطورية لم يصل له الا براين كلوف
من منا يحب كرة القدم ولا يعرف المدرب الأسطورى صانع المعجزات براين كلوف .. المدرب الذي جعل من المستحيل ممكن وترك بصمة لا تنسي في تاريخ الكرة الإنجليزية
يستعرض الكتاب حياة كلوف ونشأته كلاعب في البداية ومسيرته المشرفة كمدرب .. اصراره وطموحه علي الوصول لما يريد .. الكتاب يستحق الخمس نجوم لكن أنقصته نجمة لأنه لما يركز علي حياة كلوف خارج اطار كره القدم
تجربة أخري موفقة لي مع الكاتب جوناثان ويلسون بعد كتابه المبهر الهرم المقلوب .. يعجبني أسلوبه في العرض ومعلوماته الكروية وشغفة بالكرة الذي أجده في كتابته جعله واحد من كتابي المفضلين في العالم الرياضي وأتطلع لقراءة المزيد من كتبه -
It's a fair criticism of this book to say it focuses on Clough the manager rather than Clough the man. There are so many enjoyable anecdotes from his professional life though, that the book doesn't go short of content.
While it is probably not necessary to record every single result of his career, as the book does, there are so many stories about Clough from his former players bordering on the unbelievable, that this biography does not get boring.
As Clough grew older and his wits became less sharp due to A drinking problem, he became as the author puts it "a parody of himself", for this reason, and despite all the memorable stories from his late Forest days - punching Roy Keane, bust ups with supporters, arranging a pre game drinking session before the European Cup final - the best part of this book is when Clough is building Derby County into a title winning side in the early 70s. There you find Clough at his unpredictable and brilliant best, galvanising a group of players like nobody else could.
It is easy to look at the weird, wonderful and often comical side of Clough and ignore his incredible achievements as a manager, which are there in black and wine. Twice he took a team from the bottom of the 2nd division to champions of the country within 5 years, it is doubtful whether this will ever be done again. -
Brian Clough was the greatest British Manager ever to grace this world. This book offers an intimate portrait of the man and his times. Jonathan Wilson shines in his biography of the great Cloughie.
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As a long term Derby County fan of a certain vintage I did hold the view that there was little more I could learn about the life and times of Brian Clough but this book by one of my favourite football writers did have me learning new and interesting things about him.
The structure of the book is fascinating, it flows freely and I found myself lost in the flow of it as time flew by. Clough's unpredictable and capricious behaviour is drawn out with any number of examples of kind, bullying, hectoring, charming, generous and mean spirited behaviour on his part.
Many books previously written from first hand witnesses have tried to unpick this complicated man and Wilson is presented with a challenge of sorts as it is clear that his access to primary sources was limited either by the passing of time or limited co-operation from those close to Clough.
I did not find this potential drawback problematic when reading this book as Wilson does a very good job of drawing from available material to stitch together the story.
This is a very straight line A to B biography from birth to death , enjoyable for its insight but also the factual reporting of stories forgotten or indeed never known. I think anyone who is a football fan of a certain age who is either a Derby fan, a Forest fan, a Leeds fan , a Middlesboro fan, a Sunderland fan or just a fan of football of that era will find this an enjoyable book -
Given the enigmatic personality of Brian Cough, a man of enormous contradictions, any biography would be a challenge to write. The book starts very strongly in building a narrative of the formative years but tails off with negligible narrative on retirement and reflective comment on a tumultuous career. Packed with football detail that would be off putting to anyone who did not live and breathe football when Brian Clough was striding the stage of the English game. But a must read for those that remember his epic exploits.
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A remarkable insight into a remarkable man. From his days as a player in the 50s right through to his managerial retirement in the 90s, Cloughie was always compelling, always unorthodox and always the best in the business. The icon of British football's greatest era.
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A fantastic account of a mesmerising character. I’d only caught those strange rumours of Clough before and having loved Inverting the Pyramid by Jonathon Wilson, felt this might be interesting.
The depth of research is incredible with Wilson regularly cross referencing Cloughs two autobiographies along with the many other books, documentaries and interviews conducted around him. The access to all of his life and therefore a peak behind the curtain at this eccentric genius that was yet emotionally manipulative and strange.
I really enjoyed this. Long but worth it. -
A fantastic biography of one of the most complex and interesting characters in any walk of life. Wilson more than helps himself by not over writing. The prose is efficient and neat. The opinions he offers are balanced and astute. He does not err from painting Clough as, at times, a poignant and complicated man with his own, very real faults. But he also writes from a place of clear admiration for a man whom, many people could not help but warm to.
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A very impressive account on one of the most enigmatic British football managers of all time. Jonathon Wilson does a terrific job in separating Clough the man, Clough the manager and Clough the myth.
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Great read, warts n all and the first birth to the death blog of the greatest manager of them all.
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Very comprehensive indeed. A fascinating read about a complex man.
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Brian Clough was undoubtedly one of the most fascinating of the football managers on whom the desscription of legend sits easily.
His time at Derby and Nottingham Forest have produced a plethora of books that focus on his achievements with a more limited (but more detailed) focus. His rivalry with Revie and his short stay at Leeds United fill a few more books.
This book looks at the whole life of the man and provide strong cases for the incidents in his upbringing that drove the man. The man's many contradictions are laid bare and it's not always easy reading when you realise that one of your idols really has feet of clay.
But looking at his career as a whole helps to provide some useful points beyond the peaks he reached with Derby and Forest.
Firstly, his time at Brighton was not as barren as it seemed at the time. Indeed, they followed the same pattern as had Clough in his early times at Hartlepools and Derby. Had he stayed and been obliged to focus more fully on the job, perhaps it might have been Brighton who went all the way to glory.
Secondly, there's a more nuanced review of his time at Leeds. It would be fair to say that Clough made wrong decision after wrong decision while at Leeds. The squad itself was less united (sic) than some stories would have you believe and it was not impossible for Clough to work his magic but, ultimately, he was the one who messed up.
Thirdly, Clough's record in the 1980's with Forest right up to that last fateful season more than stand up to scrutiny especially bearing in mind the financial limitations at the club.
And, yes, Clough and Taylor were a magnificent double act but there's enough to show that Clough was still formidable on his own account.
There's no hiding from Clough's considerable darker side and the impact of alcohol on his life. But the achievements of the man are not to be denied, and we are unlikely to see his like ever again. -
As much as I enjoyed the book, I expected it to have more of a focus on Clough's life away from football. Quite why I did - given the fact that Wilson is one of the best football journalists about - I don't know. But while I came away far more knowledgable about a manager whose best achievements predated my own interest in the game (I was born in 1983), so interesting is his character, I craved to know more about his private life.
As it is, the little hints Wilson gives us into his life as a father, husband and, general non-football man are fascinating. That he's a good cook, an overprotective father, a night-club speaker and a pub-frequenter are all things I wish the book had told us more about. Otherwise, the book's as astute and well-informed as Wilson's encyclopaedic other tomes -
Super studious, super informative from an outstanding football writer. Now, I know that the whole point was to finally write a detailed biography of Clough. However, the start rather gets drowned in the detail. I mean, do we really need to know almost every result of his playing career? The detail still works once he is a manager, but I think bit of editing in the first 150 pages would have helped.
What's really amazing is that there is no clumsy final chapter or conclusion, or lessons learned. It's just so well drawn out that it manages to stay a factual biography. What you make of Clough it's down to you... -
A truly comprehensive account of this fascinating man's life. Despite it being a pretty weighty tome, it didn't feel overlong and I could have kept reading more - probably because of the unpredictable nature of the character. Full of great little stories and not afraid to dismiss others and criticise him, the only negative for me was the fact it felt like it gave you the results of every match in his career, which got a bit repetitive.
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An anti-hero f mine, brash at times vulgar and on the brink of corruption but an absolutely compelling man. The book speaks of a time before the profligacy of the modern football era, of mud, bungs, hard men but also the awareness and astuteness required to bring the best out of people. Some life lessons and a marvellous evocation of a time long since gone.
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A definitive look back at the life of Brian Clough although his years after retiring are scantly covered. Having said that this was a fascinating read about the idiosyncrasies of a top manager who slipped into the sad world of alcohol dependency. There never was and never will be anyone quite like Brian Clough in the world both inside and outside football.
Ray Smillie -
Great read, though very much a box score read at times, really only focus is on Cloughie the coach, instead of the man.
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Excellent book about the great man himself
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Just the best book ever on Brian Clough, lots of really good stories and some myths debunked
