Good Alex Ferguson interview with Jon Snow

Really don't understand why he's dishing the dirt on so many people, for me shows a lack of respect for the power of his position. Maybe he's short of a bob or two and needs the money!
Doesn't enjoy some of these questions though!

Fergie bringing out his autobiography seems to have brought the sanctimonious members of the football community out. Brendan Rodgers slated him saying that he should have kept things in the dressing room. Yes, this being the same Brendan Rodgers who made himself look a complete fool in a fly-on-the-wall documentary about Liverpool just after he took over which showed footage of him giving talks in the dressing room.

Not to be outdone, Robbie Savage wasn't happy about some of Ferguson's revelations either, saying that releasing books should be the preserve of mere mortals like him. Hmm, let's see now, who exactly wants to read an autobiography of an over-hyped mediocre Championship player of limited intellect?

I have bought Ferguson's autobiography. Having read around one-third of the book so far, I would say that the book captures the essence of the man pretty well. That is to say, his flaws and hypocrisy shine through, but what really resonates is how he exerted control and how he always felt that was important. The best parts that I've read though have been the bits that have not been highlighted by the press. There is an interesting opening chapter about how running a pub for a few years shaped his managerial career in dealing with different characters. Also, there's another chapter that talks about his outside interests, particularly his interest in American history.

I'd say that, on the basis of what I've read so far, reading the book will confirm the view you already had of him. People that liked and admired his ability to rule with an iron fist will still do so. People that disliked him and resented what he stood for will probably feel that view is reinforced all the more so. While, people that grudgingly respected him I would think will be of the same opinion, but perhaps would feel more vindicated to like him less. There are a lot of anecdotes that are packed in, sometimes resulting in the book going off at a tangent from the subject of the chapter, but these are enjoyable and the book is certainly a page turner which Hayward has written well in the subject's voice.

Don't agree at all, i think if your in a position of responsibility which is built on trust and loyalty, 2 words or at least 1 word he bangs on about enough! If he lives his life demanding loyalty, that's a 2 way street.

Not much about thoroughbred horses as I understand!!! I wonder how much his spat over that contributed to the Glazers getting their mitts on Utd?

joeinbrighton said:

I have bought Ferguson's autobiography. Having read around one-third of the book so far, I would say that the book captures the essence of the man pretty well. That is to say, his flaws and hypocrisy shine through, but what really resonates is how he exerted control and how he always felt that was important. The best parts that I've read though have been the bits that have not been highlighted by the press. There is an interesting opening chapter about how running a pub for a few years shaped his managerial career in dealing with different characters. Also, there's another chapter that talks about his outside interests, particularly his interest in American history.

I'd say that, on the basis of what I've read so far, reading the book will confirm the view you already had of him. People that liked and admired his ability to rule with an iron fist will still do so. People that disliked him and resented what he stood for will probably feel that view is reinforced all the more so. While, people that grudgingly respected him I would think will be of the same opinion, but perhaps would feel more vindicated to like him less. There are a lot of anecdotes that are packed in, sometimes resulting in the book going off at a tangent from the subject of the chapter, but these are enjoyable and the book is certainly a page turner which Hayward has written well in the subject's voice.

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He really is a hypocrite, with double and even triple standards about so many things and no principles whatever beyond getting his own way. That said, Paul Heyward has done a good job of ghosting, and the facts are more reliable than in Harry Redknapp's book. So many people have begged to differ with H's recollections, and I was actually present at event that Redknapp says never happened - him and Velimir Zajec being at Portsmouth's training ground at the same time.

If you're browsing the bookshelves for something different, try Mike Calvin's The Nowhere Men on scouting. Quite an interesting section on the Albion youth system in there.

drew said:

Not much about thoroughbred horses as I understand!!! I wonder how much his spat over that contributed to the Glazers getting their mitts on Utd?

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He does talk about his racehorses in his chapter on his outside interests, he talks about how he first became a racehorse owner and how he now has a part-share in 30 racehorses. But it is right that the Rock of Gibraltar affair is glossed over as a 'misunderstanding', which doesn't ring true. But I think we can say that this is done because of there being some kind of confidentiality agreement being put in place as part of that settlement.

Had this not happened, it's probably quite likely Magnier would have remained on board and the Glazers wouldn't have bought the controlling interest. Ferguson speaks well of the Glazers and my impression from reading the book is the reason he does this is because they allowed him control, which is something he resented not always having when the club was a PLC and therefore had shareholders to answer to.

Doc Lynam said:

Don't agree at all, i think if your in a position of responsibility which is built on trust and loyalty, 2 words or at least 1 word he bangs on about enough! If he lives his life demanding loyalty, that's a 2 way street.

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Well, I think what's pretty apparent is Ferguson lives life by his own rules, which explains much of his success over the years, but also shows why he is the complex, hypocritical character he is. I think he'd evidently planned this book for years, even as far back as when he wrote his previous autobiography and so many of the fallouts hadn't taken place at the time, but he presumably felt he needed to give his account to justify his decisions. You could argue that he is no longer governed by the rules of dressing room omerta as he has now retired, but certainly as does refer to loyalty within his own book as one of his fundamental principles, it does throw up an obvious hypocrisy.

joeinbrighton said:

Well, I think what's pretty apparent is Ferguson lives life by his own rules, which explains much of his success over the years, but also shows why he is the complex, hypocritical character he is. I think he'd evidently planned this book for years, even as far back as when he wrote his previous autobiography and so many of the fallouts hadn't taken place at the time, but he presumably felt he needed to give his account to justify his decisions. You could argue that he is no longer governed by the rules of dressing room omerta as he has now retired, but certainly as does refer to loyalty within his own book as one of his fundamental principles, it does throw up an obvious hypocrisy.

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Yeah i agree with most of that except one point, by his own lofty standards which we hear so much about, he sounds like the ultimate dogmatist in life. Yet it seems in his same world view, his demands on himself seem less rigid and more open to his own "special" interpretation.