Sir Alex

An interesting read about a great footballing legend. Packed with exclusive interviews this is a well written account.

Often controversial, sometimes arrogant, intimidating but respected and with the achievements to back it up, Sir Alex Ferguson, known to nearly everyone in the game as The Boss or Gaffer, is widely regarded as one of the best football managers ever. A tough upbringing in one of the roughest parts of Glasgow filled the young Alex Ferguson with determination and a strong work ethic that helped him achieve his unprecedented success at Manchester United that may never be equalled.
A book entitled “Simply The Best” is probably not going to be very critical about its subject, but it’s none the worse for it. Respected football writer Harry Harris errs on the side of caution regarding any unsavoury aspects of Sir Alex’s personality and methods but as an overview to Fergie’s life, “Simply The Best” is a solid and often funny read, and written fully in tribute to Alex Ferguson.
Ex-players share their sometimes comical experiences of being on the receiving end of Fergie’s infamous “hairdryer”. Other footballing legends including “Pizzagate”, the “Tunnel of Hate” incident and Eric Cantona’s gymnastics are all covered. Fergie’s sweeping changes on joining United are explored; ending the drinking culture in the club, bringing in younger players, selling the Man U “brand” worldwide. Much of what he did was controversial at the time but Fergie had the backing of the MU board who gave him the time to turn the failing club around. The plaudits from the book’s contributors are almost entirely glowing and deeply respectful of Ferguson, even after they’ve been on the receiving end of his rage. To many young MU players he was a father figure.
Due to it being very much a collection of anecdotes, the book doesn’t flow very well at times, but it is always interesting and there are nuggets to be found; there is a very revealing chapter on the players who nearly signed for MU, for example. Other chapters examine Ferguson’s love of fine wine and horse racing, and also his dislike of the media and his spats with players and managers such as Kevin Keegan.
It is written without frills and many of the anecdotes are brutally honest and enlightening. We get a vivid picture of the real Alex Ferguson - relentlessly determined, passionate and honest. This isn’t the greatest Alex Ferguson book ever written, and isn’t really for casual readers, but it is recommended for fans of Fergie, Manchester United and football management.

As a Manchester United fan, I have already read many books about Sir Alex Ferguson. The reason why I continue to read them is that there is always something new to learn about the fascinating life of the best football manager. And that's exactly why I enjoyed this book.

Obviously, having read and watched books and documentaries about Sir Alex, I already know his life pretty well. But this book still managed to add some nuance to certain stories, or a different point of view maybe, which made it feel like a slightly different story.
I find his most recent interviews even more interesting since they come from the point of view of a man who suffered a near-death experience. It is definitely something that changes the tone to an actually much more positive one.
Any United fan would love this book, so it's highly recommended.