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living on the volcano - Michael calvin

Back to Books 2016

Score 29/40

 Some brilliant passages of play but some of the chapters felt like a post match interview which I usually fast forward on MOTD.  I loved The Nowhere Men whilst I really liked this book.  

Cognitive Ease= 4    Technical = 2     Story = 3     Enjoyment =  4    Memorable = 5    Ronseal Effect = 3    Talkability = 5    Longivity = 3
The most enjoyable part of the book is.....The genuine sense of what it feels like to be a football manager day in day out, both good and bad.  The sacrifices made to their home life, the sense of responsibility and the lonliness and yet like the PC game of the same name management appears  to be utterly addictive.  Loved the Sean Dyce and Eddie Howe chapters

 The most important part of the book is.....Martin Ling's honesty about his nervous breakdown where he thought he was going to die when there was nothing wrong with him.  In an alpha male environment it is very brave and important  to get men talking about it

The Ordinary Observation...... Most managers mentioned Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) at some point when talking about how they manage their players.  Matthew Syed stressed the importance of Positive thinking for elite athletes in Bounce but the numerous times NLP was mentioned was surprising .  It almost felt like teams were desperate to out believe each other 

Picture

 Book by Chapter

C1 - Martin Ling - Nervous breakdown - In the ambulance "I'm going to die" and Paramedic saying there is nothing wrong.
Harley Street - LMA and the Priory
 
C2 - Aidie Boothroyd - Sacked by Northamton bottom of League 2.  Was going to be next big English manager after Watford success
A lot of hot air about it being about developing players - current role = England U20
 
C3 - Gareth Ainsworth WWFC - Doing everything and on a shoe string - 4000 players no club Summer 2014 -
Value of hard work - nice, honest chap
 
C4 - Garry Waddock - How it feels to be sacked - 18 month average to get another job and 58% of first time
managers never get another.  Harry Rednapp believes if you have lasted for 100 league games you should be OK
 
C5 - Ian Holloway - Deciding to manage his way at Millwall
 
C6 - Shaun Derry - Life at QPR Julio Cesar on English rush hour traffic "Just buy a helicopter"  Too many new players acting like mercenaries
 
C7 - Mark Hughes - Succeeds when he has stable base but struggles in chaos like Man City and QPR.  Stats on everything
 
C8 - Alan Pardew - Lift engineer not afraid to stand up to anyone.

​C9 - Brendan Rodgers - Great reputation inside game - belief that he could make positive impact on Balotelli almost deluded

C10 - Pedro Martinez - Dad football manager - People thought he was mad to join lowly Wigan as player

C11 - Garry Monk - Starting out on the football manager journey

C12 - Micky Adams - Life as a lower league manager

C13 - Alan Irvine and swimming agaainst the tide at WBA

C14 -  Chris Houghton and Brian McDermott - Lack of black players and officials - ​

C15 - Karl Robinson developig Delli Alli at MK Dons

C16- Sean Dyce building team spirit and rooting out the sappers bringing in energisers

​C17 - Eddie Howe
 Bornemouth to Burnley and back again after death of mum.  6.30am starts

C18 - Kenny Jacket and Mick Mcarthey - Wolves and Ipswich playoff bid

​C19 - Mark Walburton and the Brentford Moneyball experiment

C20 - Paul Tisdale an unlikely champion of the lower leagues.  The Exeter team with Steve Perryman

​C21 - Roundup of all the managers and Brian Mcs crazy  decision to leave chief scout at Arsenal to go back to Reading



read

• Started - 5th June
• Finished - 17th June

KEY FACTS

• Shortlisted for William Hill Sports Book 2015
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