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A review by readwithshashank
Alex Ferguson: My Autobiography by Alex Ferguson
4.0
Sir Alex Ferguson is someone millions would admire, even if they are not Manchester United fans. He is one of the most distinguished managers, and handled some of the best players/ strong personalities such as Cantona, Keane, Beckham, Schmeichel, Neville, Rooney, Ronaldo and many more.
This book covers his journey from Glasgow to Manchester and culminates with his last season and final premier league trophy in 2012-13. I loved the book for its simplicity, the humility of the person and how he’s called a spade a spade without ever sounding rude or pompous. There is also not an overdose of the footballing side which should make it an interesting read for all. Consider this as a self help book that isn’t preachy and has real-life examples of dealing with difficult situations.
For non-sports people, he’s confessed being a reader and said: “I’m glad to say that the simple act of reading is a marvellous release from the hassles of work and life.”
This book isn’t just a memoir, it is also a compendium of lessons in people management, and Sir Alex’s inputs seem valid for achieving success in any field. Some of my favourites being:
- A central component of the manager-player relationship is that you have to make them take responsibility for their actions, their mistakes, their performance level and finally the result
- I’ve always found that you have to take the hard road all the time, whether it’s popular or not
- No matter how good your CV, there are moments when you feel vulnerable
- The player can spill his resentments to anyone who’s willing to listen, but the manager cannot do that, as he has wider responsibilities
- When you’re leading the country (or a team or a company), there is vast responsibility and a certain loneliness; there is a vacuum attached to the job that others don’t want to break into
- When you’re young, the 14-hour days are necessary, because you have to establish yourself, and the only way to do that is by working hard; by establishing a work ethic
- I admire people who show you their emotions. It shows you they care
This book covers his journey from Glasgow to Manchester and culminates with his last season and final premier league trophy in 2012-13. I loved the book for its simplicity, the humility of the person and how he’s called a spade a spade without ever sounding rude or pompous. There is also not an overdose of the footballing side which should make it an interesting read for all. Consider this as a self help book that isn’t preachy and has real-life examples of dealing with difficult situations.
For non-sports people, he’s confessed being a reader and said: “I’m glad to say that the simple act of reading is a marvellous release from the hassles of work and life.”
This book isn’t just a memoir, it is also a compendium of lessons in people management, and Sir Alex’s inputs seem valid for achieving success in any field. Some of my favourites being:
- A central component of the manager-player relationship is that you have to make them take responsibility for their actions, their mistakes, their performance level and finally the result
- I’ve always found that you have to take the hard road all the time, whether it’s popular or not
- No matter how good your CV, there are moments when you feel vulnerable
- The player can spill his resentments to anyone who’s willing to listen, but the manager cannot do that, as he has wider responsibilities
- When you’re leading the country (or a team or a company), there is vast responsibility and a certain loneliness; there is a vacuum attached to the job that others don’t want to break into
- When you’re young, the 14-hour days are necessary, because you have to establish yourself, and the only way to do that is by working hard; by establishing a work ethic
- I admire people who show you their emotions. It shows you they care