Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #16157 in Books
• Published on: 2007-07-15
• Binding: Paperback
• 384 pages

Synopsis
Wayne Rooney, the most talked about footballer in Britain, tells his own remarkable story, from his early years with his family growing up on the streets of Croxteth, about his relationship with Coleen McLoughlin, and about life in Manchester. It's all about a young man coming to terms with a career in the limelight -- the good and the bad. What is the true story behind the most gifted yet often misunderstood character in the British game? Were there signs of things to come in his upbringing in the backstreets of Liverpool? What were the early influences that shaped his character? And how has the meteoric rise to fame and fortune affected this seemingly shy yet prodigiously gifted youngster? For the first time, Rooney opens up about the defining years of his life as the son of a working-class family, brought up in a council house with his Everton-mad family. There followed his first tentative steps in football, the triumphs and knockbacks along the way, the accolades that began to follow his every move as a young teenager, and destiny fulfilled on his Premiership debut for Everton at the tender age of 16.

He describes how his life changed irrevocably when Alex Ferguson and Manchester United came calling in the summer of 2004, his dazzling efforts for England in the European Championships, a private life never far from the tabloid headlines, and the real story behind his relationship with partner Coleen McLoughlin. He reveals the anguish of the foot injury that threatened his participation in World Cup 2006, and how his determination led to a remarkable recovery in time to play a part in the group stage of the tournament. And he describes how his delight at playing again for his country turned to depair after his controversial sending-off in the quarter-final against Portugal and England's subsequent elimination in the penalty shoot-out. And in this updated paperback edition, he revisits the drama of United's Premiership-winning 2006/07 season and their tumultuous battles with Chelsea and giants AC Milan. This is the story in Rooney's own words. From the streets of Croxteth to the stadiums of Germany and beyond -- a journey of a lifetime squeezed into a mere twenty-one years.

From the Inside Flap
At just 20 years of age, Wayne Rooney is already one of the best footballers in the world. What is the true story behind the most talked-about player in Britain?
What memories does he have of his tough Merseyside upbringing? Who were the early influences that helped shape his character? And how has the meteoric rise to fame and fortune affected this seemingly shy yet prodigiously gifted youngster?
Rooney opens up about the defining years of his life as the son of working-class parents, brought up in a council house with a football-mad family and making his Premiership debut for Everton at the age of 16.
He goes on to describe how his life changed irrevocably when Alex Ferguson and Manchester United came calling in the summer of 2004, his dazzling efforts for England in the European Championships, and the truth about his relationship with partner Coleen McLoughlin.
For World Cup 2006 Rooney reports on every aspect of the Finals. From the shock of his broken metarsal and the rush to get fit, through the group matches, to the explosive quarter-final against Portugal, his is an unembellished account of what went on inside the England camp.

From the streets of Croxteth to the stadiums of Germany, it's an incredible journey by an incredible footballer.

Customer Reviews

Honest, Informative & Light Reading
This book is a must have for any England/United fan. It offers the other side of the story to what is often speculation in the media - believe me once you've read it you'll be sceptical about anything the press writes again. There are parts in this biography that Wayne didn't have to reveal, which gives it a lot of credibility.

Okay, this was never going to be the next works of Shakespeare, but you have to remember that this young man has extreme talent on the football pitch - he doesn't need literary skills when his feet speak fluently.

So read the book, its light reading but gives a great insight of the man that is so very often misunderstood.

'Come in No.10'
I sometimes wonder (and worry) about the amount of worth works like this can actually achieve. Lame in reality, dumb and tedious in its effort and execution, it beggars the question why we're not, as a society, a lot more critical?
Is it because, as I suspect, and the people who produce this trash know for sure, no-one gives a monkeys?
This convivial lack of disapproval, twinned with general social lethargy ensures we get what we deserve, and therefore, what we expect/want, with no questions asked.
Of course this stuff will keep right on coming until we can muster up some sort of resistance to it, and at the moment I would say that's highly unlikely.
What we need is some quality control in our own lives, and the inclination to back it up.
It would be a start if we could curb the exposure of some of the people who are supposed to be steering us clear of this stuff. Too busy `appearing' somewhere to be of any use at the business end, too involved to see the damage they're doing, and allowing to be done.
But far more importantly, as a civilization we must vent every way we can, our abhorrence and intolerance for the debased, the tawdry and the creatively unclean. Sneer and scorn the lame ducks and the half-talents. Bring pressure to bear on those who exist only for profit, and actively encourage, for lucrative financial gain, the deliberate and VERY real `dumbing down' of pretty much anything and everything in our culture.
This afflicts across the board; the arts, transport, food, particularly sport, where the opportunity to guide our young people by good example is criminally wasted.
And at it's cold black heart, its nadir, is us as people, in the land of the dead, sucking it all in without retort, without obloquy, and worst of all, without conscience or shame.
`Wisdom and goodness to the vile seem vile.' Future generations will need some explaining to.

An easy read about the best English player for years
First of all, let me say that the other reviewers of this book have got it all wrong. Ok, it may not be the most intellectual read but let's be honest, if you're reading a footballer's autobiography, are you really that bothered about the length of the words they use?!

Rooney is the best player we've had in this country for years, probably since Gazza. In his short career so far, he has achieved plenty and that is what makes this book an interesting read.

I've read many footballer's stories, and all you want from them is, tales of them growing up, how they started in football, a bit of gossip about themselves and fellow pro's, and generally how they feel about getting paid to play football!! Rooney's story does that perfectly. It's a very easy read, but one that provides you with a great insight into this fantastic footballer.

Ignore the other reviewers, if you're a football fan, it's definitely worth a look!