Product Description

'Succeeds in capturing, for the first time, the essence of this enigmatic and intensely charismatic figure, who had such a huge impact on the game and the way it was managed and played' - "Daily Telegraph". 'Dunphy gives us a big and complex man who...didn't so much beat off his rivals as transcend them ...Dunphy's recreation of the pre-Munich years, the swelling of great ambition, great teams, is wonderfully fresh' - James Lawton. 'Lacing crisp reportage with explosive bursts of anger and dismay, Dunphy tells a tragic story well' - "Independent".Sir Matt Busby is a legend in football, an institution at Old Trafford, and, as the author argues, the 'last great football man'. He is regarded by many as the greatest manager ever, building three brilliant sides with players such as Charlton, Edwards, Law and Best. Written just two years before Busby's death, Eamon Dunphy's bestselling portrait of the great man was acclaimed as the best book of the year in its first edition, and is now available with a new introduction. 'The best most readable football book of the year' - "Mail on Sunday". 'If there is a better football book this year, it would have to be astonishing' - "Guardian".

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #29312 in Books
• Published on: 2007-08-01
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 432 pages

Review
"* 'A brilliant biography' Observer * 'The sports book of the year - by a distance' Frank Keating * 'Sports writing of the highest order' Time Out 'Succeeds in capturing, for the first time, the essence of this enigmatic and intensely charismatic figure, who had such a huge impact on the game and the way it was managed and played" Daily Telegraph 'Dunphy gives us a big and complex man who... didn't so much beat off his rivals as transcend them... Dunphy's recreation of the pre-Munich years, the swelling of great ambition, great teams, is wonderfully fresh' James Lawton 'Lacing crisp reportage with explosive bursts of anger and dismay, Dunphy tells a tragic story well' Independent 'The best most readable football book of the year' Mail on Sunday"

About the Author
Eamon Dunphy is the bestselling author of Only a Game? and Keane's autobiography, and one of the most highly regarded Irish broadcasters Sir Matt Busby is a legend in football, an institution at Old Trafford, and, as the author argues, the 'last great football man'. He is regarded by many as the greatest manager ever, building three brilliant sides with players such as Charlton, Edwards, Law and Best. Written just two years before Busby's death, Eamon Dunphy's bestselling portrait of the great man was acclaimed as the best book of the year in its first edition, and is now available with a new introduction.

Customer Reviews

Superb
Quite simply one of the best football books ever written. Painstakingly researched by a well-informed writer with first hand knowledge of his subject. Eamon Dunphy, with this title originally published in the early 90s, has provided us with a few of the great football books with Only a Game? and Roy Keane's ghosted autobiography. Looking forward to his own memoirs and the possibility of the work on George Best!

No glossing over this Matt.....(sorry).
Eamonn Dunphy is (in)famous in Ireland for his public fall-out with Jack Charlton during the 1990 World Cup in Italy. Dunphy criticised Ireland`s less than Brazillian style of play and drew an angry response from the Irish manager. He was also a player with Millwall many years ago but crucially he started out at Manchester United at around the same time as people like Johnny Giles, Nobby Stiles and George Best. This gives him a perfect insight into what made Matt Busby the manager and also the man he was. This is a fabulous book, Dunphy tells some great stories about a club big on style and big on `bs`.
All the rows, cliques, petty thieving(?), adultery, back-stabbing and disrespect towards the manager are detailed, with one story that will guarantee a gasp of dis-belief from any reader! I can remember the crisis at United at the start of the Seventies, and this, for me, is the most fascinating section of the book. I only thought I knew the reasons for United`s downfall. A book that all football fans of a certain vintage must read.