Product Description

Main description Ollie - The Autobiography of Ian Holloway will be launched in September, this is more than just a football book this is a story of personal grit and determination. Ian Holloway, manager of Championship side Plymouth Argyle is one of football's most outspoken and interesting characters as well as being a respected football coach. This book will be the first time that Ollie tells his story from his days as an apprentice at Bristol Rovers through to his playing days at the highest level with QPR. Now a respected football manager he has had many personal battles to overcome not least illness and learning that his children are profoundly deaf. A massive national & PR campaign will support this book and it is sure to become one of the top Sports titles of 2007.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #36867 in Books
• Published on: 2007-09-17
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 210 pages

From the Back Cover
Ian Holloway, manager of Championship side Plymouth Argyle is one of football's most outspoken and interesting characters as well as being a respected football coach. This book will be the first time that Ollie tells his story from his days as an apprentice at Bristol Rovers through to his playing days at the highest level with QPR. Now a respected football manager he has had many personal battles to overcome not least illness and learning that his children are profoundly deaf.

Customer Reviews

Enjoyable read
To be honest, I probably wouldn't have ever considered buying this book. But I entered a competition with Ginsters and won a signed copy.
Despite the fact that he has gone to Leicester (I'm a Forest fan) and I should therefore hate the guy, I enjoyed the book and learned a lot about a guy I had always considered to be a complete fruitcake.
The story of an honest bread and butter footballer and manager, not a superstar, and all the more enjoyable for that.

Wasted opportunity.
In his soundbites, Ollie seems funny, genuine and a man with an intersting story to tell. Sadly this book either doesn't illustrate any of those characheristics. Its badly written, his anecdotes and punchlines get repeated with alarming regulariy and its incredibly tiresome. Even when the book threates to tell an intersting story, its always given a spin to make Ollie out to be a true man of the people, yer honest bloke next door - the books recurring theme is of someone desperate to portray that image, not tell their life story. Truly I've read some worse biographies but not many. I'd hoped it would be good. Its anything but. A real letdown. Avoid.

Brilliant
This is the first book that has shocked me in places and made me laugh and cry in others. Holloway comes across as being a thoroughly likeable guy (ignore the bitter Plymouth League One bound fans).

As well as working his way up from Bristol Rovers reserves to the Premiership with QPR he had to deal with having 3 profoundly deaf daughters. This book details his battles with various managers and players and shows that, at the end of the day football is important, but family life is far more important.

Ian Holloway seems to be the last of a dying breed - a character who genuinely loves football and this is brought out brilliantly in this book.

If you want to read about greed read Rooney's or Cashley's books. If you want a damn good read that will make you laugh and cry then get Ollie.