Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #365047 in Books
• Published on: 2005-09-01
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 210 pages

THE INDEPENDENT, 17 December
"Well informed... it puts flesh on the headlines, usually with a well-informed phrase."

Review
"Excellent." (Christian O'Connell XFM radio, 20 Sept )

"One of the most insightful and respected journalists working in the game... a compelling, believable profile." (Leo McKinstry THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH, 25 Sept )

"One of the UK's leading football writers assesses the UK's leading football manager... Barclay is always worth reading." (OBSERVER SPORT MONTHLY, 2 Oct )

"This is a special book by a special writer. Five stars" (FOURFOURTWO )

"'An illuminating, thought-provoking and highly entertaining book by one of Britain's sharpest and most erudite football writers'.' (WORLD SOCCER )

"A fine biography" (NEW STATESMAN, 19 December )

"A rounded and entirely fair portrait, written with a good deal of wit and insight." (DAILY TELEGRAPH, 15 December )

"Barclay resists producing a straightforward biographical account of Mourinho's inimitable rise... he instead builds up an informal picture of the man via an unusual cast of faithful witnesses. It is this determination to search out the sometimes less obvious characters which makes this narrative so compelling. Barclay offers a detailed and contemplative study.. a refreshing change." (THE SCOTSMAN, 17 December )

"Well informed... it puts flesh on the headlines, usually with a well-informed phrase." (THE INDEPENDENT, 17 December )

The Sunday Telegraph
'One of the most insightful and respected journalists working in the game... a compelling, believable profile.'

Customer Reviews

Sets the Scene
The book is a good journalistic account of Mourinho's rise as a manager. It covers the tales we all read in the newspapers and the psychological tactics. . . more imortantly it gives a valuable insight (without talking to the man himself) into the road taken to get to his current place in charge of a multi-million pound team. It does deal sporadically with the methods he employs and the way he engages players, press and public. It sets the scene well in introducing and understanding Mourinho.

Worth reading
Skillfully written, an interesting insight into a man who dominates so many football headlines. Barclay has managed to capture the essence of what makes a good biography. Definitely one for the Christmas list for any sports fan.

The Special One
This is an interesting book to read for anyone interested in finding out how Mourinho came from nowhere to manage one of the world's leading teams, Chelsea. It includes interviews of fellow managers and others who have known Mourinho along the road. It also looks at Mourinho's methods of management from a psychological point of view.

There are no interviews with Mourinho though but there are mentions of the official Mourinho biography so that will be my next read.

An interesting read into an interesting character.