Matthew Hanzel

I probably did a serious mistake by reading this book first instead of the “Old Testament”–there are two autobiographies of Sir Alex Ferguson: Managing My Life and My Autobiography. This book is clearly a sequel to complete the first book, and you may find yourself a tad disoriented without reading the first.Do not expect to find the story of the 1998/1999 famous European Treble. It is in the “Old Testament”. This is the “New Testament”, in the instance of stories from after the Treble. The book is divided into topics, and they are not told chronologically. There are special chapters about things from Rio Ferdinand, Liverpool, to the 2007/2008 UEFA Champions League Final in Moscow.

It is a very interesting reading, even more if you are a Manchester United fan, used to see him in 26 years of his tenure. Many of the anecdotes are interesting, and will certainly complete any knowledge you have about the Red Devils and the work of this outstanding manager. You will love the stories that he tells throughout the book, and more importantly, I think you will certainly learn a lot from him in leadership, managing people, and more.

The book can also be confusing at times, though. The way it is written, sometimes the content of a chapter may well be distracted than the title it intends to tell. It is as if he is chatting with you, and while he is telling a story of something, suddenly he finds some sort of connection to something else, and the story gets distracted. Not the biggest pain, but can be confusing. I find the Managing My Life to be tidier in writing.

At the end, I get the feeling of wanting more from Sir Alex. Wanting to know more and more stories. Not that there are a little things that he does cover.

P.S.: This is the “updated” version of his autobiography, with additional chapters telling about post-retirement life and the thing with David Moyes.

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Alex Ferguson: My Autobiography, One Year On
Alex Ferguson
Hodder & Stoughton
2013
417 pages
$6.99

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Sir Alex Ferguson’s compelling story is always honest and revealing he reflects on his managerial career that embraced unprecedented European success for Aberdeen and 26 triumphant seasons with Manchester United.

Sir Alex Ferguson’s best-selling autobiography has now been updated to offer reflections on events at Manchester United since his retirement as well as his teachings at the Harvard Business School, a night at the Oscars and a boat tour round the Hebrides, where he passed unrecognised.

The extra material adds fresh insights and detail on his final years as United’s manager.

Both the psychology of management and the detail of football strategy at the top level can be complex matters but no-one has explained them in a more interesting and accessible way for the general reader than Sir Alex does here.

My Autobiography is revealing, endlessly entertaining and above all inspirational.

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