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The Boss : The Many Sides of Alex Ferguson
Ferguson's own autobiography was a great bestseller on its publication in 1999. But Fergie's book told the story through only one pair of eyes. Now, Michael Crick, acclaimed biographer of Jeffrey Archer, writes the first fully rounded, independent portrait of Sir Alex. From his roots as a Govan trade unionist to the current peaks of world football, Crick applies the same forensic skills he applied to his study of the disgraced Tory peer. Through hundreds of interviews with those who've known and worked with Sir Alex, and delving back through the archives, Michael Crick explores the money and the politics of football, the bust-ups, the fights, and those memorable moments of glory. Charismatic and charming, volcanic and ruthless, searingly ambitious and astonishingly successful. What makes Sir Alex Ferguson tick? How did this complex character become the most successful manager in British football, producing -- first at Aberdeen and now at Manchester United -- two of the most prolific trophy-grabbing machines in the modern game? THE BOSS is essential reading not just for Manchester United fans and football followers in general, but for anyone interested in the skills of successful management.
644 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2002
4 people are currently reading
133 people want to read
About the author
Michael Crick
17 books19 followersMichael Crick (born 21 May 1958) is an English journalist, author and broadcaster.
Born in Northampton, he was educated at Manchester Grammar School and New College, Oxford, where he got a first class degree in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE). At Oxford he was editor of one of the student newspapers, Cherwell, founded the Oxford Handbook and the Oxbridge Careers Handbook, and was president of the Oxford Union.
He specialises in politics, and appeared as a regular reporter on BBC Two's Newsnight. In March 2007, he was appointed the programme's political editor.
In 2003, under heavy pressure from the preparation of the Hutton Report, it refused to show Crick's report for Newsnight into 'Betsygate', the alleged misuse of public funds by the private office of former Conservative Party leader Iain Duncan Smith and supposed payments to his wife Betsy for work she did not do. Crick referred the case to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards Sir Philip Mawer and the Duncan Smiths were cleared of any impropriety.
In the 2005 general election, it was observed that the five most terrifying words in the political lexicon were "Michael Crick is in reception".
He has also reported for Channel 4 News and Panorama, and has appeared on Have I Got News For You. He is known as the unofficial biographer and nemesis of Jeffrey Archer. Margaret Crick, his estranged wife, published a biography of Archer's wife Mary in 2005.
A keen supporter of Manchester United, he has written several books on the team as well as his literary political works. In 1998-99 he was the organiser of the Shareholders United Against Murdoch campaign which successfully opposed BSkyB's proposed takeover of United. He later served as Vice-Chairman of Shareholders United.
He lives with his partner Lucy Hetherington and they have a baby girl called Isabel. He also has an older daughter from his previous marriage. On 24 February 2008, the News of the World newspaper reported that he had a six month affair with Jeanette Eccles a former BBC researcher. The paper ridiculed Crick for presenting himself as moral crusader, while his own behaviour had been unethical. He was also criticised for trying to prevent the publication of the story on the grounds of privacy, while he making a living from exposing the wrong doings of others.
Crick, a known Labour supporter, is known for his investigations of Conservative politicians and followed then Tory leader, Michael Howard around during the 2005 election campaign as part of his research for his biography of Howard, published the same year. Since then, Crick has investigated Conservative Party Chairman, Caroline Spelman for abuse of expenses.
Born in Northampton, he was educated at Manchester Grammar School and New College, Oxford, where he got a first class degree in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE). At Oxford he was editor of one of the student newspapers, Cherwell, founded the Oxford Handbook and the Oxbridge Careers Handbook, and was president of the Oxford Union.
He specialises in politics, and appeared as a regular reporter on BBC Two's Newsnight. In March 2007, he was appointed the programme's political editor.
In 2003, under heavy pressure from the preparation of the Hutton Report, it refused to show Crick's report for Newsnight into 'Betsygate', the alleged misuse of public funds by the private office of former Conservative Party leader Iain Duncan Smith and supposed payments to his wife Betsy for work she did not do. Crick referred the case to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards Sir Philip Mawer and the Duncan Smiths were cleared of any impropriety.
In the 2005 general election, it was observed that the five most terrifying words in the political lexicon were "Michael Crick is in reception".
He has also reported for Channel 4 News and Panorama, and has appeared on Have I Got News For You. He is known as the unofficial biographer and nemesis of Jeffrey Archer. Margaret Crick, his estranged wife, published a biography of Archer's wife Mary in 2005.
A keen supporter of Manchester United, he has written several books on the team as well as his literary political works. In 1998-99 he was the organiser of the Shareholders United Against Murdoch campaign which successfully opposed BSkyB's proposed takeover of United. He later served as Vice-Chairman of Shareholders United.
He lives with his partner Lucy Hetherington and they have a baby girl called Isabel. He also has an older daughter from his previous marriage. On 24 February 2008, the News of the World newspaper reported that he had a six month affair with Jeanette Eccles a former BBC researcher. The paper ridiculed Crick for presenting himself as moral crusader, while his own behaviour had been unethical. He was also criticised for trying to prevent the publication of the story on the grounds of privacy, while he making a living from exposing the wrong doings of others.
Crick, a known Labour supporter, is known for his investigations of Conservative politicians and followed then Tory leader, Michael Howard around during the 2005 election campaign as part of his research for his biography of Howard, published the same year. Since then, Crick has investigated Conservative Party Chairman, Caroline Spelman for abuse of expenses.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
November 8, 2017
An excellent biography following the boy from the Govan area of Glasgow from childhood through to 2003 where he is in his final years as Manchester United manager.
He is not without his controversy in many chapters of this book, from the time he was dropped around an hour before a Scottish Cup final to dropping Jim Leighton for the 1990 FA Cup final replay, a move which practically destroyed his friendship with him. From his sometimes vehement hatred of the media, he even banned his own footballers from watching the MUTV channel, to his infamous kicking of a boot at Beckham which he claims was pure chance and that it hit him where it did was a million to one shot.
The book tracks him from the highlights of his playing career, when he scored a then very famous hat-trick at Ibrox when playing for St Johnstone to the lows when he was dropped for one Scottish Cup final and the disastrous 1969 final. It then highlights his managerial career from his early days at St Mirren through to his glory days with Aberdeen, breaking the traditional Rangers/Celtic stranglehold of the Scottish League championship through to the 1983 European Cup winners cup final after beating Real Madrid.
Then it tracks his brief career in international management, when he was at Jock Stein's side when he (Stein) collapsed at the side of the pitch during an important World Cup qualifier at Wales and later died.
It then traces his managerial career at Manchester United, from being one game away from the sack when they won 1-0 at Nottingham Forest, the match which saved his career, through to the mad fortnight in 1999 when United secured the Premier League, won the FA Cup at Wembley and then incredibly won the European Cup (Champions League) final at the Nou Camp stadium, Barcelona, when two injury time goals, both from Beckham corners, scored by Sheringham and Solksjaer finished off Bayern Munich.
It is claimed that you might never meet Ferguson personally, but after reading this you will know him. After reading this book I certainly believe that.
He is not without his controversy in many chapters of this book, from the time he was dropped around an hour before a Scottish Cup final to dropping Jim Leighton for the 1990 FA Cup final replay, a move which practically destroyed his friendship with him. From his sometimes vehement hatred of the media, he even banned his own footballers from watching the MUTV channel, to his infamous kicking of a boot at Beckham which he claims was pure chance and that it hit him where it did was a million to one shot.
The book tracks him from the highlights of his playing career, when he scored a then very famous hat-trick at Ibrox when playing for St Johnstone to the lows when he was dropped for one Scottish Cup final and the disastrous 1969 final. It then highlights his managerial career from his early days at St Mirren through to his glory days with Aberdeen, breaking the traditional Rangers/Celtic stranglehold of the Scottish League championship through to the 1983 European Cup winners cup final after beating Real Madrid.
Then it tracks his brief career in international management, when he was at Jock Stein's side when he (Stein) collapsed at the side of the pitch during an important World Cup qualifier at Wales and later died.
It then traces his managerial career at Manchester United, from being one game away from the sack when they won 1-0 at Nottingham Forest, the match which saved his career, through to the mad fortnight in 1999 when United secured the Premier League, won the FA Cup at Wembley and then incredibly won the European Cup (Champions League) final at the Nou Camp stadium, Barcelona, when two injury time goals, both from Beckham corners, scored by Sheringham and Solksjaer finished off Bayern Munich.
It is claimed that you might never meet Ferguson personally, but after reading this you will know him. After reading this book I certainly believe that.
December 26, 2024
I like it. By the end of the book, it started talking less about the actual football and more about the personal life and personality of Sir Alex Ferguson, which I didn’t mind at first but got bored of after about 4 chapters straight of it, obviously it was done earlier on too but never for so much chapters in succession. A fun, decent read. 7/10
May 13, 2019
Personally don’t find this book as a great one , but definitely worth reading. The rate should be 3,5 if it would be possible. Maybe it’s because of being outdated ( 17 years after release) , maybe because of feeling some years are more precisely then others.
December 2, 2021
Interesting to look back on the man 20 years before today. Crick is very good at bringing together the strands that make up Ferguson's character, and illuminates new revelations too.
April 25, 2013
i thought this was a very interesting book. i must admit that being a united supporter i had nothing but high regard for the Protestant ethic with which ferguson had spirited united but if some of this stuff is true in the book. it makes ferguson look like a bit of a twat to be honest. im not saying i believe all the stuff he writes about the effing and c**ting and other swerawords that ferguson is supposed to have used to players old and young and other annyoing people in teh football industry - journalists for example are a real irritation of his, but the book does pick on some very interesting incidents which happenned in the 90s (my teenages years) which i remember distintly. what comes acorss ithat ferguson is a very very driven person who outside football can be very amicable and in situations in football can be the same but he has got a temper (soetimes to the point of physical catharsis). undoubtedly the results speak for themselves though. united are now, the most decorated and best team in the premiership in the 90s and noughties. - there is no argumne with that. has feeguson been able to translate that at the euopean level - no. do they compare the the barca team we have been lucy to witnss the growth of in the last 7/8 years - no way. will they ever get to barcas level (and im a united supporter at heart) - never. a protestant ethic can get you so far but beyond that you need something else - a magic and messi maybe? had messi been at united would they have been winning the european champopons league year in year out. i doiubt it.
December 22, 2014
brilliant book insight into complexman
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews