Ring of Fire

by Simon Hughes

Following the success of Simon Hughes’ Red Machine and Men in White Suits, books which depicted Liverpool FC’s domination during the 1980s and its subsequent fall in the 1990s, Ring of Fire focuses on the 2000s and the primary characters who propelled Liverpool to the forefront of European football once again. With a foreword by Steven Gerrard, this is the third edition in a bestselling series based on revealing interviews with former players, coaches and managers.

For Liverpool FC, entry into the 21st century began with modernisation and trophies under manager Gérard Houllier and development was then underpinned by improbable Champions League glory under Rafael Benítez. Yet that is only half of the story. The decade ended with the club being on the verge of administration after the shambolic reign of American owners, Tom Hicks and George Gillett.

In Ring of Fire, Hughes’ interviewees – including Jamie Carragher, Xabi Alonso and Michael Owen – take you through Melwood’s training ground gates and into the inner sanctum, the Liverpool dressing room. Each person delivers fascinating insights into the minds of the players, coaches and boardroom members as they talk frankly about exhilarating highs and excruciating lows, from winning cups in Cardiff and Istanbul to the political infighting that undermined a succession of managerial reigns.

Ring of Fire tells the real stories: those never told before by the key players who lived through it all.

Genres: Football, Nonfiction, Sports

320 pages, Hardcover

First published August 25, 2016

About the author

Simon Peter Hughes is an English cricketer and journalist. He is the son of the actor Peter Hughes, and the brother of historian Bettany Hughes.


Librarian note:
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name

Reviews

[Sumit Singla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heartfelt behind-the-scenes stories from some of the greatest Liverpool players from the last decade. In particular, I no longer have the negativity I had towards Michael Owen. My respect for Xabi Alonso has only gone up a few notches, and of course El Nino is still one of my favourite players.

Brilliant, brilliant book and Simon Hughes deserves a lot of kudos for compiling this together. I'd have given it a full 5 stars if an absolute legend - Daniel Agger had been featured as well.

[miaaa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm a fan of Si Hughes' footy pieces, you can tell he wrote those pieces with such compassion for the game. And with fresh and insighful angles as well.

This is his first book that I've read, that I really wanted to read too. Maybe because it's the most tumultuous yet passionate era with list of players interviewed are mostly my favourite. It healed my anger and disappointment toward Owen, and that El Niño Torres still my favourite forward.

[Ian · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the third in the series of Simon Hughes books on the past 3 decades of LFC. I've thoroughly enjoyed all three of them as Hughes gets the various players and administrators to share things that go beyond what you would typically read in the press.

This edition is tremendous and features the following: Phil Thompson, Danny Murphy, Michael Owen, Gerard Houllier, Neil Mellor, Didi Hamann, Xabi Alonso, Albert Riera, Jamie Carragher, Rick Parry and Fernando Torres. In addition, Stevie G writes the foreword.

The decade of Houllier and Benitez that started with such promise having won a treble in 2000/01. We went on to win a few other trophies, not the least the Champions League on that fabulous night in Istanbul but largely it was a decade where the club underperformed. The decade ended with the club perilously close to extinction due to the Gillett/Hicks disaster. Oh how Dave Moores must regret that decision.

I enjoyed each of the profiles but particularly the 2 Spaniards: Alonso and Torres - sharing their passion for LFC and their heartache in leaving. Interestingly, both left feeling unloved and they explain the circumstances around this in some detail. Further, their enjoyment in playing with Stevie G and the great spine of Reina/Carragher/Agger/Alonso/Gerrard/Torres was special to read.

Rick Parry's chapter was fascinating especially his thoughts on the Gillett/Hicks debacle and the possibility of other buyers (Robert Kraft anyone?) and his being run out of the club.

Having come so close to winning the league a couple of times in the decade and having one of the best teams in Europe in 2008/09 it was interesting to read the various people's thoughts on why we failed to build on the near misses. We spectators only get a snippet of information so being able to gain a few different peoples insights is always useful.

Highly recommended for all LFC fans.

[Lakhan · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 outta 5. Decent read showing issues behind the scenes at Liverpool Football Club from the late 90s, yet they still achieved some success on the pitch. Interesting interviews by players/staff were present, talking about their careers before and after their affiliation with the club. But the author explains his environment (whilst meeting them) in too much detail.

"Don't lose fear. Without it you become complacent."

[Tim · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5*

This is a very easy, light, quick read from Simon Hughes. It gives the first hand accounts of each person's chapter and their experiences within Liverpool football club.

With that every passage is to be taken with a grain of salt. It is a complete one sided story of an individuals own personal account with no alternative side presented or heard from. Even the author rarely gets involved apart from setting the scene of where his interview took place at the start of each chapter.

I bought this book for the Fernando Torres chapter alone. Anything else was a bonus. Despite being one of the shorter chapters in the book, it was nice to hear Torres' side of the story. He was one of my favorite players ever at Liverpool and I could never really bring myself to dislike him, as so many did, even given the way he left. His story was completely relatable, but again, after hearing everyone else's one sided story (Torres' chapter is the last chapter in the book) it was kind of hard to be fully invested in and believe unquestioningly.

The other two standout chapters for me were Phil Thompson, who I never saw play and knew little about and Jamie Carragher's. Both came off as extremely honest and straight forward and I feel like I learned a little bit about the people they are.

Rick Parry was interesting if only for him pulling the curtain back a (very) tiny bit with the Hicks and Gillet saga. It was really interesting to see how sympathetic and defensive he was of Gillett and willing to pin almost all of the blame on Hicks. Again, this is one person's account.

Didi Hamaan chapter gets an honorable mention as well.

The Michael Owen entry on the other hand was cringeworthy and felt like it was an interview conducted with a publicist not the player himself. Houllier's was a bit disappointing and Xabi Alonso's was just plain boring.

I don't mean to paint this book in too bad of a light. Overall I enjoyed it and like I said it was a quick read with some fun insight into players we love for the team we adore. The underlying sentiment is everyone interviewed doing their best to paint themselves in the best light and absolve themselves of any wrongdoing, which is understandable, but the jig is up after a few chapters.

PS this book is 418 pages not 320 goodreads

[Jason Cotton · Rating 4 out of 5]

When you see these sort of books they usually just focus on the players and you never get the chance to hear about the inner workings of the club. This book goes deeper and as such opens up a completely different point of view. Not only are there interviews with the players Dietmar Hamann, Albert Riera, Michael Owen etc, but there are also chapters where we get the behind the scenes stories from both Gerard Houlier and Rick Parry. Its a fascinating read especially when you consider that in the six years Houlier was in charge we won 6 trophies. Am amazing achievement :)

[Jack Youd · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a nice book but at times lacked a bit of punch to get me really gripped. At times I found it difficult listening to stories that I feel didn’t really cover the 2010’s and more the story of each player. Maybe this was a case of expecting one thing but getting another. Good read.

[Jiří Špičák · Rating 3 out of 5]

historky ze scény

[Tommo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant

[Em · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable easy reading about Liverpool FC from the 21st Cent to now. Interesting stories from the players who were there. Best of which is the interview with Xavi Alonso who gives an engaging view of the differences between the fans in Spain and England.

[Erlend Bergsagel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has a collection of larger names, compared to "red machine" and "men in white suits" by the same author. But these names have been quiet since the Hicks&Gillette aera, now they have an opportunity to speak.
The sale and Hick&Gillette is a reoccurring theme in many of the interviews.

I got quite sad in the last chapter. I really loved him when he was our player.