Not Everything Counts but Everything Matters

by Andrew Webster

Hardcover

About the author

Andrew Webster is Professor of the Sociology of Science & Technology and Director of the Science and Technology Studies Unit at the University of York, UK.

Reviews

[Geordie Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ivan Cleary, like Sir Alex Fergusson hates losing, and in this book he shares some emotional lows he experiences when his teams have been struggling for form. It’s hard to know if the strongest motivation he has to win is the avoidance of the emotional pain of losing, but I suspect it is one of the factors that drives his tenacity and persistence in the pursuit of excellence.
What shines though in this book is Ivan’s honesty, authenticity and genuine care for player welfare and the self esteem that comes from fostering true connection between the team members he coaches and the broader community they play for.
The panthers absolutely deserve the unique successes they have achieved and have genuinely earned their right to be esteemed as one of the best league teams ever.

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5. I started this ages ago, but then a whole bunch of library requests came in, and this sat at 50 pages for a loooooong time.

As a Warriors fan, I’ll always have space in my heart for Ivan. Reading this, it’s great to know he felt at home here and loved it as a player and coach.

This book feels very authentic - given he’s not really a man of many words, this is the most insight we’ve had from him. Glad he shared his mental health challenge and ups and downs as a coach, which is a positive of the modern era - athletes/staff in these hyper masculine environments are able to be open about how they’re feeling.

It’s clear that once he found himself as a coach, his approach worked - he seems to build great relationships with his staff and players, embracing families and the wider community.

Nice to read also about the dynamic between him and Nathan as coach/player and dad/son.

Even though I assume there won’t be many readers who don’t know the game, he does a good job of explaining intricacies and jargon new fans might not know or understand.

[Neil Deuis · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm a massive fan of sports and have followed Rugby League my entire life but books about sports generally bore me and this wasn't that different.

Some interesting stories from Cleary's life in coaching. Definitely some good advice about leadership that could be applicable to situations outside sport.

The book should have been condensed to one hundred pages. It would have packed a bigger punch.

[Lou Searle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant insight into the man, his integrity and his winning team. Brutally honest and self aware Ivan inspires in and outside rugby league.