8 November 2013
When you hear an
interview with a retired politician it's remarkable how often they
seem suddenly more knowledgeable, reasonable and sensible than they
ever did when they were in office, regardless of where they come from
in the political spectrum. The modern media age has bred a generation
of people in the public eye who work hard to never say anything of
interest. Perhaps the most extreme example of this is the post-match
interview with a professional football player who has been
extensively trained in the art of clichés and platitudes. Even
retirement is no guarantee of openness in the football world as Sir
Alex Ferguson's recent, very guarded, memoirs demonstrate. So it is a
refreshing change to read an insight on the sport which is genuinely
honest and candid. 'The Secret Footballer' started as an anonymous
column in The Guardian, exposing the inner workings of the
professional game through the eyes of someone still playing at the
highest level. The anonymity of the columnist has so far survived
investigation, rumour and clue-hunting. Reading the book 'I Am The
Secret Footballer: Lifting the Lid on the Beautiful Game' the
anonymous author gives a fascinating view of what it is actually like
to 'live the dream'. I loved the fact that, when he joined his first
professional club, nobody told him that he was only required to train
from 10 am – 12 pm each day. At noon he was sitting along in the
dressing room waiting to be told what to do next, not realising
everyone else had gone home. His perspective on the incredible
financial rewards that football brings to a select group of young
men, counterbalanced with the insecurity, boredom and depression
prevalent within the profession are fascinating. Occasionally the
disguise necessary to keep the author's identity secret makes
anecdotes quite hard to follow but this is a small price to pay for
such an unusually frank read.
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