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Against The Odds
224 pages, Paperback
Published November 15, 1991
9 people want to read
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April 16, 2017
Now, this is not a book I would have rushed to read - but Adrian Tempany's And The Sun Shines Now already had me watching One Night In Turin, so why not the book of the same tournament?
Against The Odds covers the two years building up to Italia '90, all the ups and downs, the press calling for his head on a regular basis, pretty much everything that was happening in Bobbyland at that time.
And, for the most part, he's pretty honest.
Sure, he glosses over the tabloid scandals that seemed to crop up, but then it's his book so why not?
He also doesn't dwell too much on his looming appointment at Anderlecht, which you'd think would be at least at the back of his mind. But then I suppose he had a tournament to worry about first.
And it's the tournament, the small, piddly, ickle World Cup, that dominates the book. And so it should.
It also helps to make the book interesting, because the chapters building up to it just drag, Even when he's settling scores with Sir Alf Ramsey.
But yes, Italia '90 - written in diary form - does actually give an insight into what went on back at base. The training, the relaxing, the wacky japes, the hours on David Dein's boat, it's all here. And it's entertaining if not fascinating.
The book looses some of the passion you know Robson exuded on the touchline, but to be fair he's a football manager not a wordsmith - and the fact Against The Odds definitely has his 'voice' is both a blessing and a curse because words were not always his forte.
Sadly, the book has not aged well.
Yes, it was written in the early 90s and life's moved on a tad, but Robson trips himself up with some of his predictions (Taylor to win USA '94 being one). There's a sense of sadness too in that he tried to help steer Gazza in the right direction very early on (and hoped others would too).
Overall, the book passes the time and is interesting in parts, but you won't feel you missed anything if you leave it on the shelf.
Against The Odds covers the two years building up to Italia '90, all the ups and downs, the press calling for his head on a regular basis, pretty much everything that was happening in Bobbyland at that time.
And, for the most part, he's pretty honest.
Sure, he glosses over the tabloid scandals that seemed to crop up, but then it's his book so why not?
He also doesn't dwell too much on his looming appointment at Anderlecht, which you'd think would be at least at the back of his mind. But then I suppose he had a tournament to worry about first.
And it's the tournament, the small, piddly, ickle World Cup, that dominates the book. And so it should.
It also helps to make the book interesting, because the chapters building up to it just drag, Even when he's settling scores with Sir Alf Ramsey.
But yes, Italia '90 - written in diary form - does actually give an insight into what went on back at base. The training, the relaxing, the wacky japes, the hours on David Dein's boat, it's all here. And it's entertaining if not fascinating.
The book looses some of the passion you know Robson exuded on the touchline, but to be fair he's a football manager not a wordsmith - and the fact Against The Odds definitely has his 'voice' is both a blessing and a curse because words were not always his forte.
Sadly, the book has not aged well.
Yes, it was written in the early 90s and life's moved on a tad, but Robson trips himself up with some of his predictions (Taylor to win USA '94 being one). There's a sense of sadness too in that he tried to help steer Gazza in the right direction very early on (and hoped others would too).
Overall, the book passes the time and is interesting in parts, but you won't feel you missed anything if you leave it on the shelf.
Displaying 1 of 1 review