Sober: Football. My Story. My Life.

by Tony Adams

THE BRILLIANT SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER.  ‘A searingly honest account of the Arsenal legend’s quest to recover from alcoholism. Unflinchingly brave.’ Sunday Mirror Being Addicted was only half the story, now comes the stunning new autobiography from Tony Adams, now appearing on Strictly Come Dancing.      Tony Adams was a charismatic figure on the football field, a true leader for Arsenal and England. He won league titles in three separate decades, and after the Gunners moved to their new stadium at the Emirates, it was fitting that a statue of him was erected outside to celebrate his extraordinary career. But, for much of that time, he was also drinking heavily and eventually admitted in his book Addicted that he was an alcoholic. Now, in that book’s stunning successor Sober, Adams reveals what happened next. He discusses the impact that Arsene Wenger had when he arrived at Arsenal in 1996, and how the manager’s new methods helped extend his career and brought new success to the club. Always a great thinker on the game, Adams moved into coaching and management on retirement, playing a key role in Portsmouth’s famous FA Cup triumph in 2008, and taking on new challenges in the Netherlands, Azerbaijan, China and now Spain to broaden his perspective. He movingly explains the struggles he’s faced to stay sober for twenty years and why he set up Sporting Chance, the charity which provides treatment and support for sports stars suffering from addictions. He assesses why Arsenal have struggled to repeat the title-winning formula of his own time there.Sober is a truly inspirational memoir from someone who has battled with his demons, but has continued to take things on, one day at a time.

Genres: Football, Biography, Memoir, Soccer, Sports, Nonfiction

362 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 1, 2017

Reviews

[David Meldrum · Rating 4 out of 5]

As an Arsenal fan, of course I'm biased. But this is one of those books that is both insightful and also uncovers some helpful parallels within my own life.

Since I read Tony Adams' first autobiography, Addicted, around 20+ years ago, I have found myself working with many recovering addicts, and accompanying many through the recovery process. I have also realised many times that while I may not be addicted to any of the substances or behaviours that have a 12-step programme associated with it, I do have my own addictive patterns of behaviour. As does every one of us. All these years working with people wrestling with their own deep darknesses suggests to me this is true.

The football parts of this are fascinating; especially his insights into coaching. I found much that was instructive in his account of his time trying to build a club from the ground up in Azerbaijan; a process which bears more than a passing resemblance to my own job of trying to lead the 'rebooting' of a church from the ground up.

But given the similarities to my own experiences, there's much more to mine for me here. As one who continues to wrestle with issues around my mental health, I too can relate deeply to the experience he describes of being desperate to end it all, but too scared to die. It's a horrible, dark place to be in - and the more people like Tony Adams talk about their own experiences of this openly, the more 'ordinary' people will realise they are not alone and will be able to reach out for help. The crisis in men's mental health, and male suicide especially, is well known and reported on; books like this are part of the solution. As much as I remind deeply grateful to Tony for his footballing service, I am even more grateful to him for this book, and its predecessor.

[Stephen · Rating 3 out of 5]

More a book about Alcoholics Anonymous than one relating his career at Arsenal as it mainly covers his life after he retired from playing. It is a very candid account of his problems and of his stop start career as a manager though.

Read this in preparation for seeing Tony Adams being interviewed by Pat Nevin at the Edinburgh Book Festival later this month.
https://www.edbookfest.co.uk/the-fest...

[Stewart Cotterill · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this a really interesting book, not what I was expecting at all. Tony Adams to me is Mr Tub Thumping, follow him out of the trenches kind of a man. But this book shows him to have so many deeper levels to his character that by the end I was thinking of him less as a footballer and more of him as someone who helps others, be it in their professional or private lives.

If you have experienced any kind of mental health problems or addiction problems I would highly recommend this book. If you have been lucky and have not experienced any of those problems I would still highly recommend the book. Give it a try it just might surprise you.

[Ray Smillie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Remember reading the engrossing Addicted by Tony Adams back when it was first published in paperback so when I stumbled upon this sequel I had to read it. A few reviews were somewhat negative as there wasn't enough football (boo hoo) but this is all about his battle to stay sober and the path his life has taken. He is quite open about his addiction and has helped others, via Sporting Chance, to battle their addictions and not just alcohol dependency. Just as engrossing as Addicted.

[John Newcomb · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have great admiration for Tony Adams and his achievements. However this second brave and frank biography is just a touch sanctimonious and I do find the urge for modern footballers admitting to crying rather difficult. I don't imagine George Male, Eddie Hapgood, Joe Mercer or Frank McLintock ever cried, and certainly not through self pity or shame.

[Neil · Rating 4 out of 5]

An honest account of Tony's life after drinking and retiring from football that brings his story up to date after his first book 'Addicted'. This book was better then I thought, especially after the trashy press to promote the book and the negative comments on Arsene Wenger, I guess the press took the negatives to make headlines again. My faith in Tony Adams as Mr Arsenal is restored.

[Brendan Crowley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sober, published in 2017, picks up where his first book Addicted left off and covers the last 5 years of Adams playing career and his life thereafter. Sharing the same ghostwriter, Ian Ridley, means that both books have the same voice. There are some clear differences however. Sober is more open about family and personal relationships with family members being much more fleshed out in the second book.

Sober uses the language of AA and recovery much more regularly as Adams has spent the last 20 years maintaining his sobriety. It can feel a little much at times but it wouldn’t be Adams own voice if it didn’t. Adams major post career achievement is the founding and ongoing survival of Sporting Chance, a charity dedicated to helping sportsmen and women with addictions.

The end of his playing career is told fairly quickly as Adams moves on to focus on the transition to his post-playing career. While Addicted told the story of the Arsenal and England captain at the peak of his powers, Sober is mostly the story of an ex-player struggling to find the next step in his career. It’s interesting to see how a former superstar deals with being less successful in the next phase of his career.

Adams took various courses and coaching badges before trying his hand at management with Wycome. After resigning there, he returned to education before joining Portsmouth as Harry Redknapp’s assistant during their high spending days that included an FA Cup victory. He ultimately became manager after Harry left but appears to never had had much of a chance due to budget cuts before asking to be fired to save himself from resigning.

From here, Adams career took an odd, international turn. After briefly coaching in Azerbaijan, he stepped into a general manager / consultant type role in building a small Azerbaijani team from the ground up. This was followed by a connection with a Chinese football investor as Adams took on a general consulting role for Jiang Lizhang who owned a club in China and purchased Granada in Spain. He even briefly became Granada manager for a while.

It’s clear Adams feels somewhat unfulfilled with his coaching and management career. Sober gave me a much better impression of Adam’s post playing career than the easy narrative of failed manager which I suspect many fans of English football have.

Late in the book Sober becomes a series of musings about Arsenal, England, Wenger and the state of British football. At times it becomes a bit boring and simply the musings of an ex footballer who is annoyed that he isn’t able to contribute more to the game in England at the highest levels. Ultimately, the book ends as it begins with a reflection on addiction, recovery and staying sober.

Sober makes an excellent companion piece to Addicted but as a stand-alone book it’s good without being great. While it is equally honest, particularly about Adams mental health struggles, it doesn’t reach the difficult task of living up to its predecessor. The general musings on the game ultimately let the book down by going on that bit too long.

Overall, the two books together give an incredibly honest and interesting account of a man who achieved great things in the game, but none greater than achieving his sobriety and helping others achieve theirs.

You can read all of my sports book reviews at http://allsportsbooks.reviews/reviews... or follow me on Twitter @SprtBookReviews

[Paul Farrer · Rating 4 out of 5]

AA everywhere

A book going through the 12 steps of Alcoholics Anonymous with football anecdotes. Interesting to see what Tony has done since retiring, working in strange places like Azerbaijan, China & Spain but struggled to find anything positive in the UK. Where ever he has been he's been able to find AA meetings to keep him on the straight and narrow. Started sporting chance to help out other sports stars with addictions, and still runs it today. Lets hope one day we see him at a top English club.

[Mika · Rating 1 out of 5]

I couldn't relate to this work by Tony Adams. Much respect for his sobriety, as for all women and men who found a way to a holistic way of living after kicking addiction in the face.

I set to read a football book, but it wasn't and couldn't find the interest sorry. Long chapter and struggled to finish it. I wouldn't be sure to read another book of Adams, even it would concentrate alone on football. The way the book was written wasn't a pleasant. Plain and without joy.

[Scott Gardner · Rating 2 out of 5]

As refreshing as his first book , this one deals with his 20 years of being sober , trying to move on in the football word to management ,he takes a pop at the insular feeling that the premier league in England has of itself , which is fantastic to hear from an Englishman , he still cites the Spanish and Germans are superior .

[Phil McGregor · Rating 2 out of 5]

After reading Paul Merson's 'Hooked' I purchased this with high hopes, but was very disappointed and gave up ust after half way through

+ The positive, and the only reason it's 2 Star and not 1, is that I suspect this will be inspiring for people on a sobriety journey

- The negatives is it was pretty boring, little stories of interest, and wasn't fun to read

[Mr A · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mad love for mr arsenal. Of the Arsenal players auto’s I have read. His are probably the better ones more honest and more open. Doesn’t play it totally safe. Feel so gutted for him that he never quite got the shot at the big time in coaching and management. I’d be made up to see him back in a role of some sort at the Arsenal. Up the Gooners! Signed a striker yet?

[Michael Owens · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fair bit of pretty standard football autobiography fare, some weird stuff that’s like a column for the Daily Express, but also some heartfelt exploration of alcoholism and interesting tales of work in odd footballing outposts. Not bad

[Audrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

So very well written and an insight into one of Arsenal’s greats. This book made me cry and made me understand!

[John Muggeridge · Rating 4 out of 5]

More honest and interesting than most autobiographies. I'm biaised though.

[Paul Cryer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decent read

Interesting read at times but gets a bit repetitive in the last third. Seems a decent guy but strange how Wenger kept him at arms length.

[Lewis Fisher · Rating 5 out of 5]

As important and as insightful as Addicted

[David Kemple · Rating 2 out of 5]

Desperate book. Nearly no flow or interesting discussion. Far too reliant on clichés and metaphors, like there’s genuinely one in each paragraph. Lasted about 200 pages before giving up

[Matt Cordas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great rendition of Arsenal and being drunken career. Hard going at parts with less than good clubs - but strong message and clear

[Olly Colluphid · Rating 4 out of 5]

Probably one for Arsenal fans.

[Shane O · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book,very open and honest by Tony Adams of his addictions and how he overcame them and hiw to cope with different obstacles in his life

[Red Rhum · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great read.
As the title suggests this book focuses on Tony’s struggles with alcoholism and his path to sobriety. I love that it mainly speaks of his post- playing career life, some interesting moments and great work being done with his recovery centre.
Legend.