بازیکن مخفی

by Anonymous, وحید نمازی (translator)

In the vein of Hotel Babylon and Confessions of a GP, The Secret Player will fascinate footballs fans with its wealth of insider knowledge and willingness to talk, albeit anonymously, about the inner workings of the game. Based on the hugely popular The Player columns in FourFourTwo magazine, the book gives a warts-and-all insight into the daily life of professional footballers. Month by month, it chronicles the oscillating rhythms of the season, from the trudge of pre-season to the "squeaky-bum time" of promotion and relegation. The player himself has played at all levels of English football, from Premier League to a season of non-League, and represented England (alongside David Backham) at U21 level.

Genres: Sports, Autobiography

266 pages, Paperback

First published August 15, 2013

About the author

Books can be attributed to "Anonymous" for several reasons:

* They are officially published under that name
* They are traditional stories not attributed to a specific author
* They are religious texts not generally attributed to a specific author

Books whose authorship is merely uncertain should be attributed to Unknown.

See also: Anonymous

Reviews

[Rey · Rating 2 out of 5]

A 2.5/5.

While some insights of behind the scenes, many parts disliked. Its gossipy and shows an extremely juvenile mentality. The Secret player here shows a midtable mentality (do just whats needed) rather than an elite one that would expect from a Premier league professional, however it is what it is.

Explains culture of overpaid, juvenile and immature idiots well. So it does its job i guess but disliked it.

[Daniel Zadravec · Rating 4 out of 5]

A pretty good book

[Jonathan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Never underestimate the importance of the protagonist : it can make the difference between fascination and total indifference. The idea of the Secret Player is to 'cut through the cliché' and get to the point, and he makes us very much aware of that. But then delivers nothing of real surprise. The more you read, the less you like him. Rather like the modern game, then.

[Vitor Hugo · Rating 2 out of 5]

'The Secret Player' is fairly entertaining, but far less exciting than most football fans would hope. In terms of literary quality, it evidently aims low.

[Alec Mcallister · Rating 2 out of 5]

Probably more a 2.5. Fairly ordinary account of professional football life. No real insights and the usual boring nonsense about pranks and affairs. Much better books about sport out there.

[Giorgio Bugnatelli · Rating 1 out of 5]

The Secret Player is a sports memoir that falls squarely into the “insider account” genre. It offers a candid, month-by-month account of life as a professional footballer in England, written anonymously by someone who has played at every level from the Premier League to non-League, and has even represented England. The book draws on the author’s popular columns in FourFourTwo magazine and promises to reveal the realities behind the glamorous image of modern football. Instead of sensational exposés, readers get a bleak but honest depiction of the game’s culture: heavy drinking, crude pranks, and a relentless focus on money over loyalty or passion. The author exposes the mindset of top players, showing how financial incentives often outweigh club or national pride, and how mental health struggles are hidden for fear of damaging careers. While the anecdotes are sometimes familiar, the book stands out for its unvarnished look at the pressures and disillusionment beneath the surface of professional football.
The true identity of the author remains a mystery, though clues suggest he is a white, central-position player from northern England who has played in all four divisions and for the national team.
The book often treads familiar ground and fails to deliver truly fresh revelations about the world of professional football. While it promises explosive insider detail, much of what is shared—stories of drinking, pranks, and the mercenary attitudes of players—feels repetitive and echoes tales already told in similar memoirs. The anonymity of the author also means that no names are revealed, which can make the anecdotes feel less impactful and at times impersonal. As a result, the book sometimes comes across as more bleak and whingeing than genuinely insightful, with the author frequently criticising the game, colleagues, and fans without offering much that is new or particularly enlightening

[Stacey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this, it's not actually heavy on the football side of things more behind the scenes and the actual life of a footballer. It's not all glitz and glam (or so he writes) I would recommend. It's an easy page turner and makes you realise what the media say and portray isn't actually how it is for players.

[Jim Mcmanus · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ideal holiday book. But it doesn't really deliver on lifting the lid on the game. More insightful on the mundane life of a footballer.

[PanteA · Rating 4 out of 5]

برای منی که کوچکترین تجربه ای از حضور و پیگیری دنیای فوتبال رو نداشتم جالب بود.
بعنوان روانشناس ورزشی که تازگی همکاریم و با یه تیم فوتبال شروع کردم، چیزهای زیادی برای آموختن بهم داشت....

[Trevor · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this after it being recommended to me by a football journalist. Having read "The Secret Footballer", this is very much along the same lines, however rather than breaking the book up into specific sections, it's written chronologically throughout the course of a football season (June - May)

Like "The Secret Footballer" it tells stories about the game, lifting the lid on some myths as well as explaining some truths that us fans might not realise or understand.

I would definitely recommend this one!

[Robert · Rating 3 out of 5]

This could have been better than it was if the publisher had bothered to edit it properly. In this sense one feels a bit sorry for The Player (i.e. the author). He is far, far too fond of the word "which" and it's difficult to see past it when it appears all over the 304 pages.

It's pretty easy to get through, but it's difficult not to compare this to I Am The Secret Footballer – a superior piece of work in every sense, even the font!

Thank goodness he's probably a millionaire because The Secret Player has been stitched up.

[Nick Flanagan · Rating 1 out of 5]

Learnt absolutely nothing. First line of the blurb "Forget the cliched interviews and bland comments about being fair to the lads, life as a footballer is anything but dull."

It was full of cliche, bland comments and very dull. What was the point?

[Steven Phillips · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a bad read thou no real confessions!

[James Koppert · Rating 4 out of 5]

like The secret Footballer, this is a very honest and intriguing insight. As a football lover i found it fascinating.

[Amir Mehrabian · Rating 4 out of 5]

It started interesting, but the ending was vague and pointless. Give it 6 out of 10.

[Callum · Rating 3 out of 5]

Far too repetitive, but lots of interesting insights.

[Brian Turner · Rating 4 out of 5]

A must for anyone who likes football. Opens up windows you could not imagine.