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Taking Le Tiss: My Autobiography
Nicknamed "Le God" by the Southampton faithful, Matt Le Tissier was not cast from the same mould as 99% of other professional soccer players. A real one-off if ever there was one, he was a one-club man in a 16-year career that brought little in the way of trophies but countless plaudits from fans and commentators alike. To the old school brigade he was a "luxury player," someone with a less than ideal work rate and waistline who simply wouldn't conform to the blueprint of a typically hard-working, unsophisticated British player. Terry Venables and Glenn Hoddle found it all too easy to leave him out of their England squads. But to the vast majority Le Tissier was a maverick to be treasured, a flair player who lit up every match he played in and delighted fans with his sumptuous technique and élan for the beautiful game. Did he simply enjoy the comfort zone of being a big fish in a small pond? Or did he display commendable loyalty in staying with Southampton for his entire career? Did he shun opportunities to move on? Were England managers right not to pick him so many times? Would Fabio Capello pick him for England now? Does the British game discourage his style of play? And how much would he be worth in today's transfer market? Taking Le Tiss is the great man's first chance to answer all these questions and many more. It is also a delightfully self-deprecating and witty story from a player who was more of a Big-Mac-and-fries than a chicken-and-beans man.
334 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2009
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
July 19, 2015
English football's top flight football in the eighties and early to mid-nineties was a little bit naff, with Southampton often a perfect embodiment. That the Premiership was eventually set alight by an influx of over-the-hill Europeans, possessing a willingness to work on their stamina and technique which allowed them to run rings around the hungover and overweight natives, says a lot for the profession of the time. And Le Tissier often strikes me as symbolising that half-arsed attitude – an above average player, who couldn’t be quite bring himself to elevate himself to be one of the greats (compare and contrast with the career of Dennis Bergkamp, similar in both playing style and age).
Le Tissier claims that he wanted to let a little time pass between retirement and his memoirs, but the fact the local paper's sports writer was roped in to ghostwrite for him seems like a desperate move. In the event, this isn't a case of vanity publishing, but at times it feels like it (it is in fact published by the very established HarperCollins).
With all respect to the Saints-loving local reporter tasked with piecing this together, were Le Tissier a great – rather than cult – player, surely there would have been a queue of established writers eager to probe why such a gifted player could never quite bring himself to fully commit to professionalism. Instead we get a near entirely episodic Le Tissier-centric run through of each of his seasons, whilst his psyche, background and personal life all remain almost completely untouched. The repetitive jokes about Le Tissier's aversion to basic athletic principles wear thin ("ha ha, I used to go to McDonalds on the way to training", etc etc), and merely highlight the sad fact that Le Tissier possibly squandered his gifts. Aside from being railroaded into producing a very mundane account, one other failing of the ghostwriter is his staunch belief that hitting Caps Lock is a good way to add emphasis and drive a point home.
Le Tissier's pride at "breaking out" from the Channel Islands and establishing himself on the mainland sounds plain odd (it's hardly a rags to riches tale on a par with being plucked from a war torn African state), and his reluctance to ever contemplate moving any further inland than the south coast being the only clear reason he can give for declining a move to Liverpool makes him sound a little pathetic. However, these are clearly significant statements on his part, offering a glimpse into his inner workings, but they don’t get explored: they just are left to hang as if they offer all the explanation you could want.
There's an odd section at the end I haven't seen before in books like these, where old colleagues and Saints fans give ringing endorsements. Even putting aside two of the fans suspiciously sharing a surname with Mr Ghostwriter, this section doesn't work: it seems forced, like a desperate self-penned reference. However, probably inadvertently, it does contain one of the most telling moments of the book, where ex-manager Ian Branfoot, slated by Le Tissier throughout, says his only issue with him was his clear comfort to wallow in mediocrity. Maybe Branfoot should have got the ghostwriting gig.
Le Tissier claims that he wanted to let a little time pass between retirement and his memoirs, but the fact the local paper's sports writer was roped in to ghostwrite for him seems like a desperate move. In the event, this isn't a case of vanity publishing, but at times it feels like it (it is in fact published by the very established HarperCollins).
With all respect to the Saints-loving local reporter tasked with piecing this together, were Le Tissier a great – rather than cult – player, surely there would have been a queue of established writers eager to probe why such a gifted player could never quite bring himself to fully commit to professionalism. Instead we get a near entirely episodic Le Tissier-centric run through of each of his seasons, whilst his psyche, background and personal life all remain almost completely untouched. The repetitive jokes about Le Tissier's aversion to basic athletic principles wear thin ("ha ha, I used to go to McDonalds on the way to training", etc etc), and merely highlight the sad fact that Le Tissier possibly squandered his gifts. Aside from being railroaded into producing a very mundane account, one other failing of the ghostwriter is his staunch belief that hitting Caps Lock is a good way to add emphasis and drive a point home.
Le Tissier's pride at "breaking out" from the Channel Islands and establishing himself on the mainland sounds plain odd (it's hardly a rags to riches tale on a par with being plucked from a war torn African state), and his reluctance to ever contemplate moving any further inland than the south coast being the only clear reason he can give for declining a move to Liverpool makes him sound a little pathetic. However, these are clearly significant statements on his part, offering a glimpse into his inner workings, but they don’t get explored: they just are left to hang as if they offer all the explanation you could want.
There's an odd section at the end I haven't seen before in books like these, where old colleagues and Saints fans give ringing endorsements. Even putting aside two of the fans suspiciously sharing a surname with Mr Ghostwriter, this section doesn't work: it seems forced, like a desperate self-penned reference. However, probably inadvertently, it does contain one of the most telling moments of the book, where ex-manager Ian Branfoot, slated by Le Tissier throughout, says his only issue with him was his clear comfort to wallow in mediocrity. Maybe Branfoot should have got the ghostwriting gig.
March 15, 2025
This is a great account of his career from the man himself. Matt Le Tissier probably could have had his pick of clubs to join, but he stayed loyal to Southampton, and the fans clearly loved him.
It's a great book to read for any football fan. He comes across as a genuine nice guy who had an incredible talent for playing football. An excellent autobiography
It's a great book to read for any football fan. He comes across as a genuine nice guy who had an incredible talent for playing football. An excellent autobiography
June 7, 2018
Not Good
I have read many sports autobiographies over the years but I found this one annoying I know there is an element of blowing your own trumpet in this type of book but not to the extent of this, he may have shown a lack of his own ego whilst playing but certainly making up for it now
I have read many sports autobiographies over the years but I found this one annoying I know there is an element of blowing your own trumpet in this type of book but not to the extent of this, he may have shown a lack of his own ego whilst playing but certainly making up for it now
February 1, 2015
Great player , average book
April 24, 2019
Crap, boring and jumbled. He moves about more in his storytelling than he did on the pitch. Talks about stuff that happened in the following season and then repeats himself when it comes to discussing that season.
Claims that he didn't get on with certain managers because of their ego's, quite clear his own ego would have caused an issue too.
Claims that he didn't get on with certain managers because of their ego's, quite clear his own ego would have caused an issue too.
July 24, 2018
Es la historia de un futbolista poco convencional y prácticamente imposible de repetir. Creo que se pudo haber contado mejor, pero para el lector neutral queda un sentimiento de cariño por los Santos, casi como entrar a una familia nueva. Esa parte el libro la logra muy bien.
January 6, 2018
A must-read for every Saints fan, a book that lifts the cover on what was going on inside the club in some its most turbulent years and what eventually brought it down (to League 1).
November 19, 2018
Entertaining for its honesty. Throwback to the days when there was less demand for athleticism in football.
August 3, 2019
Average
June 12, 2022
Harmless fluff but enjoyable in its own way
September 20, 2022
Great book by one of my favourite footballers
June 12, 2023
can’t say i ever got this book for anything other than how partridge-esque it promised to be, but still
January 24, 2011
This is a well-written autobiography by one of football's greatest talents and enigma's. A one-club man throughout his career Matthew Le Tissier lifts the lid on his time at Southampton. There are plenty of anecdotes about former team mates and managers and he pulls no punches when it comes to criticising certain people who occupied both the boardroom and the manager's chair. This is not a life story and Matt only briefly comments about his family and his personal life. No this book is about his playing career with a few chapters about his work for Sky sports and his love of golf. It is also bang up to date as he describes his part in the failed takeover of the Saints by the Pinnacle group. It is a great read with some genuinely laugh aloud moments!
August 19, 2012
A review that will mean nothing to 99.9% of anyone seeing it, but not remotley bothered.
The writing is good too; engaging, witty, and trips along at a good pace. Which is helpful but not exactly the reason I picked it up.
I grew up with his football, everybody did in our city, but wasn't as into it as I am now. So it's been as much a primer on the history of the club as enjoying the parts I do know. Very relevant now that we're back in the big time.
The writing is good too; engaging, witty, and trips along at a good pace. Which is helpful but not exactly the reason I picked it up.
I grew up with his football, everybody did in our city, but wasn't as into it as I am now. So it's been as much a primer on the history of the club as enjoying the parts I do know. Very relevant now that we're back in the big time.
May 16, 2010
I loved this book because I love football but also it gave me a real insight to a footballers life. Also I enjoyed this book because it taught me about the life if football a decade or so a go. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves football!
June 27, 2014
Good read . Bit too much about the running of Southampton FC and the managers rather than Le -Tiss himself tho
April 14, 2016
Everything you would hope from his book. Great entetainment!
December 19, 2024
Interesting insight into a mercurial, one-club player. It has a low budget, DIY feel to it though.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews