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How to Be a Football Manager
*** SHORTLISTED FOR SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT BOOK OF THE YEAR AT THE SUNDAY TIMES SPORTS BOOK AWARDS 2023 ***
'fascinating, frank, funny' Jim White, Daily Telegraph
'insightful' Henry Winter, The Times
'very entertaining ... great stories' Hawksbee & Jacobs, talkSPORT radio
'an incredible book' The Football Show , Sky Sports News
'Yeah, I'm all that plus a bag of chips'
'Come round my house and we'll have a fight on the front lawn'
'I'm as chuffed as a badger at the start of the mating season'
'I thought his bum cheeks looked very pert'
Football management is like being a potato - you're never too far from the sack and everyone is constantly chipping away at you. It's not for the faint-hearted and unless you've got skin as thick as rhino and, more importantly, a wicked sense of humour, you've no chance of surviving.
Ian Holloway - aka 'Ollie' - has all the above and more besides. His press conferences are the stuff of legend. He's been there, seen it and done it in his 40 years as player and manager, and has been entertaining football fans on and off the pitch for most of his life. He's been head honcho at clubs in all four divisions in English football, experiencing everything from the giddy heights of taking Blackpool to the Premier League to fighting relegation from the Football League with Grimsby Town. There's never been a dull moment.
In the joyful How to Be a Football Manager , Holloway weaves a fantastically rich tapestry of hilarious anecdotes to reveal what being the boss is really like. This is not a handbook to tell you when to play a Christmas tree formation or throw on a false nine - it's about dealing with the ridiculous, fighting your corner and always having a comeback.
'fascinating, frank, funny' Jim White, Daily Telegraph
'insightful' Henry Winter, The Times
'very entertaining ... great stories' Hawksbee & Jacobs, talkSPORT radio
'an incredible book' The Football Show , Sky Sports News
'Yeah, I'm all that plus a bag of chips'
'Come round my house and we'll have a fight on the front lawn'
'I'm as chuffed as a badger at the start of the mating season'
'I thought his bum cheeks looked very pert'
Football management is like being a potato - you're never too far from the sack and everyone is constantly chipping away at you. It's not for the faint-hearted and unless you've got skin as thick as rhino and, more importantly, a wicked sense of humour, you've no chance of surviving.
Ian Holloway - aka 'Ollie' - has all the above and more besides. His press conferences are the stuff of legend. He's been there, seen it and done it in his 40 years as player and manager, and has been entertaining football fans on and off the pitch for most of his life. He's been head honcho at clubs in all four divisions in English football, experiencing everything from the giddy heights of taking Blackpool to the Premier League to fighting relegation from the Football League with Grimsby Town. There's never been a dull moment.
In the joyful How to Be a Football Manager , Holloway weaves a fantastically rich tapestry of hilarious anecdotes to reveal what being the boss is really like. This is not a handbook to tell you when to play a Christmas tree formation or throw on a false nine - it's about dealing with the ridiculous, fighting your corner and always having a comeback.
320 pages, Paperback
Published October 17, 2023
23 people are currently reading
112 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
June 15, 2025
It was fine. A few interesting bits and pieces but not really my sort of thing. An awful lot of Holloway taking the chance to settle some scores or set the record straight. And he's often not the best narrator.
September 19, 2023
მიუხედავად იმისა, რომ წიგნი კარგად და მსუბუქად არის დაწერილი, მწვრთნელობაზე ბევრად უფრო მაგარი წიგნები წამიკითხავს!
January 1, 2024
Despite being ghostwritten, or perhaps because of it, this comes across as warm and authentic. Holloway has some interesting tips and some amusing recollections. His career is of great interest to me, as a QPR supporter, and I particularly enjoyed his tenures.
The odd detail escaped the editor - QPR going down in 2001 and "coming straight back up" rather implies a one season turnaround rather than the three (admittedly great fun) seasons it actually took.
As a management guide it might offer something, but then most decent literature would likewise do so. As a light and amusing read from a funny man, it works better.
The odd detail escaped the editor - QPR going down in 2001 and "coming straight back up" rather implies a one season turnaround rather than the three (admittedly great fun) seasons it actually took.
As a management guide it might offer something, but then most decent literature would likewise do so. As a light and amusing read from a funny man, it works better.
February 20, 2023
Bit all over the place, but some fun stories!
July 17, 2023
Ian Holloway is an interesting guy - his thoughts on football are from another time - he is passionate and is proud of his achievements. Enjoy this read.
April 28, 2025
Entertaining read, but definitely gets marked down for its defence of Joey Barton
April 4, 2024
Reposted from CB Book Reviews on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/p/C5VoJTDN-...
“He’s six foot something, fit as a flea, good looking - he’s got to have something wrong with him. Hopefully he’s hung like a hamster, that would make us feel better. Having said that, my missus has got a pet hamster at home, and his cock’s massive” - Ian Holloway on Cristiano Ronaldo, 2010/2011
Ian Holloway is an ex-footballer turned football manager, best known (in my opinion) for taking Blackpool to the Premier League. Ian or “Ollie” as he’s known, is famous for his strong Bristolian accent and for telling it how it is, via some very quirky stories and examples, resulting in quotes such as the one above.
In this book, Ian aims to take the reader behind the curtain of being a Football Manager, on a similar way to @petercrouchpod taking readers of his books and listeners of his podcast behind the scenes of a football player and pundit, and @loveofrugby is aiming to do with certain aspects of being a Rugby player.
But this book is also about more than that. Along the way, Ollie discusses things such as player-management skills, and he details some of the situations that he’s had to navigate as a manager, but also pointing out that the players he’s dealing with are just people, and things go wrong in everyone’s lives. He also shares his views on football, management and life, whilst providing little hints and tips that he’s collected along his own journey.
I felt like I could hear Ian’s distinctive voice and witty character coming off of the page, which made this an enjoyable read.
https://www.instagram.com/p/C5VoJTDN-...
“He’s six foot something, fit as a flea, good looking - he’s got to have something wrong with him. Hopefully he’s hung like a hamster, that would make us feel better. Having said that, my missus has got a pet hamster at home, and his cock’s massive” - Ian Holloway on Cristiano Ronaldo, 2010/2011
Ian Holloway is an ex-footballer turned football manager, best known (in my opinion) for taking Blackpool to the Premier League. Ian or “Ollie” as he’s known, is famous for his strong Bristolian accent and for telling it how it is, via some very quirky stories and examples, resulting in quotes such as the one above.
In this book, Ian aims to take the reader behind the curtain of being a Football Manager, on a similar way to @petercrouchpod taking readers of his books and listeners of his podcast behind the scenes of a football player and pundit, and @loveofrugby is aiming to do with certain aspects of being a Rugby player.
But this book is also about more than that. Along the way, Ollie discusses things such as player-management skills, and he details some of the situations that he’s had to navigate as a manager, but also pointing out that the players he’s dealing with are just people, and things go wrong in everyone’s lives. He also shares his views on football, management and life, whilst providing little hints and tips that he’s collected along his own journey.
I felt like I could hear Ian’s distinctive voice and witty character coming off of the page, which made this an enjoyable read.
November 18, 2024
He was always honest in his media interviews and so there wasn't much chance he would be any different with this. Ian Holloway's How to Be a Football Manager (2023) is a personalised and insightful breakdown of the do's and don'ts of soccer management by one of the game's more interesting characters. Drawing upon his 28 years of experience in the dugout of clubs such as Plymouth, QPR, Crystal Palace, Grimsby and Blackpool, 'Ollie' uses anecdotes, both illuminating and often funny, to illustrate what running a professional football team in the modern game is really like and having managed teams in all four divisions, from the giddy heights of leading Blackpool to the Premier League to fighting for Grimsby's survival in the bottom tier, he has seen it all from tight-fisted owners to delicate player's egos and everything in-between. Holloway has a refreshingly honest voice and is honest about his shortcomings and rightfully proud of his successes. The sport needs more earnest personalities like him. A fun book for all lovers of the beautiful game.
April 27, 2024
Half a biography, half a guide to being a manager that I quite enjoyed! A pleasant, funny, ‘easy read’ and very down to Earth. I suppose I haven’t scored it 5 stars as it isn’t a book that will change my life but I’m almost certain it was never intended to. It reads very much like a pal having a chat down the pub sharing stories of his time from management and I quite like that.
A well humoured little read that made me warm to Ian Holloway that little bit more and confirm that football management is absolute madness.
Bonus points for short chapters, an absolute must in 2024 I feel.
A well humoured little read that made me warm to Ian Holloway that little bit more and confirm that football management is absolute madness.
Bonus points for short chapters, an absolute must in 2024 I feel.
September 24, 2025
Started and finished date – 21.09.25 to 24.09.25.
My rating – Two Stars.
I didn’t love is book and I found is book to be boring also I hate the cover of book also I think people who like the damned Utd by David Peace or Alex Ferguson by Alex Ferguson may like is book. The writing was okay and easy to follow also the paced of book was well structured. I was very bored while reading is book. I found this book interesting but bit repetitive.
My rating – Two Stars.
I didn’t love is book and I found is book to be boring also I hate the cover of book also I think people who like the damned Utd by David Peace or Alex Ferguson by Alex Ferguson may like is book. The writing was okay and easy to follow also the paced of book was well structured. I was very bored while reading is book. I found this book interesting but bit repetitive.
June 7, 2023
An enjoyable book. Ian Holloway has always been known for his entertaining press conferences and attacking football but this book also shows a different side of him.
Only giving it three stars because the structure of the book feels like it has been thrown together and some anecdotes appear multiple times.
Still worth a read if your a football fan!
Only giving it three stars because the structure of the book feels like it has been thrown together and some anecdotes appear multiple times.
Still worth a read if your a football fan!
December 28, 2023
This book is a hilarious and entertaining insight into Ollie's crazy career. He shares his stories and opinions from managing clubs in all four divisions, and reveals what being the boss is really like. It's about dealing with the ridiculous, fighting your corner and always having a comeback. I laughed out loud and enjoyed this book.
January 7, 2025
Amusing book written in the same style you see Ian Holloway in his post match interviews.
His anecdotes range from helping players understand positioning by using their Nan, to then getting inspired by Ru Paul’s drag race quotes.
If you enjoy Holloway within the media then get out and read this book.
His anecdotes range from helping players understand positioning by using their Nan, to then getting inspired by Ru Paul’s drag race quotes.
If you enjoy Holloway within the media then get out and read this book.
December 15, 2023
Can’t help but be happy with that. Thanks Olli for taking us on the journey. The written word was as authentic as your touch-line antics. Thoroughly enjoyable read. Also, thanks for the tyre pump at the end ‘if you have an opportunity to become a FM, take it’. Cheers for the permission.
February 9, 2024
Light entertaining read which will be quick to get through and will keep you amused. Hopefully we’ll see Ian back in the game sometime! Only negative would be some chapters were so short that they could have done with a little more detail.
February 2, 2023
Undoubtedly entertaining, but he doesn't half pick bad chairmen! Great anecdotes and some self-help in there too.
March 2, 2023
Loved it! What an interesting character Ian Holloway is and his stories around his career in football management are described in such detail that you feel like you’re there.
Read
April 16, 2023Great insight
Good read for all football fans, a great insight in to managing a football club in lower leagues. Worth reading
Good read for all football fans, a great insight in to managing a football club in lower leagues. Worth reading
May 3, 2023
This man has made me laugh for many years with his honest approach to press conferences etc. This books does not disappoint, highly recommend if you’re a football fan.
August 19, 2023
This was in turn insightful and amusing, sometimes deliberately so. Listened on Audible, might be better in print.
October 23, 2023
An excellent book not just on football but on life.
November 22, 2023
Scattergun, and reads like he’s been bored deciding whether to take another job on.
January 2, 2024
Good insight, was expecting it to be funnier that it was.
January 22, 2024
Some great anecdotes and good read for even the casual football fan.
March 16, 2024
Listened / Audiobooked it, was a great journey and look through a great character in footballs take on the great game and how to manage it and life.
May 10, 2024
Entertaining, easy read.
July 6, 2024
An interesting insight. You can hear Ian Holloway throughout the book.
July 30, 2024
Solid 3.5-4* book, lighthearted easy listen my second Spotify audiobook
Big Holloway fan, there was some funny stories in here after a slow enough start - glad I stuck with it
Big Holloway fan, there was some funny stories in here after a slow enough start - glad I stuck with it
June 9, 2025
Funny stories, great information on being a footballer and a manager
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews