..... man or monster? I'm just reading an autobiography, a present from a son, and by coincidence this article appears as it's the 10th anniversary of his death. http://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2014/sep/06/brian-clough-10th-anniversary-death The book I'm reading, 'Nobody ever says thank you' makes it clear that he wasn't as loveable as people see him. He was certainly inspirational .... he inspired love, hate, jealousy, pride, revulsion, pity, etc etc etc. Many people who met him wished they hadn't ........ many who hadn't wish they had. I never believed he wanted to manage Sunderland, he just used the club to put pressure on the clubs he worked for. He was never a Sunderland supporter much as Martin O'Neill wasn't.
There is a minutes applause arranged for him on saturday i believe on the 10th minute, i shall clap my hands off
The autobiography is on the top of my wardrobe, read it twice. I see the man as very insecure who needed to be loved but never showed an ounce of love or emotion. A man that also died carrying a lot of dark secrets, as for Safc, it was a job at the time, nothing more..
His finest moment, I remember him sending Larry Lloyd home because his tie wasn't straight, I remember him turning up for the Trevor Francis signing press conference with a hat on, carrying a squash racket in 79 and adding ' he will play when I bloody pick him for the team'. Amazing how a few beers or whatever changes a person..
Massive massive fan of Clough. League titles and European cups with derby and forest His teams played football in the right way, and he generated media interest like Jose does now He never forgave us for rejecting him My uncle interviewed him for the safc job. Apparently he never had any intention of accepting it
From what I've read an utter rotten man who treated people appallingly unless he was getting something from them. Unbelievable footballing man though.
Sorry to disappoint, he played work ethic & hoofball and later when with lesser teams he managed (Brighton) played counter football. Europe were shocked by his tactics a bit like the old 1st division (Prem) were when Wimbledon turned up. Did you see a clough team play?
The man was clearly an arsehole, just like PDC is an arsehole. The definition of Egotistical. Cracking goal scoring record and had a way with words.
he died 10 years ago on the 20th september, i'm 39, so minus 10 years that gives me a good 20-25 years of appreciation : "If God had wanted us to play football in the clouds, he'd have put grass up there."On the importance of passing to feet. "I wouldn't say I was the best manager in the business. But I was in the top one." Looking back at his success. "Manchester United in Brazil? I hope they all get bloody diarrhea." On Man Utd opting-out of the FA Cup to play in the World Club Championship. "I can't even spell spaghetti never mind talk Italian. How could I tell an Italian to get the ball - he might grab mine."On the influx of foreign players. "I bet their dressing room will smell of garlic rather than liniment over the next few months."On the number of French players at Arsenal. "Who the hell wants fourteen pairs of shoes when you go on holiday? I haven't had fourteen pairs in my life." On the contents of Posh Spice's missing luggage. "Rome wasn't built in a day. But I wasn't on that particular job."On getting things done. "On occasions I have been big headed. I think most people are when they get in the limelight. I call myself Big Head just to remind myself not to be."Old Big 'Ead explains his nickname. "At last England have appointed a manager who speaks English better than the players." On the appointment of Sven Goran Eriksson as England manager. "If he'd been English or Swedish, he'd have walked the England job."On Martin O'Neill. "Anybody who can do anything in Leicester but make a jumper has got to be a genius." A tribute to Martin O'Neill. "The ugliest player I ever signed was Kenny Burns." A Clough complement for a talented player. "Stand up straight, get your shoulders back and get your hair cut."Advice for John McGovern at Hartlepool. "Take your hands out of your pockets." More advice, this time for a young Trevor Francis as he receives an award from the Master Manager. "The Derby players have seen more of his balls than the one they're meant to be playing with." On the streaker who appeared during Derby's game against Manchester United. "I only ever hit Roy the once. He got up so I couldn't have hit him very hard." On dealing with Roy Keane. "Walk on water? I know most people out there will be saying that instead of walking on it, I should have taken more of it with my drinks. They are absolutely right." Reflecting on his drink problem. "I'm dealing with my drinking problem and I have a reputation for getting things done." A comment which speaks for itself. "Don't send me flowers when I'm dead. If you like me, send them while I'm alive." After the operation which saved his life. "Players lose you games, not tactics. There's so much crap talked about tactics by people who barely know how to win at dominoes."Reflecting on England's exit from Euro 2000. "We talk about it for twenty minutes and then we decide I was right." On dealing with a player who disagrees. "I want no epitaphs of profound history and all that type of thing. I contributed - I would hope they would say that, and I would hope somebody liked me,"On how he would like to be remembered. "It was a crooked match and he was a crooked referee. That was a tournament we could and should have won."On the 1984 UEFA Cup semi-final Forest lost to Anderlecht. "I'm sure the England selectors thought if they took me on and gave me the job, I'd want to run the show. They were shrewd, because that's exactly what I would have done." On not getting the England manager's job. "You don't want roast beef and Yorkshire every night and twice on Sunday."On too much football on television. "I'm not saying he's pale and thin, but the maid in our hotel room pulled back the sheets and remade the bed without realising he was still in it." Referring to former Forest player Brian Rice. "If a chairman sacks the manager he initially appointed, he should go as well."On too many managers getting the boot. "I thought it was my next door neighbour, because I think she felt that if I got something like that, I'd have to move." Guessing who nominated him for a knighthood. "For all his horses, knighthoods and championships, he hasn't got two of what I've got. And I don't mean balls!" Referring to Sir Alex Ferguson's failure to win two successive European Cups. "I like my women to be feminine, not sliding into tackles and covered in mud." On women's football. ''That Seaman is a handsome young man but he spends too much time looking in his mirror, rather than at the ball. You can't keep goal with hair like that."On England goalkeeper David Seaman. "I've missed him. He used to make me laugh. He was the best diffuser of a situation I have ever known. I hope he's alright." On the late Peter Taylor. "He's learned more about football management than he ever imagined. Some people think you can take football boots off and put a suit on. You can't do that."On David Platt's first season as Forest manager. "He should guide Posh in the direction of a singing coach because she's nowhere near as good at her job as her husband." Advice for David Beckham "Barbara's supervising the move. She's having more extensions built than Heathrow Airport." On moving house in Derbyshire.
Reading this book makes it appear that pure good luck has it's place in success. One of the most important players in the European triumphs etc, Martin O'Neill, was deemed 'useless'. He was offered to Doncaster who didn't want him. The same thing happened with other players who became vital to Forest's triumphs. He was a great manager but fortune & circumstance played a major part.
i dont generally read books, the last i read was kevin phillips or lennox lewis, i am intrigued to read this though
Leeds proved that I'm afraid ......... he was totally destroyed by players he couldn't intimidate. Leeds had won the title and he told the players they were useless and had cheated their way to their win. Not the great man management he was fabled for.
