This is well worth a read - Micky Adams was bored

[Essex Vale]

I have just read a book by Michael Calvin, titled, Living on the Volcano. It was on the shortlist for 2015 William Hill sports book of the year. It is a review of football management in England. Many of the managers have since been sacked but there is some fascinating stuff.

 

Micky Adams is one of the managers featured, he claims he left Vale because "he was bored". There is a story about Aidy Boothroyd, when at Northampton, really rifting a young player who moved from the Premier League to Northampton and he let this striker know that he was not worth much and he should go to non-league and score a few goals there. That young striker took Boothroyd at his word, it was JJ Hooper.

 

Gareth Ainsworth is heavily featured, and he shows much of his excellent strong noble character which endeared him to Vale fans.

 

Mick McCarthy remembers his first ever game as a manager, when he really had no idea what he was doing against the opposition, who were the mighty Port Vale.

 

Mark Hughes talks about the area of Stoke-on-Trent and how it is important that highly paid footballers respect the geography and environment of the Potteries.

 

It gives a real insight into the job of football manager away from the tabloid excesses and some of the ridiculous online postings.

 

I recommend this as great reading

[cheshirevaliant]

Fair comment on the "Adams was bored", although probably not as bored as I was watching the games he took charge of that season.

[CAVALIER]

Or your comments about O'Connor

[cheshirevaliant]

Or your comments about O'Connor

 

Can take or leave fourth division midfielders, Cavalier. I wonder if Scunthorpe looked at him?

[valiantsireno]

I have just read a book by Michael Calvin, titled, Living on the Volcano. It was on the shortlist for 2015 William Hill sports book of the year. It is a review of football management in England. Many of the managers have since been sacked but there is some fascinating stuff.

 

Micky Adams is one of the managers featured, he claims he left Vale because "he was bored". There is a story about Aidy Boothroyd, when at Northampton, really rifting a young player who moved from the Premier League to Northampton and he let this striker know that he was not worth much and he should go to non-league and score a few goals there. That young striker took Boothroyd at his word, it was JJ Hooper.

 

Gareth Ainsworth is heavily featured, and he shows much of his excellent strong noble character which endeared him to Vale fans.

 

Mick McCarthy remembers his first ever game as a manager, when he really had no idea what he was doing against the opposition, who were the mighty Port Vale.

 

Mark Hughes talks about the area of Stoke-on-Trent and how it is important that highly paid footballers respect the geography and environment of the Potteries.

 

It gives a real insight into the job of football manager away from the tabloid excesses and some of the ridiculous online postings.

 

I recommend this as great reading

 

I bought this book today, on your recommendation and have just read the chapter on Aidy Boothroyd and his mentor ship of our JJ Hooper. It's particularly interesting on the day that Hoopers pre season schedule is made public, and his dedication to being prepared for the new season, that Boothroyd saw him as a "Big Tim Charlie" who despite playing in League 2 for Northampton, felt himself to still be a premier league big shot, demanding massages, minutes after having his future outlined by his manager. I wonder if the drop ink non league was an eye opening experience for the young lad and he sees this opportunity with our beloved club as his spring board back into the big time.