Book Review - RED: My Autobiography by Gary Neville

The season is back, and with it, comes Monday Night Football. The ultimate indulgence for those who consider football with an air of intelligence in debate. With two absolute footballing heavyweights - in the form of Liverpool and Manchester United legends Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville, sitting on the panel, the Sky punditry line up is probably the best in world football right now. 

Football analysis and punditry was getting very stale by the time Sky Sports picked up the two former England defenders. Almost to the point where Brian Clough’s famous interview with John Motson had become absolutely relevant again (watch here). Match of the Day has become one of the most boring shows on TV, and let’s not even mention the standard of analysis/coverage on The Football League show.

In taking on Carra and G. Nev, Sky Sports have added modern top level experience to their line-up, which already boasts the brilliance of Graeme Souness, Jamie Redknapp and Glenn Hoddle, taking football broadcasting to a whole new stratosphere.

This is particularly interesting in the case of Gary Neville. He has gone from being one of the most hated men in English football to one of the most respected and adored. From “Gary The Rat” and “Red Nev”, to one of the most intelligent and intriguing analysts of the game we have yet been subjected to.

Best mates

Shortly before his debut on Sky, Neville brought out his autobiography; Red - which is the focus of this article. The debut of this book was categorically the turning point for G. Nev. and his reputation amongst English fans who had previously held the former United captain with disdain.

Neville speaks to us with the frankness and intelligence that we have since become accustomed to. Although, let me announce from the off that in the build up to this post I have read several other reviews, whereby I mainly concerned myself with the poor ones - of which there are very few. The general disappointment stems from the lack of personal life that is revealed throughout. 

But they've missed the point. For Gary Neville, football is life, and this book oozes that fact. Do not read this book if you are concerned with the birth of his children, his wedding, his home... (you get the picture), as you will ultimately not find what you are looking for. If you are however interested in the inner mentality of a winner, a man obsessed with football, and in particular Manchester United, the emotion of the game on the pitch, and maybe just a bit of insight into what life under Sir Alex Ferguson was really like, then go out and pick up this book immediately.

From the FA Youth Cup winning side of '92, to deciding to retire mid-game against West Brom, Neville takes us on a detailed account of his time as a Red, kicking off with tales of his upbringing into a working class family in Bury (which happened to yield three international athletes). We are taken inside his school playground and how life was growing up standing in the K-Stand (Old Trafford's East Stand) under the shadow of Liverpool, as well as the inescapable bust-ups with supporters of United's famous rivals. Indeed, Liverpool play a huge role throughout the book, as they undoubtably have throughout Neville's sporting life.

"As a kid, I had to suffer at their hands again and again. But that’s why every victory later in life tasted so sweet. That’s why I charged up and down the pitch celebrating every win over Liverpool. It’s why I kissed the United badge in front of them, like any true fan" 

"Now I am able to appreciate Liverpool as another true working city of the north. I can recognise the loyalty of their supporters and admire how Liverpool, like Manchester, has punched above its weight when it comes to music and football. But back then I loathed Liverpool and I loathed their success"

Fergie's Fledgelings - Then and now

Neville gives us a stark insight into what life was like growing up as part of the famed "Fergie's Fledgelings" - the hard work and commitment that was required, and of course the unenviable initiations that the apprentices were put through - often at the hands of a certain Welsh winger. Neville puts us under no illusion that it was never his footballing talent that got him where he was, very much demonstrating the type of steel that was needed to just be a part of Manchester United under SAF. 

What is starkly apparent is the sheer aggression and fierceness with which United conducted business from top to bottom in the early 90's. Fergie comes across every bit as ruthless as we imagine him to be, with youth coach Eric Harrison coming up not far behind. Second place was most certainly the first loser.

Aside from the seriousness of on-pitch affairs, we also gain priceless stories behind the "kids" who rose from humble beginnings at The Cliff to defeat the world of football and go on to win countless trophies. The book works very well as an accompaniment to the recent cinema release "The Class of '92" in this sense.

"There are a few moments you look back on - those cross-roads moments - and wonder how life might have played out differently. I wasn’t nailed on to be a professional footballer. I knew that."

Notable sections in the book also include the relationship between David Beckham and the boss, the England players' 'almost-strike' following Rio Ferdinand's drug-test ban, the treatment that Beckham received along with brother Phil from England fans following errors in the national shirt, being shit-scared of Peter Schmeichel, and of course his disappointing time in an England shirt, with some mention of the methods employed by now-Sky colleague Glenn Hoddle. 

"What are you meant to do? Smile
sweetly and jog back to the half-way
line?"

Red is a must for any fan of sport. An unflinching account of life at the top of world football, without over-zealous commentary it provides a peek inside one of the most famous/infamous dressing rooms around in a time when both England and Manchester was changing for the better.

I actually had the pleasure of being coached by Gary Neville on more than one occasion, during the time he took his UEFA Coaching Licenses, and what struck me the most about his style of coaching was first of all, he loved to have a laugh, and secondly, that he cared deeply about football as a tactical system, and how the game evolves through certain phases of play - he very much wanted to impress the importance of this on us as players (in fact on one occasion it turned out that he wanted to coach a system whereby the attacking team did so through the wing backs. As the left-sided wing back on the attacking team, he more or less spent a whole hour showing me the in’s and out’s of playing in the role he dominated for nearly two decades. It was brilliant).

It was presented to us and explained in such a way that it made learning easy, and made us thirsty for more tactical insight - and that is exactly what he is doing to the wider public now in his role as Sky pundit. His knowledge of the game is clearly exceptionally strong.

Of course, it was quite a proud moment for us who partook in his sessions when he passed his qualifications, and subsequently went on to enter the England setup under Roy Hodgson.

United celebrate the 1996/97 Premier League title; L to R - Cantona,
Butt, Giggs, Beckham, Phil Neville, Gary Neville, Scholes, Keane.

Bill Shankley famously said: "Football is a simple game, made complicated by idiots”. But in the case of Gary Neville, when the game of football is complicated by men of intelligence who possess a deep understanding of the game, great things can become of it. It is important for the development of footballing intelligence amongst English supporters that Neville remains on our screens for a long time to come, whilst undoubtably providing the England setup with his winning mentality and invaluable insight.

"Being a football supporter has never just been about the team you love. It’s also about the teams you love to hate. English football is brilliant for being so tribal and there’ll always be an edge between United and Liverpool"

8.5/10

nb. I am well aware that this post has probably gone beyond the realms of just a "book review". However, given the sheer influence that Gary Neville now has over English football on both sides of the media/professional football fence, I feel it is more than warranted. 

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