I enjoyed the book but that was probably because it was about CAFC. I agree that I was hoping for more insight into his views and dealings with players. He mentions briefly that we nearly signed Cahill and Hartson, which would have been quality signings at the time (and maybe still!). There must have been others we nearly got: he certainly does not go into too much depth about the players he bought that didn't quite work out.
It may well be because he knows he is going to work again he didn't want people to see him as a show and tell manager (for his second book!)
i've not read it yet Brisie, but i get the impression he held a lot back with a view to coming back into the game soon, and didn't want to burn no bridges.
I have read the book and its all the same stuff that we all already know. It didn't really capture me. I thought it would be so much better. Curbs certainly doesn't have any skeletons in his closet and didn't really slag anyone off. I thought it was a very weak offering.
agreed, finished it about a month ago. In hindsight, wished i'd read it as soon as it was released. Very little insight into either the man, or things behind the scene, which should really be what a book is about.
I found the book very disappointing. Any Charlton fan with a knowledge of the club would already know everything in the book. There was nothing new at all.
Yeah, this is an interesting letter but I can't help but feel that people want Curbishley to be someone that he really is not. I think that with him it really is very much a case of getting exactly what you see from the outside. He is modest, hard-working, straight-forward and practical and does not belong to the over-analytical and more emotional managers that can be found elsewhere. I mean, he has carried himself exactly the same at West Ham as he did with us and it is clearly driving their fans crazy that he does not show more emotion or get more expressive but that is just the way he is. As others have pointed out already there are very good reasons that he does not go in-depth on a lot of private isssues, this is obviously because he is planning to be involved in the game for a long time to come and does not want to be seen as untrustworthy to people that he deals with in the game. I agree though that he should have addressed "the slump" syndrome in greater detail and should definitely have explained why we signed so many crocks like Poole and Rowett.
A bit harsh Canada... He's not the biggest gent, I'll give you that, but he's not that small really... and if he were, it's hardly a reason to slag him or his book off is it?
To be fair, bringing Small in on loan was in the days when we were potless and had to scramble for whatever nobody else wanted. I remember Leroy Rosenior coming in on loan from West Ham in 1991 and the bloke was a virtual cripple after a couple of knee ops but he still played a couple of games for us!!!
Comments
It may well be because he knows he is going to work again he didn't want people to see him as a show and tell manager (for his second book!)
I mean, he has carried himself exactly the same at West Ham as he did with us and it is clearly driving their fans crazy that he does not show more emotion or get more expressive but that is just the way he is.
As others have pointed out already there are very good reasons that he does not go in-depth on a lot of private isssues, this is obviously because he is planning to be involved in the game for a long time to come and does not want to be seen as untrustworthy to people that he deals with in the game.
I agree though that he should have addressed "the slump" syndrome in greater detail and should definitely have explained why we signed so many crocks like Poole and Rowett.