Leeds United: A Season On Trial: The Inside Story of an Astonishing Year - Hardcover

O'Leary, David

3.14

77 ratings by Goodreads

9780316860659: Leeds United: A Season On Trial: The Inside Story of an Astonishing Year

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0316860654 ISBN 13: 9780316860659

Publisher: Little, Brown, 2001

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Leeds United on Trial is the explosive inside account of the season that transformed a youthful, inexperienced side into one of the most feared in Europe, in the process confirming their young manager as the brightest prospect of his generation. It was a season of high drama both on and off the field: the trial and retrial of Lee Bowyer and Jonathan Woodgate dominated both headlines and players' thoughts alike; the �18 million signing of Rio Ferdinand broke the British transfer record; an incredible run of injuries to key players such as David Batty and Harry Kewell saw Leeds drop twenty points at home by Christmas and slump to fourteenth place in the table.

But in Europe, O'Leary's young team had grown from boys to men. Leeds came through a group boasting Barcelona and AC Milan, and then one featuring Real Madrid and Lazio. And once O'Leary's side was restored to full strength, the team powered through to a battle with Valencia for a place in the Champion's League final. David O'Leary's gripping and controversial memoir is the football book of the year.

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Review:

As manager David O'Leary admits in his controversial chronicle of the 2000/01 campaign, Leeds United on Trial, whatever his talented young side achieved on the pitch was overshadowed by the ongoing criminal trials involving three of its brightest stars. On January 12, 2000, student Sarfraz Najeib was chased by a drunken mob through the streets of Leeds, cornered and brutally beaten. Leeds players Lee Bowyer and Jonathan Woodgate were accused of taking part in the attack, and team-mate Michael Duberry accused of subsequently attempting to pervert the course of justice. For the record, only Woodgate was convicted of a criminal offence (affray).

O'Leary's views on this unsavoury affair take up around a quarter of the book, the rest being dedicated to reviewing a quite extraordinary season for one of the emerging forces in European football. O'Leary has presided over a transformation at Leeds since becoming manager in 1998, and in 2000/01 they were fourth in the Premiership and shock Champions League semi-finalists, having come through groups featuring Euro monster-clubs such as Barcelona, AC Milan and Real Madrid.

The former Arsenal player describes how he had set himself square against what he perceived as the brutal, cynical style of Don Revie's Leeds heroes of the 1960s and early-70s, and sought to emulate the Keegan-era Newcastle side in becoming everyone's favourite "other" team: a strategy that he details as hinging on success in "selling" the new Leeds image to sought-after young talents such as Robbie Keane and Rio Ferdinand. O'Leary is an intelligent, authoritative guide to the business of winning football matches--with plenty of surprising and entertaining insights into the strengths and weaknesses of his players, and the odd indiscreet peek behind the scenes.

But there is no escaping the trial, and while O'Leary is unstinting in his condemnation of his players' behaviour, one conclusion that could be drawn from statements made by O'Leary--his description of the way that Woodgate "valiantly" tried not to let the trial affect his performance on the pitch, for example--is that in the modern age football always comes first.--Alex Hankin

Book Description:

* Leeds United on Trial chronicles the amazing rise of one of the country's most exciting sides - from inside the dressing room itself. Never short of honest, David O'Leary's gripping and controversial account is the football book of the year.

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