Are you looking for the perfect gift for your favorite football fan? Trying to find something you know they will love? Look no further than The Footballer’s Guide to the Holidays, exclusively on ISNSoccer.com.
1. Manchester United: Busby’s Legacy – “McCartney Does It Again” 
Iain McCartney is one of the world’s foremost experts on all things Manchester United. And he creates another masterpiece with his most recent offering, Manchester United: Busby’s Legacy, from Amberley Publishing.
The story of Matt Busby is one of the greatest in all of world football history. Yet no one has tackled the difficulties the club encountered when Busby left, until now. Simply put, it is no picnic coming in after a coaching legend. It is no easy task continuing a run of success that put the club on the map in the first place. And that is the focus of this great title.
This discussion is so relevant today as Man U still deals with the loss of Sir Alex and how David Moyes and LVG have found it difficult to fill in for the coaching great. No one doubts that these two are quality managers and the same could be said for Busby’s successors some forty years ago.
But what causes coaches with good intentions to fail? Why is it nearly impossible to follow after a legend? Is it the great expectations or the constant comparisons? You have to dig into this must-read title to find out.
We think you will find some interesting revelations that apply, regardless of time or how the game may have changed. It’s always a good idea to look back at history to examine where things went wrong as history often repeats itself. This title will allow you to do just that and I think some solutions to their current difficulties will be revealed in some way.
The title is a great piece of history, one that is often neglected as it is way more fun to talk about the team’s highs than it is to analyze a team’s lows.
2. The Proper Charlie: The Autobiography – “The Greatest of ‘What If’ Scenarios”
When you are looking for a great Rangers title and want tremendous insight and expertise, you should look no further than Black & White Publishing. We’ve already given rave reviews to titles on Jim Baxter and Jock Wallace and the Charlie Miller title, The Proper Charlie, is going to be getting the same treatment.
The title certainly lives up to the hype of being a must-read story. It was immensely personal as Miller never dodged the difficult moments or questions. It was written in an incredibly conversational style that felt like you were having a friendly chat with the great Miller himself.
Charlie Miller represents the greatest of “what if” scenarios. Miller was one of the most promising footballers of his generation, yet he didn’t realize his full potential.
What kept him from reaching the pinnacle? Was his rough upbringing in a difficult area called Castlemilk too much to shake? Was it the influence of drugs, alcohol, and gambling? Or was it teammates like the legendary Paul Gascoigne that maybe led him astray?
There is no denying Miller’s potential to be one of the greatest Rangers players ever, but rather the trouble was found in his ability to weather the roller coaster ride that became his life and career. He made his Rangers debut at the tender age of 17 and was a part of the club’s greatest run for hardware. But his career eventually came to hit rock bottom when his “demons” finally caught up with him. He found himself in England, Norway, and Australia trying to reconnect with his legendary potential. Sadly he never did and his career ended up bearing some resemblance to the sad story of Jim Baxter and even that of Gazza.
You will see Miller him walk back through his life in a masterful way, showing successes and missteps along the way. It was an incredible journey and we are grateful to Miller for sharing it with the footballing world. It serves as a lesson learned and a warning to all up-and-coming footballers. Stay focused, never lose sight of your end goal and never, ever let anyone or anything take away your dream.
But the greatest question still remains. What if things had gone differently for Charlie Miller?
Miller certainly has incredible memories when it comes to football, but it could have been so much more. Yet he has found redemption in working with the footballing youth in his very own academy. He will make an impact this time around and perhaps he will train and coach the next great young footballer, the best of a new generation.
