Having already read Red Machine and Men in White Suits, I was eager to read the latest of Simon Hughes’ Liverpool FC related books, Ring of Fire.
However, I must admit that I had some slight trepidations too, after all, Ring of Fire focused on Liverpool between 2000 and 2010, the period when I became an absolute fanatic about the club.
Whilst Red Machine spoke of the club’s glory in the 1980’s – which was before my time – and Men in White Suits focused on the 1990’s – a time where I was just beginning to fall in love with the Reds – Ring of Fire was focused on a period that I thought I knew everything about.
I was worried that unlike the other two books, Ring of Fire wouldn’t be able to teach me anything new.
I was wrong.
For example, I had no idea that Liverpool nearly signed Edwin van der Sar, something we find out about in the chapter on Gerard Houllier.
I also didn’t know exactly why the deal to sell Liverpool to the Dubai-based DIC fell through. I do now thanks to Rick Parry, whose chapter incidentally was much needed with backroom dealings, unfortunately, playing a pivotal role in that period of time.
My favourite interviews in the other two books tended to by the ones with ‘lesser remembered’ players like Michael Robinson and Nicky Tanner, but I genuinely can’t pick a favourite in Ring of Fire. They’re all great in their unique ways.
For example, Jamie Carragher and Didi Hamman’s chapters are great, but so too are the ones from Neil Mellor and Albert Riera, each offering a different viewpoint of a period when Liverpool were playing catch-up, having failed to modernise as quickly as their rivals.
Simon has done a great job getting players to speak openly and honestly about their Liverpool careers, particularly the chapters with Fernando Torres and Michael Owen.
Reds fans might change their opinions of those two players once they’ve read the book.
I know I certainly did.
Ring of Fire by Simon Hughes is available to purchase now.
Comments.
Loading comments…