The Management

'an outstanding piece of work . . . utterly compelling' - Scotland on Sunday Why has Scotland produced so many of the best football managers in the world? Based on exclusive interviews with the men themselves, their players or close friends and family, Michael Grant and Rob Robertson delve into the very heart of Scottish life, society and football to reveal the huge contribution that managers such as Sir Alex Ferguson, Sir Matt Busby, Bill Shankly, Jock Stein, Jim McLean, Kenny Dalglish, Walter Smith and a host of others have made to the world game. This original, brilliantly-realised and critically acclaimed study profiles the character and methods of each of the great Scottish managers, analysing their strengths and weaknesses, and examines their impact on both club and international football. It is a deeply-researched and compelling story which presents new material on many of the greats, particularly Busby and Stein, and highlights the enormous Old Firm contributions of, among others, Willie Maley, Bill Struth and Graeme Souness.

Michael Grant has been a football writer for over two decades and covered Scottish club and international football all over the world, including three World Cups and three European Championships. He worked in Inverness before moving to the Press & Journal in Aberdeen and then, in 1999, becoming chief football writer of The Sunday Herald. He has been chief football writer of The Herald since 2009. He suspects 1983 was as good as football can get.