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Broken Dreams: Vanity, Greed and the Souring of British Football [Paperback]

Tom Bower
3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
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Book Description

2 April 2007
Greedy, vain and ambitious personalities dominate English football. From the author of devastating exposes of Mohamed Fayed, Richard Branson and, most recently, Geoffrey Robinson, BROKEN DREAMS is a superbly incisive account of how self-interested individuals, adopting questionable and predatory business methods, are exploiting the sport of football to earn billions of pounds and huge glory. Focusing on key figures including Terry Venables, Ken Bates, David Dein, Harry Redknapp, Rio Ferdinand and other famous agents, chairmen and managers, Tom Bower exposes the money, the politics, and the vicious battles behind the beautiful game. For the first time a non-sports writer reveals the vanity and greed which endanger the national sport.

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Product details

  • Paperback: 448 pages
  • Publisher: Pocket Books; Updated Edition edition (2 April 2007)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 184739003X
  • ISBN-13: 978-1847390035
  • Product Dimensions: 12.4 x 19 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 95,171 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Amazon Review

TV has transformed football beyond all recognition but, according to investigative biographer and historian Tom Bower, where there's brass there's muck. Broken Dreams is Bower's controversial account of how some of the sport's most high-profile managers and chairmen have been getting their snouts in the trough at the expense of their clubs and the game.

Focussing on the likes of Terry Venables, Brian Clough, Ken Bates and Harry Redknapp--and a huge cast of FA officials, club bigwigs and super-agents--Bower draws together threads from existing sources, with newly acquired information from over 200 interviews, weaving a compelling tale of vanity, greed and corruption at the heart of the football establishment.

Bower argues that the increasingly uneven struggle between the regulatory body, the FA, and the bullies of the gold-rush frontier, the Premier League chairmen, is at the heart of football's problem--the failure of the former to respond to the mounting evidence of dodgy dealing and corruption, and the ruthless efficiency with which the latter have exercised their financial clout. The result is a free rein for the murkier ambitions of some of the most publicly respected individuals in the game today.

It's hard to believe that the general thrust of Bower's account will come as a shock to anyone who's followed the sport over the last 20 years--though if nothing else he completely destroys the shrewd wheeler-dealer image of former West Ham boss Redknapp. What Bower brilliantly succeeds in doing is applying a forensic rigour to the task of sifting the facts from a mound of rumour and conjecture, and doing so fearlessly. --Alex Hankin --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

'A devastating book, an indictment of football that all fans should read and understand' -- The Times

'All fans should read this expose of football's financial secrets . . . a devastating book' -- Observer

'An astonishing job of investigation . . . At times he even seems to know what goes on in people's bank accounts' -- Daily Telegraph

'You really must read Broken Dreams. Tom Bower exposes the ineptitude, complacency, corruption and greed that permeate the game' -- Sunday Times --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Inside This Book (Learn More)
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars Football in the dock 8 Mar 2003
By A Customer
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
Tom Bower has exposed what goes on behind the scenes in the less salubrious areas of football, greed, corruption, toothless football authorities and the pressing need for firm Government intervention are tackled by the author. As a fan of the great game, the issues that Bower has raised are of great concern and need addressing.

Banned directors in other arenas or former criminals are capable to, if not own a football club are able to play a part in a club's administration. The chapter on Terry Venables reign at Spurs is an illuminating read of a period most Spurs fans would see as one of their worst periods in recent history. That the abrupt and direct Alan Sugar comes out well in the chapters is apparent largely due to his frustration at Venables "wheeler dealing". A real eye-opener, particularly the brown envelopes behind the scenes of the Teddy Sherringham transfer from Nottingham Forest.

Likewise, the chapter on Ken Bates, chairman, owner, tyrant of Chelsea football club is also revealing. Bower writes about Bates spotty track record as a businessman. Few would be aware of Bates West Indian business almost leading to local insurrection or his relationship with less than savoury business associates.

The battle of egos of Premiership League executives is amazing, you get the impression some of them would mug their grannies to earn a few pennies more. The same executives not only negotiate mega TV deals, transfers via less than trustworthy agents but also rip off fans through high priced match tickets and merchandising. Rather than work for the benefit of the game, the self-interest of fighting their corner - for the benefit of their club - is well illustrated by Bower. What of the fans?...

The football Task force led by David Mellor, was led up a series of blind alleys and football as an industry was left almost intact, with minor reforms promised. That the game has escaped reform as a major business, employer and entertainment industry in the UK defies belief, though with the political infighting within Government circles didn't help towards the tough action required.

With the collapse of ITV Digital last year, a great number of Nationwide football clubs have had to face the financial consequences. Ipswich, Leicester, Derby, Watford, York, Barnsley have either gone into or have been on the brink of Administration. Whilst ITV Digital was the cause of most of the problems, some were self-induced; it would be heartbreaking for fans that have helped to save their beloved club to find out that others have "profited" from their activities.

If the football authorities do not ban, bar or adequately punish those who take bungs, falsify accounts or sell the ground from clubs against FA rules, then the Government should act. Voluntary regulation didn't work in the City and now the FSA a much more powerful body acts on behalf of the Government to regulate the key players in the market. Football, needs a similarly powerful regulator, in particular to look after the interests of fans.

Lets hope that there is some action by football authorities, government and most importantly the fans to make sure that our game is clean of the charlatans that threaten to destroy the great game.

Whilst the book is written in the form of an investigative best seller, rather than an academic tome, the author has done football a huge favour. Bower quotes some (not all) of his sources, as a mild criticism without linked footnotes it is difficult to track whom said what, which detracts from reading the book, hence the award of 4 stars. Read more ›

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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars insightful 21 Mar 2003
By A Customer
Format:Hardcover
Like other readers I applaud as groundbreaking this book. As a lifetime season ticket holder at one of our country's smaller clubs I know my club has never had the money to indulge the whims described by Mr Bower but as a football fan I knew it was happening if not why. Now I do. Money, money and money. That is all these people know. Mr Bower declaims it need not be so. I wonder. As a football fan I deplore such greed but as a human being I know greed is omniscient. Can anything be done? Mr Bower profers possible solutions with the aid of his colleague Davd Mellor and some have validity. He is right to urge caution and to say it will be a long haul. If anyone doubts we should care this book puts them right.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
3.0 out of 5 stars Interesting topic but tends to drag on in places 11 July 2007
By Jay
Format:Paperback
The likes of Harry Redknapp, Ken Bates, Brian Clough, Peter Reid, George Graham and Terry Venables all suffer at Bower's hands with detailed chapters exposing their willingness to use the cheap foreign players to make themselves a quick buck. In many cases managers are shown to have purchased players on the advice of an agent without any knowledge of the players ability. The chairmen were either too weak to do anything or were in on the deal themselves. Throughout it is the agents such as Dennis Roach and Rune Hauge who contrive to manipulate transfers to provide them with large fees.

One striking theme throughout the book is that it is not the foreign managers such as Wenger or Houllier who are bringing our game into disrepute, but rather the old school of English managers caught up in what is now inherent in the game.

To sum up, a good book however it tends to drag on a bit and get a bit repetitive. For that , I would rather blame the publisher than the author who could have laid out the book better.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars confirms what we already suspect? 11 Mar 2007
Format:Paperback
Non fiction book about the bung culture and corruption in English Football. Now 4 years old but the points raised are probably as valid now as they were then. The author has brought together many articles over the years which together with his own extensive research ensures a very enjoyable read.

He does an absolute number on Terry Venables and Ken Bates as well as numerous agents and the background, history and details of their dealings over the years are eye opening The fact the content was passed by the publishers lawyers and everything verified made me wonder why I had not seen even a small percentage of what he says in the papers at some point. There are a couple of chapters which held little interest namely about the rebuilding of Wembley and the politics involved in the FA and Premier League but nevertheless showed good research and he has obviously got into the inner circle somehow.

Reading this I wanted to become a football agent because the stories offered about agents making millions simply by inserting themselves into deals they have nothing to do with is mind blowing. It beggars belief that the clubs, players, chairman and everyone else involved allow this to happen and it raises the question that it is only allowed to happen because of the back-handers that are implied to follow.

However, other than publicly available information relating to bung takers (ie George Graham) he does not offer up any proof as such although reading between the lines the reader can make their own mind up.
... Read more ›
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars A revealing nugget
An informative review, full of little nuggets that show how shockingly some of the big beasts behave. Bower (p. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Mick N
4.0 out of 5 stars A shocking insight into football.
The author exposes a lot of the financial shenanigans that are sadly prevalent in football.
He is very good writer and most of the research seems top notch. Read more
Published on 8 Nov 2010 by The Emperor
5.0 out of 5 stars Inside the boardrooms
Football in England has changed a lot since the advent of the premiership. And the amount of money that has flowed into the game since has left the rich getting richer and the poor... Read more
Published on 10 Oct 2010 by Paul Tapner
5.0 out of 5 stars Great service
I received the book I orderd very quickly and was very pleased with the quality of the book.
I would have no problem recommending this service. Read more
Published on 5 Oct 2010 by Derek
5.0 out of 5 stars Where football became dis-united
As a football fan it is good to read what has happened to our Beautiful Game. We all knew it was going on, the chapters on Venables and Redknapp are libellous if they're not true. Read more
Published on 21 Jun 2010 by kaz tyda
5.0 out of 5 stars Splendid
Bower's detailed and articulate account of how football is governed and who makes the important decisions should frighten football fans everwhere. Read more
Published on 20 April 2006 by R Hernandez
4.0 out of 5 stars Score-draw
Bower's book reveals football to be full of overweening egos, prissy little men who think themselves big because they can bluster better than others, bullies and cheats. Read more
Published on 23 Aug 2004 by Barton Keyes
2.0 out of 5 stars Broken Dreams? - Fantasy Football more like...
Having read some of Mr Bower's earlier exposes, I had rather hoped that he would do to the world of football what he had earlier done to such doyens of the seedy world of business... Read more
Published on 21 July 2004
3.0 out of 5 stars Important yet strangely disappointing
Having much enjoyed "Blood Money", Bower's examination of the Jewish money confiscated during the Nazi era locked away in Swiss bank vaults, I was looking forward greatly to this... Read more
Published on 1 Dec 2003 by G. L. Haggett
2.0 out of 5 stars the equivalent of the football journeyman
Mr Bower's talent and experience as a journalist are held in high regard by many, but for the football fan this production is a largely dry and repetitive account collated from... Read more
Published on 13 Jun 2003
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