Graduation: Life Lessons of a Professional Footballer [Paperback]

I am a team-mate of Richard at Brentford FC since 7 months. Because english is not my first language - I'm german - , please don't mind any wrong spellings or grammars. And therefore don't think that all footballers are stupid :)
The best example against this is the guy who wrote this book! I really appreciate his guts to write down his inner feelings, such as fears and questions about himself. And then publish it! He did a great job in telling us about what's happening in a mind of a person in the football world who is under pressure, struggles with injuries or rejection by the "gaffer". And - what is even more impressive in my opinion - how to reflect himself and handle all the negative attributes of this job with a positive and optimistic attitude towards his person and his environment.
Rich gave me a copy of this book last week on Tuesday after training. I started reading on my way home. Don't worry, I take the tube... And I finished it the same day. It's easy to read, but not unsubstantial at all. I could see myself in many situations he went through as well. I was often like: "Yeah! Yes, exactly!"
This book is a most-read for footballers! But I'm sure it is in the same way transmittable to any other job or different situations in life.
I'm a centre-back and it gives me a very good feeling to have someone like him behind me on the pitch. But even more important for me were the perceptions that I took out of his words for my personal life and future.
Just Do It ;)

There is a long-established viewpoint that goalkeepers, if not mad are totally different from their team mates and Brentford goalkeeper Richard Lee has certainly brought out a book that stands out from the norm.

Using the structure of a diary of a roller-coaster 2010/11 season at Brentford as his framework, Lee provides an acute, revealing and painfully honest account of how it feels to be a professional footballer and the way in which he has transformed his outlook, training and preparation in order to maximise his playing potential.

Lee opens himself up to the reader as an intelligent man quick to question himself and also riddled with fears and self-doubts who is not even a particular fan of the sport in which he makes his living. Yet he is open and perceptive enough to challenge the traditional preconceptions of life as a footballer and search out and then institute his own methods of preparation and training both his mind and body which result in him producing the best and most consistent form of his life.

But don't think it was an easy ride. Lee was brought in from Watford as first choice, was dropped before even playing a League game, fought his way back from third to first choice, was the hero of several heart stopping penalty shootouts, suffered the dressing room gobbledy gook of a manager in Andy Scott who he claims was a poor man manager and who was to end up with the sack, and suffered the heartbreak of missing a Wembley final through injury after doing so much to help the team get there.

Don't feel sorry for Richard though as what comes through loud and clear is his clear analysis and understanding regarding his self-development and growth as a man who is becoming far more comfortable in his own skin and at peace with himself in terms of his occupation and level of achievement.

The book is written clearly and lucidly and peppered with anecdotes and self-deprecating humour. Lee is quick to give praise and thanks to the series of mentors who have helped him in his quest

As Gary Player said, "the harder I work the luckier I get" and Richard Lee has worked enormously hard to become the footballer and person that he is.

This book is a unique, uplifting and inspiring read which will live long in the memory due to its difficult subject matter and the honesty with which it was written and it never falls into the trap of becoming preachy or full of jargon.

For me, Michael Calvin wrote the football book of 2011 and I suspect that Richard Lee's wonderful effort will take some beating in 2012.

Just read it!

This is by far one of the most intelligently written "football" books I have ever read. I came here as a goalkeeping brentford fan and quickly realised that this was a mere backdrop to an insight into the world of the most psychological positions in the highest pressure arenas. If you cannot apply the contents of this into your own thinking then more fool you!
However, the greatest feat is the fact the Lee weaves an actually narrative - far from being preachy, it is drenched in real, personal examples - albeit ones that I've actually watched him go through as a fan!
He talks of many idols, and perhaps it would be nice to see the books he refers to with regards NLP (Edit: he does in the Q&A!), but this is more than made up for with an extensive QA session at the end from players fans nd other keepers
Quote literally something for everyone.

Working in sales there are a number of books which talk hyperbolically of these ideas. This is a man who has been there, done it, got the (number 1!) shirt!
Englands englands number one!