Stick to football
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I bought this book hoping to learn a little more about the tormented genius of El Diego. I have no doubt that he is the greatest footballer of my generation having played in such a unique style and lifting so many trophies.
I wanted to learn more about the man and hear his side of his fascinating story. However, he never gives any kind of insight into his life; his motives, his ideas, his genius.
All you get is a very contradictory view of the controversies for which he is greatly known. Ok, he admits to taking drugs, but he doesn't explain why he took them or how he started. And worst still, he doesn't seem to understand or appreciate why he was banned so often for taking them.
All in all, a good story which could have been told much better...he really let the tortoise get away this time!
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A warts and genius who done it his way
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All Crews: Journey's Through Jungle / Drum and Bass Culture By: Brian Belle-Fortune
Whether you were there or not, if you have an interest in the unique history of British dance music and the place the jungle/D&B scenes has than you will love reading this book. Like the jungle/D&B music at its best it's a high speed race through the people, places, scenes that made up a scene that's approaching 20 years deep (yeah,it's that long). I myself was away from London at University in the early '90s when it started hitting hard but with 5 brothers (!) I used to come back to town to be hooked up with my Kenny Ken, Top Buzz, Roast etc mixtapes and jump in the back of a transit van with my brothers to hit them outer London raves where it was going off. Since then the love affair has continued with my TDK 90 mixtapes of the finest Groove, Fabio, Bukem, Photek, Kenny Ken, Top Buzz, Bristol crew regularly dusted off and always sounding fresh.
Read this you will definitely reload this!
`El Diego' by Maradona (Yellow Jersey, 2004)
World's Greatest or simply the best footballer? A measure of the footballer that is `El Diego', Diego Maradona or in one word Maradona is that such a debate still goes on in bars, bistros, shebeens, pubs and clubs the world over. One such story;
several years ago I was in a seaside café in Bahia, Brazil speaking football with a avid Brazilian football fan (of course in true football style I spoke no Portugese and he spoke no English!) whose constant repetition of his belief in the inalienable superiority of Brazilian football I abruptly interrupted with one word; `Maradona'.
This little book gets as close to the the public, private life and indeed person that is Maradona as we're likely to get. Reflecting in its erratic writing the workings of the football genius he was. From the curious use of language (there's little guide Maradona speak at the beginning) to his run down of football players including daming praise for Pelé through to his love for the Marxist revolutionary Erneststo `Che' Guevara, this is an insight into pressures of world wide fame & adulation in a period when football truly became big global business. There's real insight into the motivating fuel behind his determination (the `bronca') to live his life his own way despite the pressures from all sides and his, by own frank admissions, many mistakes and flaws. In all, the gleaming diamond in this book is Maradona's own description of every millisecond of the greatest individual goal scored in World Cup history against England in Mexico '86. This alone makes this book worth reading and makes anyone who doubted it understand that the first `hand of god' goal is but a footnote in football history (sorry but it's true).
I have no doubt I will be talking about that, and other Maradona, goals again in some remote café with a stranger many times before there is another player like Maradona. If only our modern footballers had a fraction of his talent and passion for the game!
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Well written but not the full story
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This is a very good read from a great player and Maradona doesn't shy away from saying what he thinks of other people. What he does shy away from however is any admittance that he might on any occasion have been in the wrong. In Maradona's mind, the entire world revolves around him and is, usually, out to get him. He see's himself as a lone crusader, crushing corruption and doing everything "for the people". What he comes across as, is a self obsessed and extremely arrogant and unpleasant character.
It's an entertaining read and I've no doubt that these negative points of the mans character are what have driven him to be possibly the best footballer the world has ever seen. I wouldn't want to spend a single second in his company though.
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MARADONA- The Greatest Footballing Talent ever to walk on a blade of grass!
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Wow what a fantastic book. You feel that Maradona is really speaking to you in a one on one. Very easy to read. His Character and personality definitly shine through on each page.
Certainly the Godfather of modern Football. Just look at the huge influence he's had on the game today. Henry, Zola, Cantona Aimar, Bellmy, Zidane, Riquelme, Messi and many more have all imitated Maradona.
A freak of nature. A Natural born Genius, a little bit crazy
and as the Gary Liniker interview showed- A pretty cool guy as well.
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El Diego, the ego!
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El Diego takes you through the life of Diego Maradonna through the words of Maradona. He focuses on the good times, the winning of the 1986 World Cup, the winning of Italian titles etc. What you really want is the details of the low-points of his career, his taking of drugs is only touched upon. So if you want a full account of Maradona's career then don't get this book.
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