The end of the 2023/2024 Premier League season is drawing near and it is set to reach a last-minute conclusion. So as an Arsenal fan, it only made sense to reflect on one of our own: Ian Wright.
His autobiography, a lot like the Premier League, is filled with passion, drama, and turbulence. And – it’s got something for everyone.
For the Tacticians
Ian’s autobiography called A Life in Football is split into four parts, and the first part jumps into the action.
In the section cleverly named ‘Highbury High’ Wright tells the reader about his time at Arsenal under George Graham and The Professor: Arsene Wenger. As much as I criticised his last few years at the club, I am a big Wenger fan, and like many, I’m still fascinated with the improvements he made to the game.
Ian describes the type of diet that he consumed while at the club and shares how different Wenger’s advancements were in comparison to other clubs. He even shares some insight into how the club was run after he left.
This part of the book also contains sections about Ian’s attitude to scoring, and he supplies the reader with football basics and tactics that helped him become an Arsenal icon.
For the World Changers
A Life in Football, gives the reader a walk through the good, the bad, and the ugly. The ugly being racism in football and dubious football agents.
The Arsenal icon explains the issues in football well and shares the uncomfortable parallel between racism in football and the government’s inability to fully tackle racism in England. He pushes the parallel further and explains why the issues of racism still linger in both situations.
One of the most difficult parts of the book was the introduction to the world of football agents. Anyone who watches football knows some agents get into the industry to help their clients, and some are just in the industry to get rich, sometimes to the detriment of their clients.
In A Life in Football, Ian Wright shares facts about how agents manage to sign young players and how they affect the transfers of elite players that seem to come out of the blue.
For Those With Football Nostalgia
Ian Wright grippingly writes about his upbringing and his first touch with football at a school level. He shares his journey with his audience, and reading the book makes it clear why so many talented players don’t get the opportunity to play at a high level.
Wright’s near misses show the reader how one decision can change your life for the better or sadly for the worse. Thankfully in his case, the latter didn’t happen.
It’s clear from reading his story that every person, regardless of what they’re doing, needs mentors, people who can act as supporters, and a community to keep them on the right path.
Perfect Touch
The best thing about reading the book is that it’s clear although Ian Wright was a professional footballer, more than that, he’s a real football fan. He loves the game, would love to see it improve, and appreciates his career.
Ian Wright’s life is football-driven, and reading the book makes it clear how the title was birthed. Arsenal fans, autobiography fans, Premier League fans, this one’s for you.
Title: Passion, Drama, and Turbulence: A Life in Football
Author: Leonie Thomas
Date Published: 30.4.2024
Leonie Thomas 