The Damned Utd
*Starred Review* What happens when a soccer coach—or football manager, as they’re called in England—takes over a team he despises? In anticipation of Peace’s forthcoming Red or Dead, a novel about the legendary Bill Shankly’s 15 years (1959–74) in charge of Liverpool, the publisher offers a first U.S. edition of this 2006 novel, which makes a perfect bookend with its fictionalized account of counterpart Brian Clough’s turbulent 44-day tenure at Leeds United in 1974. The tale is told in parallel story lines: in the present, Clough arrives at Leeds and takes charge of the team. In the past, Clough manages Derby County, a small team in a lower division, to the absolute heights of success, only to be undermined by his own outsize personality. We learn about his utter hatred for Leeds and their manager, Don Revie; his disgust at the unsportsmanlike antics of the players; his suspicion that some of their victories are bought and paid for. He replaces Revie, but the players won’t play for him, and the season gets off to a nightmarish start. Worse, he’s missing his right-hand man, Peter Taylor, a savvy scout whose absence feels more like an amputation. In a stream-of-consciousness, first-person narration, Peace builds tension and characterization brilliantly, imparting an epic feel to what was ultimately a brief, failed experiment. Clough would find success again with another team and continues to be regarded as one of the greatest managers—and most entertaining personalities—in the English game. (He died in 2004.) The book ruffled some feathers but was a deserved hit, and it was adapted into a fine film, The Damned United, starring Michael Sheen. --Keir Graff--This text refers to an alternatePaperbackedition.