Saturday, July 6, 2024

A Class Above


Paul Davis' autobiography is just like the man himself: measured; refined and with a touch of class. Davis; the iconic midfielder for Arsenal in the 1980s alongside the likes of Steve Williams; David Rocastle & Michael Thomas; touches on his early days when he struggled with life in the lower boroughs of London; his long trek up the Arsenal ranks; and finally to his days as a full-fledged starting fixture in the first team. He also touches on his life after Arsenal; when he attempted to become a coach but met many obstacles along the way; leading him to different stops in the football organization; and it's safe to say he has not quite hit the heights as an administrator as he did in football.

Like some autobiographies; the book suffers from an over-tedious feel; some of the stories are not quite interesting; and some of it just seems to lead to nowhere. Also; there is a common problem of Davis over-repeating himself; thus leading to the same theories again & again. It is clear that he feels quite strongly about certain issues; such as racism and identity; and how difficult it was for black kids in the neighborhood back in those days. He also touches on the issue of favoritism and biasness; and how he was often overlooked as a good coach just because of his race and nothing else; in the process singling out his disdain for Arsenal's legendary defender Steve Bould.

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