A really interesting insight into ghosting Henry. Is it more of an interview or a conversation when you do it. Do you have topics or particular occasions that you think should be covered and point them towards them, or just let them talk and ask a few clarification question?
While writing can I just say that I am finding your posts to be spot on, interesting and really well written. Cheers.
Fascinating to read about your ghost writing exploits Henry. Thank you - so generous of you to share that. Luminaries, yes, but enlightening to hear of their common touch and generosity of spirit towards you. I will never be ghostwriting for such folks (not for any folks!!) but nonetheless should I take my own writing further I found it very helpful. Merely on the strength of the title - Obsession - your own project sounds very interesting - a sequel perhaps to “50 Years of Hurt”? Or maybe it runs in parallel. Looking forward to that one .
Great article Henry on two different topics. Look greats to the two books. Obsession sounds very interesting.
Quite right about England and Carsley. I have always said the job is going your way be to big for him and they are waiting to see what goes on with Eddie Howe as the season develops as there is no rush to make an appointment. The stick Carsley took got nit dinging the anthem though is a joke. Who cares. I don’t watch football to see who dings an anthem or not. Personal choice. He never did it at U21 level. It’s what goes on out on the pitch which is important. It just part of the dad PC WOKE times we live in now. I wish him well and hope he still does not sing the anthem. I liked the team he picked. Gordon is a must. Energy. Trent at right back is the way forward to although Ireland were shocking. So poor.
Totally agree. He has to be the staring right back now. Walker is slowly in decline. He had a really poor Euro’s which people don’t seem to be picking up. His defending was shocking at times. How he got in the team of the tournament was beyond me. Much better right backs at the Euro’s this year. Look forward to the books.
Great article Henry. I remember watching the England players in Italia 90, and they didn't all sing the national anthem then. In fact, Paul Gascoigne stuck his tongue out during the anthem before the Belgium game, and we all all thought it was very funny. I don't remember any fuss about the players not singing at the time, and there were a number of them.
I thought calls for Lee Carsley to be sacked were embarrassing. I am only interested in what happens on the pitch. Will certain sections of the English press ever desist from this kind of counterproductive nonsense? I guess not.
Some people are just not demonstrative in the way that certain others demand when it comes to the national anthem, and there is nothing wrong with that.
The fuss about this reminds me of the "battle" and "troops" metaphors that we used to see in the press when England played. They did nothing but hinder England over the years. Passion without intelligence and control is useless, and that is where England have repeatedly gone wrong. Every country has passion, it is not enough on its own. Witness the Brazilian spontaneous combustion in the 2014 semi-final against Germany, when they were far too emotional during their national anthem.
The English national anthem should be Waterloo Sunset. It is not too southern centric, as it was originally written as a paean to Mersybeat, as Liverpool Sunset. Imagine tens of thousands of England fans singing that. It would be magical.
thanks Richard, the military metaphors' issue and sensitivities is a good point. I learned my lesson at the Telegraph when I did a piece extolling Japanese hosting of the 2002 World Cup, and the letters I got from ex-soldiers, including Burma, were long and toxic.
Coincidently, my Grandfather fought in Burma in WW2, and lost his arm at Imphal (he passed away in 1999).
Though he wouldn't have written you a letter of complaint for quite reasonably praising Japan's hosting of the 2002 World Cup (I thought it was a great World Cup also!), I don't know if he would have sat with me and watched England play in Japan, like we sat and watched them play in France 98. I just don't know, and I might not have put that question to the test.
I can't speak for any veteran of that campaign other than him, but though he didn't send off for his medals (I think because of how he was treated on his return home, and the fact that he had to send off for them), he did avoid buying any Japanese products for the rest of his life.
I knew him very well, and he wasn't a prejudiced person, but though he never mentioned the war to his children, he did to me, when I asked him about it in the late 1990s, when I was in my 20s.
He spoke about the Gurkhas with the greatest respect, and his time in India with no little wonder, among other things.
Trauma can dilate time. I didn't ask about his wounding, but he described the blue flashes of the Japanese anti-tank guns as though he had seen them yesterday, and I think that informed his views.
Isn't international football messy sometimes? All the history that can sometimes swirl around it, depending on who is playing, and where they are playing.
Great stuff. It will be interesting to see how the Carsley reign/ interregnum pans out. On the ‘anthem’ issue: I can remember when no fuss at all was made about the singing of it, either by managers or the players themselves.
Fascinating insights into your work as a ‘ghost-writer.’ I’m assuming your book, when you finally write it, will offer many more. I look forward to reading it.
thanks Peter, ghosting is fun but it's all about the subject matter. I turn down a couple a year because they simply don't inspire me. Having said that I regret turning down Beckham's first book! That was a belter.
National Anthems are supposed to be emotional and there are some absolute crackers out there. My favourite is the Italian - what a tune and it just sums up the Captain Corelli style fun of their people. God Save the King is, of course, the anthem for the UK, and the Scots and Welsh have their own anthems. England should do the same and Jerusalem would probably be the best choice. Abide With Me is too turgid, notwithstanding it being the Cup Final anthem. Rule Britannia fails on two counts….it isn’t Anglia and some of the words are for another age. I know, let’s have an anthem with no words - The Hornpipe from the sea shanties, which a La Last Night of the Proms, keeps accelerating and skipping beats, so the orchestra always finishes first!
Italian one is basically two, you're just regaining breath and then they launch in again. USA and France surely top two, and South Africa. There's one that is the same as GB's, there was one game England played them so they played it twice.
Very good, Allen, as long as it smells of success. Tbh there's a trend for one-word titles, Spare etc, which is why I suggested Upfront for Duncan but they wanted Big Dunc.
Look forward to your book Henry when it comes out.
A really interesting insight into ghosting Henry. Is it more of an interview or a conversation when you do it. Do you have topics or particular occasions that you think should be covered and point them towards them, or just let them talk and ask a few clarification question?
While writing can I just say that I am finding your posts to be spot on, interesting and really well written. Cheers.
Fascinating to read about your ghost writing exploits Henry. Thank you - so generous of you to share that. Luminaries, yes, but enlightening to hear of their common touch and generosity of spirit towards you. I will never be ghostwriting for such folks (not for any folks!!) but nonetheless should I take my own writing further I found it very helpful. Merely on the strength of the title - Obsession - your own project sounds very interesting - a sequel perhaps to “50 Years of Hurt”? Or maybe it runs in parallel. Looking forward to that one .
the sequel to 50 years of Hurt I'd love to write is 90 minutes of glory, David. One day! Obsession is more a journey through football.
Great article Henry on two different topics. Look greats to the two books. Obsession sounds very interesting.
Quite right about England and Carsley. I have always said the job is going your way be to big for him and they are waiting to see what goes on with Eddie Howe as the season develops as there is no rush to make an appointment. The stick Carsley took got nit dinging the anthem though is a joke. Who cares. I don’t watch football to see who dings an anthem or not. Personal choice. He never did it at U21 level. It’s what goes on out on the pitch which is important. It just part of the dad PC WOKE times we live in now. I wish him well and hope he still does not sing the anthem. I liked the team he picked. Gordon is a must. Energy. Trent at right back is the way forward to although Ireland were shocking. So poor.
Nice work as usual.
thanks John. I'm slightly rowing back on my Trent in midfield Euro campaign! but the main thing is to get such a talent in the side.
Totally agree. He has to be the staring right back now. Walker is slowly in decline. He had a really poor Euro’s which people don’t seem to be picking up. His defending was shocking at times. How he got in the team of the tournament was beyond me. Much better right backs at the Euro’s this year. Look forward to the books.
Great article Henry. I remember watching the England players in Italia 90, and they didn't all sing the national anthem then. In fact, Paul Gascoigne stuck his tongue out during the anthem before the Belgium game, and we all all thought it was very funny. I don't remember any fuss about the players not singing at the time, and there were a number of them.
I thought calls for Lee Carsley to be sacked were embarrassing. I am only interested in what happens on the pitch. Will certain sections of the English press ever desist from this kind of counterproductive nonsense? I guess not.
Some people are just not demonstrative in the way that certain others demand when it comes to the national anthem, and there is nothing wrong with that.
The fuss about this reminds me of the "battle" and "troops" metaphors that we used to see in the press when England played. They did nothing but hinder England over the years. Passion without intelligence and control is useless, and that is where England have repeatedly gone wrong. Every country has passion, it is not enough on its own. Witness the Brazilian spontaneous combustion in the 2014 semi-final against Germany, when they were far too emotional during their national anthem.
The English national anthem should be Waterloo Sunset. It is not too southern centric, as it was originally written as a paean to Mersybeat, as Liverpool Sunset. Imagine tens of thousands of England fans singing that. It would be magical.
thanks Richard, the military metaphors' issue and sensitivities is a good point. I learned my lesson at the Telegraph when I did a piece extolling Japanese hosting of the 2002 World Cup, and the letters I got from ex-soldiers, including Burma, were long and toxic.
Thanks for the reply Henry.
Coincidently, my Grandfather fought in Burma in WW2, and lost his arm at Imphal (he passed away in 1999).
Though he wouldn't have written you a letter of complaint for quite reasonably praising Japan's hosting of the 2002 World Cup (I thought it was a great World Cup also!), I don't know if he would have sat with me and watched England play in Japan, like we sat and watched them play in France 98. I just don't know, and I might not have put that question to the test.
I can't speak for any veteran of that campaign other than him, but though he didn't send off for his medals (I think because of how he was treated on his return home, and the fact that he had to send off for them), he did avoid buying any Japanese products for the rest of his life.
I knew him very well, and he wasn't a prejudiced person, but though he never mentioned the war to his children, he did to me, when I asked him about it in the late 1990s, when I was in my 20s.
He spoke about the Gurkhas with the greatest respect, and his time in India with no little wonder, among other things.
Trauma can dilate time. I didn't ask about his wounding, but he described the blue flashes of the Japanese anti-tank guns as though he had seen them yesterday, and I think that informed his views.
Isn't international football messy sometimes? All the history that can sometimes swirl around it, depending on who is playing, and where they are playing.
Great stuff. It will be interesting to see how the Carsley reign/ interregnum pans out. On the ‘anthem’ issue: I can remember when no fuss at all was made about the singing of it, either by managers or the players themselves.
Fascinating insights into your work as a ‘ghost-writer.’ I’m assuming your book, when you finally write it, will offer many more. I look forward to reading it.
thanks Peter, ghosting is fun but it's all about the subject matter. I turn down a couple a year because they simply don't inspire me. Having said that I regret turning down Beckham's first book! That was a belter.
National Anthems are supposed to be emotional and there are some absolute crackers out there. My favourite is the Italian - what a tune and it just sums up the Captain Corelli style fun of their people. God Save the King is, of course, the anthem for the UK, and the Scots and Welsh have their own anthems. England should do the same and Jerusalem would probably be the best choice. Abide With Me is too turgid, notwithstanding it being the Cup Final anthem. Rule Britannia fails on two counts….it isn’t Anglia and some of the words are for another age. I know, let’s have an anthem with no words - The Hornpipe from the sea shanties, which a La Last Night of the Proms, keeps accelerating and skipping beats, so the orchestra always finishes first!
Italian one is basically two, you're just regaining breath and then they launch in again. USA and France surely top two, and South Africa. There's one that is the same as GB's, there was one game England played them so they played it twice.
Is it Lichtenstein that’s the same as ours? Yes USA, France and SA are all great, but the Italians get my vote (along with the Welsh, dare I say it?)
Can one assume that ‘Obsession’ is to be ghost-written by Calvin Klein? 😉
Thanks for another thoughtful piece on England, albeit completely depressing.
Very good, Allen, as long as it smells of success. Tbh there's a trend for one-word titles, Spare etc, which is why I suggested Upfront for Duncan but they wanted Big Dunc.