Author:Alun Carter,Nicholas Bishop
Alun Carter experienced the highs and lows of the Wales national rugby squad throughout his 12 years working for the WRU. During this time, he saw a number of high-profile coaches come and go, and in Seeing Red he delivers a brutally honest account of what it was like to work with each of them. From the inspirational successes of the Graham Henry and Mike Ruddock eras to the disappointments and failures of the Steve Hansen and Gareth Jenkins regimes, the reader is given an insider's version of what really went on.
Carter does not shy away from controversy, and he pulls no punches in his assessment of the rift between Graham Henry and Sir Clive Woodward, the personal and political situation that led to Mike Ruddock losing his job, and the difficulty of handling the group dynamics within the national squad. The former analyst also provides an informed appraisal of the remarkable 2005 and 2008 Grand Slam victories.
Winner of best rugby book at the 2009 British Sports Book Awards, Seeing Red provides a warts-and-all account of more than a decade of Welsh rugby and is packed with revelations, exclusive contributions and untold stories that will intrigue and delight all fans of the sport.
A revealing insider's view that shows what can go wrong when strong personalities clash behind the scenes at the highest level of professional sport
—— International Rugby News[Carter] sees the playing and management sides of the same coin in a way that a player's autobiography so rarely does
—— The TimesCarter wields a sharp pen, and draws blood from a number of key figures he feels were flawed . . . explosive . . . revelatory
—— Book of the Week , Independent on SundayThrilling, insightful and often humourous . . . [Kimball] captures the contests, the fighters and the period with a wonderful perception
—— The IndependentAn intoxicating, captivating tale of great boxers in a fatally flawed environment
—— The HeraldA flawless and singular account of fights that remain potent and important decades after the final bell . . . Four Kings will, unquestionably, be ranked as a classic boxing book that will take future generations back to those smoky, raucous ringside nights in Vegas
—— Irish TimesFight fans wanting a good read on their summer holidays should grab a copy
—— Colin Hart , The SunCertainly the best value of any book out there at the minute as well as being comfortably among the best . . . probably the best boxing book since Kevin Mitchell's War, Baby
—— Sunday TribuneA born storyteller, [Kimball] throws in enough yarns and anecdotes to fill three or four books
—— Sunday Business Post