How Not to Be a Professional Footballer

The first half of this book is like reading the daily detention list at any high school...same kids doing the same things that get themselves in trouble and they keep right on doing it day after day. Same thing with our boy here. Mr Merson obviously had little self-control when it comes to gambling and drinking, and the generous salary he earned did nothing do deter such behavior. Basically the same sad story over and over again.The second half of the book adds cocaine to that mix, although it comes with more severe consequences and Mr Merson actually seems to start learning from his mistakes, but only to a point. The only difference between him and many other addicts is that he's got a bigger bank account. Or at least he did at one time.Overall I liked this autobiography along with its tell-all content, and while I was not able to work up one bit of sorrow for the lad, I found him to be a likeable chap. Some of the stories he recants here had me shaking my head at his stupidity and disregard for himself and others, while others had me laughing out loud. A heck of a lot more interesting than Wayne Rooney's book! LOL

$1.99 for the kindle version of this book is just irresistible, especially for a gooner like me. I was still a young Arsenal fan when Merson was playing for Arsenal. He was arguable the most talented player in the team during the George Graham era. I knew he had a gambling/drinking/drug problem at that time but was too young to understand. I love this book very much for Merson's honesty. He's not trying to paint himself to be a saint or trying to make excuses for himself. He's really telling it as it is. The reads on his time at Arsenal are entertaining. It's sad to read of how much he's wasted on gambling/drinking and drugs. One can feel the love for the game in Merson just reading the book. This was a time when players played for the love of the game more than money.

How Paul achieved what he did during his career while facing such demons is amazing.You can't help but like the guy.

A well written book about Paul Merson that caught me by surprise. I do my usually read books on the life of soccer players but this is different. Such a nice guy with so many demons. Not just one addiction but to be addicted to alcohol, drugs and gambling is just tragic. A great read but disappointed he is still gambling.

Very honest book and quite entertaining. Merson does not shy away from talking about his own problems throughout his career. He was a very talented player, and this is one of the more interesting autobiographies from a footballer that I've read because of how honest Merson is about his life in football and outside it.

Interesting read, with a lot of good mischievous stories. The game has definitely changed, nobody would get away with a quarter of his antics!

Fun read. Merse is a proper legend.

Great read for the football fan but also for those who want an insight into addiction issues too. A riot of a story and a soul laid bare.

Many years ago, I had a job that involved a prominent football club, with players who were virtually heroes in the local community. Up close, they were immature big schoolboys with the manager and coaches as surrogate headmaster and teachers respectively. This book took me right back to those days. If the author leaving something brown and steaming on his team mate's hotel balcony makes you fall about laughing, you'll love this. I'm way from being a prude but I couldn't get past what an all round idiocy I was reading about.

I always knew this was going to be a wild biography given the adverse publicity Paul Merson has received during his life. Had mixed feelings about the actual biography though, inciteful and certainly shocking but was left scratching my head thinking what a waste of talent and money. Reading his encounters with gambling, drink and drugs he must be very fortunate to come through it having still had a decent career and still alive. Although he has suffered the addictions and put his family through some tough times it is to his credit that he has tackled his demons and somehow managing to keep them under control. I cannot begin to imagine what it must be like to suffer these addictions so it is an interesting account of some of his rougher times.A decent entertaining read but can’t help feeling that there are some large holes in his accounts and that he makes it sound a bit too much of a laugh. Serious topic that has a detrimental effect on a lot of peoples life should perhaps not be addressed so lightly.

Wow, what a crazy roller coaster journey Paul Merson's life has been! From the minute I started reading incredible stories detailing binge drinking, drug abuse and wild gambling kept me reading with sheer disbelief!Not only does this give an insight to the trails and tribulations of Paul Merson's life, he also talks about the differences in how club set ups are run. From the über professional set up under Arsene Wenger to the farcical set ups at lower leave clubs. As a football fan a lot of questions about what footballers lives are like we're answered in this book. To be honest I don't think there life is a rosy as people imagine. What I found extremely refreshing was the journey you take through Paul Merson's low moments, battling a triple fold of addictions which Merse took to the extreme. To the man many of us see today as a pundit on Soccer Saturday, his life completely turned around.Please read this book, you will travel to the lowest person a human being could be and then witness the recovery. I have a new found respect for Paul Merson.

The lifestyle of a top professional footballer is a recipe for disaster - lots of money and too much free time, with nothing to replace the 'buzz' of a 90-minute game until the next one comes along. Some stay grounded and focused, some go a little off the rails occasionally - and then there's Paul Merson!This is a brutally honest account of the man's struggle to cope with life off the pitch and his addictions to drink, drugs and gambling. All of which might make the book sound a bit dark and depressing, but it's well-written in a chatty, conversational style which keeps it light, and there is plenty of humour in the mix as well.I thoroughly enjoyed it - and I'm a Chelsea fan!

I followed Arsenal avidly back in the 90s and this took me back to special times. I'd forgotten just how special Arsenal were back then and the truly magnificent players that were a partn of it, Wright, Parkour, Dennis B, Rocastle, Adams, K Campbell, Dixon, Winterburn, Known and The Merse. Football was so different back then and Paul Merson takes you back there with his tales and anecdotes. I always knew he was a character and had trouble off the pitch but I had no idea to what extent.A brilliant read. I didn't want it to end.