When, in 1980, Liam Brady published a memoir, 'So Far So Good', a few eyebrows were no-doubt raised at the audacity of a 24-year-old footballer issuing such a retrospective. While that book was subtitled 'A Decade in Football', his upcoming autobiography has a far broader purview. He can now add more than 40 years to the story.
Sadly, those 40 years include little or no playing time in an Arsenal shirt. As 'So Far So Good' hit the bookshops, Liam was winging his way to Italy, where he would expand his footballing horizons and forge a career across spells at Juventus, Sampdoria, Inter and Ascoli.
Of course, Liam's Arsenal story did not end with his Italian sojourn. He returned to Highbury in 1996 to take a leading role at our Academy, through which he oversaw nearly 20 years of Arsenal's youth development.
Not only one of Arsenal's greatest ever players, Liam Brady's Arsenal story has far-reaching implications for our club both on and off the pitch. He talks about football in a way that is direct, honest and illuminating. This promises to be an insightful and compelling read.
'Born to be a Footballer: My Autobiography' will be published by Eriu on October 12, 2023.
RELEASE DATE: October 12, 2023
Note: It appears that the book will be available with two different covers: one that celebrates his accomplishments for the Republic of Ireland national team (above); and one that features him in an Arsenal shirt (below).
PUBLISHER'S DESCRIPTION
"Being a footballer was my destiny."
After being expelled from school for playing football for his country, fifteen-year-old Liam Brady travelled to London to join Arsenal, and soon became an indispensable part of their glorious 1970s team. Rightly considered one of the Republic of Ireland's best-ever footballers, he went on to enjoy successes with Juventus, Sampdoria and West Ham, as well as managing Celtic and Brighton and Hove, and becoming assistant manager of his national team. Today he is best known for his much-respected TV punditry and searingly intelligent insights into the game he adores.
Full of honest insights, amusing anecdotes and recollections of extraordinary times, with Born to be a Footballer Brady delivers a compelling story of a fifty-year career that is unparalleled in Irish sport.
PUBLISHER'S AUTHOR PROFILE
Liam Brady was born in Dublin in 1956 into a footballing family. Having displayed great potential as a young player he was recruited to Arsenal at the age of fifteen, and enjoyed huge success with the club until his move to Juventus in 1980. He continued his career in Italy playing with Sampdoria, Internazionale and Ascoli before returning to London and joining West Ham in 1987.
With the Republic of Ireland he won 72 international caps over a 16-year career, and is considered one of the greatest footballers the country has ever produced. After retiring from the pitch he went on to manage Celtic and Brighton and Hove, and became Head of Youth Development at Arsenal. He was also assistant manager for the Republic of Ireland from 2008-2010. He has been a football analyst for RTÉ since 1998.
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