Few players can be likened to Rio Ferdinand, whether on and off the pitch. On the pitch, his defending act was nearly impeccable, earning him an extended stay at the heart of the Manchester United historic defence. Many have lauded his great positioning and reading of the game. Off the pitch, Ferdinand is again in a class of his own. He has excellent business acumen and stands out among fellow players. But that is not what makes Ferdinand special. In an environment, such as England, it is usual for players to be silenced by the unforgiving fans and harsh English media, but Ferdinand defied the norm to have a strong voice. In an atmosphere that believed that players were not entitled to opinion and intelligence, Rio made sure he was never silenced.
As expected, Rio’s book is a further stamp on his personality. Told in an engaging and compelling style, #2sides is an honest story of Ferdinand from the streets of Peckham to playing as one of the best defenders in the English Premier League to retirement and to his time with David Moyes, the manager of Manchester United after Sir. Alex Ferguson’s era. #2sides is an outspoken book on the amazements and disappointments of the beautiful game. But that isn’t all Ferdinand tells. There is, of course, more to Rio.
The book is not just a diary keeping a timeline of games and goals, as many football biographies are. #2sides is more like a detailed journal telling of a glamorous career. There is a lot of winning and losing. There is the saying that winners are defined by how they handled losing, and Ferdinand bares it all on his highs and lows, leaving readers to judge how much of a winner or loser he was. But Ferdinand couldn’t possibly be a loser, could he? It may be the reader’s decision, but there would hardly be anyone to condemn Rio for quitting. Much is said about the general elements of football too, with special chapters talking the art of defending and attacking.
Perhaps the most famous (or infamous if you will) part of #2sides is Ferdinand’s view of David Moyes. The book’s accounts of the ill-fated United manager were brutal, rare and insightful, given that he had worked with the man just after the big boss’s retirement. This would be a part specially reserved for Manchester United fans who must have been horrified by the style of football that succeeded the 2013 league triumph. The book, or rather Rio, is scathing of the manager’s tactics, leaving the impression that a lot was going wrong in Manchester United’s backroom then.
In this book, readers understand the defiant, perhaps fiery, spirit behind Ferdinand’s decisions. Readers have access to his minds, and more often than not, are left fascinated at the turn of the last page. For most controversial decisions Rio made during his playing days, the book attempts (quite successfully) to give explanations and the logic behind it all. The decisions involved aren’t limited to football, though, and there is a lot to know about his private life. His choice of friends and foes are discussed too, with his relationship with John Terry, in particular, is focused on.
#2Sides: My Autobiography talks about life from a footballing perspective with such a commendable brilliance that at the last page, a reader may feel he has gone through a comprehensive journal on philosophy. But giving this much regard to the philosophical aspect of this book might tend to mislead potential readers that no real talk on football is contained herein. That is, however, the extent of the book’s excellence that it is possible to tell fully Ferdinand’s story and at the same time be useful to a reader uninterested in football. This is very laudable considering that sports biographies are barely known for special insights on certain unique life circumstances.
As you conclude, as all great books do, you subconsciously come to the realization that you’re being schooled by the great Rio Ferdinand himself. You see that the story you’ve been reading has not only been entertaining but also impactful. You are prepared for some of the toughest decisions you may come to make in the future. Of course, this is not to say that #2sides contain a chapter on brainstorming and decision-making, but Rio’s determinants are highly recommended if you are to decide on any issue too.
There are also pages on old and new rivalries in the beautiful game. #2sides is a remarkable telling of a fantastic and fulfilling career, making it just perfect for youngsters or budding athletes aiming to build successful careers. Readers understand the personality of the player, managing fame and constantly giving all. #2sides describes Ferdinand pushing himself, even when it seemed he had reached his breaking point. Readers realize that there is a difference between a man and his career. Ferdinand shows us, in vivid colors, the little things that make up playing for his team, his country and, most notably, himself.
#2sides: The Autobiography is a full account of a man whom the world has once revolved around and has, commendably, made sure his voice shone through at all times. In #2sides, Rio answers the most critical question of all: “Who is Rio Ferdinand?”
#2sides has 29 chapters that revolve around all spheres of life, 2 sections of pictures, a comprehensive index and a forward from Harry Redknapp. With 263 pages, the book covers all facets of Ferdinand’s life and at the same time does not become too tasking to the readers.
About The Authors
#2sides is authored by David Winner, but it is obvious there is a lot of input from Ferdinand. The latter is considered as a co-author of the book.
Rio Gavin Ferdinand
Rio Ferdinand holds a special place in the heart of the Manchester United faithful. Whether it is his well-timed interceptions of attacks or unmatched reading of the game, the England international cannot be forgotten by the Old Trafford cult. Ferdinand played at the heart of the Manchester defence as a center back for 12 memorable years, having arrived from Leeds United from a record transfer fee in 2002. Rio was born in Camberwell, England on 7 November 1978 and stands at an impressive 6 ft 2 in.
Ferdinand is regarded by many as one of the greatest defenders to have graced England’s football and holds his place as one of the most decorated players in history, with many of his cups coming from the glorious years of Manchester United under the tutelage of Sir. Alex Ferguson. Between 1997 and 2011, Ferdinand appeared for the England national team 81 times and appeared in three FIFA World Cup tournaments, making him one of the longest-serving players for England.
As one of the most successful players of all time, Ferdinand has a remarkable cabinet of honors. During his time with Manchester United, he won 6 league titles, 2 Football League cups, 4 FA Community Shields, 1 UEFA Champions League and Club World Cup. Before that time, he won the UEFA Intertoto Cup with Westham.
On the field, Ferdinand is known for his intelligent reading of games and accurate positioning. Off the pitch, he is quite outspoken and brazen, a believer in telling the truth. He has featured in the cinema world, his first foray coming in 2008 as an executive producer. He has also taken part in other films that look to persuade youngsters away from a life of crime. In 2017, Ferdinand tried out boxing but was denied the rights in 2018. He also runs the Rio Ferdinand Live the Dream Foundation as a way of helping young people put with their dreams.
Ferdinand was married to Rebecca Ellison before her death and had three kids with her. At present, he is a TV pundit for BT Sports.
David Winner
David Winner is an English author and journalist. He was born on 5 December 1956. He has written other biographies, such as “Stillness and Speed – the biography of Dennis Bergkamp”. His most famous books are “Those Feet: An Intimate History of English Football (2005)”, and “Brilliant Orange: The Neurotic Genius of Dutch Football (2000)”.
#2 Sides- Plot, Themes, Character
#2sides is written in such a way that the plot, theme, and character perfectly blend to tell a unique story in the most compelling way. But there is more to it. What has stood out in the book is the honesty with which it was written. Many biographies have been written, but there is hardly any that speaks as much as truth as #2sides: The Autobiography does. In fact, for many readers, this brutal telling of facts is the major selling factor of the book. The storyline in #2sides is conventional, following his life from the earliest phases to 2014 and although Rio has a great success story, it is in the telling that the story is better appreciated.
The story begins with Ferdinand growing up on the streets of Peckham as the product of a white mom and black dad. So, as expected, there was always going to be a lot of problems. The pages tell us about facing the older boys as he grew up. His family was a large one, his mother was one of six children, and his father arrived in Britain with ten other family members. The earliest pages talked of his time growing up, the parks he played at and the strong inclination he felt for football despite his family’s lackadaisical interest in the beautiful game.
“My Dad didn’t care much for football. He was more into kung fu. But I played every day, every weekend, every hour.
After school, I’d be outside messing about with skills or kicking about on the estate… We might have been on a council estate in south London, but our outlook was international. A guy called Stefan had all the latest videos from Serie A in Italy, which was the best league in the world at the time. So we’d troop over to Stefan’s house, watch Italian football then go out and try to replicate what we’d seen.”
Rio Ferdinand, “#2Sides: My Autobiography,” page 2.
The subsequent chapters tell of Ferdinand getting into the football world at an early age. Even as a child, his talent shone through. We find out a lot about his early formative years playing across England, mainly because of his interest in traveling and meeting new people. The book follows his youth career with Westham United at the club’s academy. Here, he played alongside many others, and readers get to know of his close friendship with Frank Lampard then.
His time at Old Trafford is extensively told too. The book tells the stories behind the scenes and his feeling playing for the club then, saying, “If you haven’t got that element of nastiness, that single-mindedness, that will win at all costs, if you’ve not got that, then Manchester United isn’t the place for you.” With these pages, the reader is elated as he remembers the good old days when the Old Trafford side was all about winning.
“He was a master of psychology, knew how to get the best out of every player and created an unstoppable winning mentality.”
Impossible to leave out, #2sides talks about working with Sir. Alex Ferguson. Ferdinand tells what it was playing for the coach, understanding of the sacrifices he had to make to play and how much of a positive influence the boss had on him. The book tells of Ferguson’s mentality, with a particular highlight the aftermath of the 2008 UEFA Champions League triumph.
“Fergie set the tone; we took our cue from him. When we beat Chelsea in Moscow, it didn’t feel like we’d achieved what we set out to achieve. Not at all… Within about an hour of us lifting the trophy, the gaffer was saying: ‘Right, next season… let’s make sure we’re back here next season.’ ”
Rio’s time with Queen Park Rangers is covered too, with the player suggesting that his kids were not too impressed with his decision to leave Manchester United. #2sides also talks about the FA too and the unprofessional manner in which issues were addressed. His time with the national team is spoken of as well, with chapters on the tournaments, and especially the FIFA World Cups, he played with the team. There is much to take home from the letdown of the so-tagged “England’s Golden Generation”. Ferdinand brutally tells just the problems of the team then.
The book offers Rio’s views on the seven England managers employed over his international career, giving a unique insight that is rarely available. These views are particularly helpful, given that they are usually unavailable until the retirement of a player. The time of each manager is adequately discussed, with each page laying emphasis on the styles, tactics, and personality of the man at the helm of The Three Lions’ Affairs.
On Kevin Keegan:
‘If you were Italian, or Brazilian, or French, you’d have 30 caps by now, the way you play. ‘ I thought: ‘Well, you just spoke about the World Champions, the European Champions, and one of the best teams in the world… But I can’t get in the England squad!’ Suffice to say I didn’t get on too well with Kevin Keegan as a coach.
On Sven-Goren Eriksson:
“Tactically he was very unimaginative: ‘I want you to go here; I want you to go there. I don’t want my center-backs running with the ball. I want you to get to the ball, pass it here.’ But he was also charming and had a good, human side which created a nice atmosphere in the squad and meant we always wanted to play for him.”
On Fabio Capello:
“I think Capello was the manager who disappointed me the most… He’d coached the AC Milan team I’d loved as a kid… I thought: ‘This is going to be great.’ And… what a let-down! He had us playing the most rigid, basic 4-4-2, with no deviating allowed under any circumstances… Capello’s attitude was ‘I’m the boss, and you’ll do what I say all day, every day.’ ”
The book contains Rio’s opinions on the other managers too, namely Roy Hodgson, Steve McLaren, Howard Wilkinson, and Glenn Hoddle.
For all the unique chapters #2sides boasts of, there is arguably none more honest, ruthless (and perhaps controversial) than his views on David Moyes. Don’t get it wrong: the book does not paint Moyes in a bad light. Instead, Ferdinand was full of praise for the man’s personality, but a good heart does not judge the beautiful art. The book describes the scenes in the dressing room then and the struggles the coach was going through to make an impact, but according to Ferdinand, failed to.
“As a human being, I think David Moyes is close to perfect… No one could have worked harder… Moyes never solved some of the footballing problems he faced… He tried to impose a vision but never seemed to be completely clear what that vision should be.”
You would have been forgiven for assuming that #2sides would contain a chapter on racism and would, of course, be right. But would you have thought of a chapter on gay football players? That is to show the extent to which the man is free-spirited and outspoken. Ferdinand writes a chapter on the impact the gay tag was having on concerned players, showing his support and urging others to at least be neutral on the subject matter.
“My general feeling is that I don’t think someone coming out as gay would destabilise a changing room at all… Society has changed, and football is a part of that.”
The book touches on many other themes, such as a manager’s key role (P 105), black coaches (P 162), Twitter (P 207), fatherhood and his wife (P 218), business (188), retirement (P 236), youth development and coaching (P 254) and many other relevant issues.
There is also a mention of certain players whom Ferdinand considered special and a pick (or several) above the cut. Frank Lampard; Christiano Ronaldo; Lionel Messi; Paul Scholes and more.
“Frank’s one of the hardest working professionals I’ve ever met — always doing extras, always working on his shooting and that’s why, later, he scored so many goals. We were good mates, but more importantly, Frank was my driving force, my best workforce mate.”
Conclusion
Rio Ferdinand and David Winner have written an excellent book by many standards. There is hardly a biography that would reflect so many relevant fields of life in such an honest style, and that is exactly what #2sides: The Autobiography successfully did.
The book tells all there is to know about the football legend: his on-field play and off-the-pitch activities. But, as stressed already, there is many more to the book than just Rio Ferdinand. Although it is his story, he manages to relate the book to relatively higher spheres of life in general, thereby making #2sides a recommended book for all and sundry, football lovers or not.
There are, however, certain criticisms of the book. A major one is the feeling that Ferdinand could have yet told a lot more. This is specially referenced to the book’s failure to address his doping-test saga with the national team. It could be arrogance perhaps or an oversight (but what an oversight!). That aside, there are few errors, particularly typographical, although they do not hinder the readability of the book. It has been suggested that the book was written in the traditional biography way with Ferdinand making a rough journal while Winner edited and rewrote. Whatever the reason, the editor could have done better.
That aside, the book is outstanding and promises a lot. The content is unique and very helpful to everyone, whether you’re a football, Red, Rio’s fan or not. The man’s thinking ability is remarkable and leaves an impression on all that comes in contact with him.
Drawing a cue from these commendable features, #2sides: The Autobiography is a book you should read and enjoy, and at the same time, learn immensely from.
PS: May be unsuitable for chronic Arsenal or Liverpool fans.
