Managers reveal intriguing literary tastes

By Staff
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LONDON, Mar 9 (Reuters) Chelsea's Jose Mourinho is the self-styled ''Special One'' in football but after a hard day on the touchline he looks for greater inspiration -- the Bible is his favourite post-match read.

Manchester United's Alex Ferguson has a penchant for one-legged heroes. He reaches for the tale of Long John Silver and curls up with Treasure Island by his fellow Scot, Robert Louis Stevenson.

A survey by the National Football Museum has revealed some unlikely literary tastes among the tactical experts.

''It gives us a window into what they are like as people. It is very personal,'' said Mark Bushell, spokesman for the museum that asked the managers to come up with their best read.

Surprised by the literary choices, Bushell put it all down to the musings of controversial former Manchester United forward Eric Cantona who once famously declared: ''When the seagulls follow the trawler, it is because they think sardines will be thrown into the sea.'' Bushell said ''Since Eric Cantona came on board with his poetry, soccer has become a middle class sport watched by spectators rather than traditional working-class fans. Cantona helped break the mould.'' Urging soccer fans to turn into bookworms, he said ''We hope that visitors to the museum will be similarly inspired to pick up some of the titles.'' Mick McCarthy, sacked last week as Sunderland manager, picked Dan Brown's best-selling mystery thriller ''The Da Vinci Code''.

Birmingham City's Steve Bruce is determined to do it ''My Way'' with a Frank Sinatra biography, while Bolton's Sam Allardyce, a leading contender to be the next England manager, is eager to ''float like a butterfly and sting like a bee'' with Muhammad Ali's memoirs.

But David Moyes could be accused of offering some confusing signals to his Everton players.

He picked George Orwell's ''Animal Farm'' complete with its famous exhortation ''four legs good, two legs bad.'' The only player to reply to the survey request was Wayne Rooney.

The England and Manchester United striker renowned for his wizardry with the ball picked the Harry Potter books.

Reuters AY BS1644

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