Martin O'Neill : the walk to paradise

"Martin O'Neill: The Walk to Paradise" is a compelling expose of professional association football and an insightful look at one of football's most respected figures.Written by O'Neill's nephew, it traces the career of the Celtic manager from the perspective of player and coach.

It chronicles the rise of a champion and reveals O'Neill's personal -and previously undisclosed - views on various footballing personalities and the changes that the game has undergone over the last decade.Building on a wealth of private material, the book charts O'Neill's development from childhood dreams of footballing legends to an adulthood in which those dreams became his reality.It follows O'Neill's move from fledgling law academic to aspiring soccer star at Nottingham Forest, with previously confidential material illustrating the intense relationship between the Forest players and their enigmatic manager Brian Clough.

The tempestuous alliance between O'Neill and Clough is examined revealing an antagonism which has only recently been overcome.O'Neill's international success as the first Catholic captain of Northern Ireland is considered, exposing the political contradictions with which he struggled as World Cup success loomed.

Graeme Souness' involvment in O'Neill's retirement from playing is examined and we follow the Irishman's seamless transition to manager.

The book also details O'Neill's spells at Wycombe Wanderers, Norwich City, Leicester City and Celtic.Packed with intriguing anecdotes, "Martin O'Neill: The Walk to Paradise" is an engrossing examination of one of Britain's greatest managers and contemporary analysis of his glorious first year at Celtic Park.