{"product_id":"herding-cats-9781472925725","title":"Herding Cats","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn 1985 Mike Brearley published \u003ci\u003eThe Art of Captaincy\u003c\/i\u003e, revealing how he steered Middlesex and England to victory with his team of first-class cricketers. He got the absolute best out of his players, inspiring Ian Botham to new heights against the Australians in 1981. Few cricketers have had a greater impact on the amateur game than these two.Every captain would love Brearley''s degree in people, as well as a hardhitting all-rounder like Botham. But theirs was a barely recognisable game from the one we play on often dishevelled grounds up and down the country with ragtag teams of ageing, deluded or hungover friends and acquaintances. Now, Charlie Campbell offers us a New Testament to Brearley's Old Testament, as he guides us through the realities of captaining an amateur team.\u003ci\u003eHerding Cats\u003c\/i\u003e picks its way through the minefield of an amateur's season: from the excitement and hope of pre-season nets, to the desperate scramble to gather 11 players for a frosty game on a far-flung\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTrade Review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFunny, self-deprecating, and full of wry wisdom, Charlie Campbell perfectly captures the exquisite torture of running an amateur cricket club. The ideal companion piece to Mike Brearley’s \u003ci\u003eThe Art of Captaincy\u003c\/i\u003e, and a must-read for anyone who’s ever donned whites on a Sunday afternoon. * Michael Simkins *\u003cbr\u003eVery funny. Cricket captains everywhere will relate to this. * Nasser Hussain *\u003cbr\u003eCharlie Campbell has written amateur cricket an ardent love letter; when faced with the deepest frustrations the amateur captain must endure he hates neither the players nor the game. Funny and touching in equal measure. * Al Murray *\u003cbr\u003eA professional cricket captain needs to be part psychologist, part gambler, part babysitter, part sergeant-major, part \"one of the lads\" and part aloof overseer. As Charlie Campbell shows, it's even trickier for the amateur! * Mark Butcher *\u003cbr\u003eAfter several years of trying, Charlie Campbell’s leadership skills finally overcame mine when the Authors trounced Heartaches in 2016. How foolish of him to reveal his secrets, albeit extraordinarily entertainingly. * Sir Tim Rice *\u003cbr\u003eShot through with wit and warmth, Herding Cats is at its heart a paean to a sport that can be both stunningly uplifting and, without warning, hauntingly debilitating. It will certainly resonate with anyone who has played or loves cricket. But there are lessons here for a wider audience too about leadership, team spirit and the importance of recognising that there is more to life than winning * Evening Standard *\u003cbr\u003eIn \u003ci\u003eHerding Cats \u003c\/i\u003eyou genuinely smile for the Authors when they pull off an incredible feat… relentlessly entertaining and gets better as its innings goes on. * Literary Review *\u003cbr\u003eTaking \u003ci\u003eThe Art of Captaincy\u003c\/i\u003e by former England cricket captain Mike Brearley as his inspiration, Charlie Campbell has produced a delightful equivalent for the amateur game ... Alongside humour, there are genuine insights into how to unlock players’ potential * Independent i *\u003cbr\u003eDeliciously witty * The Cricketer *\u003cbr\u003eIlluminating and entertaining in equal measure * Ilkley Gazette *\u003cbr\u003eHerding Cats is a brilliant account of a season spent in the lower rungs of this eternally beautiful game. * Choice *","brand":"Bloomsbury Publishing PLC","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49408777060695,"sku":"9781472925725","price":11.69,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1739\/5799\/files\/9781472925725.jpg?v=1730504171","url":"https:\/\/bookcurl.com\/products\/herding-cats-9781472925725","provider":"Book Curl","version":"1.0","type":"link"}