HH

‘A gripping, unsettling and authoritative portrait of football’s original dark genius — brilliantly researched and superbly told.’ – GUILLEM BALAGUÉ

A wonderfully compelling biography… This is a story that, once read, you can’t forget.’ – DUNCAN HAMILTON, THREE-TIME WILLIAM HILL AWARD WINNER

THE STORY OF FOOTBALL’S MOST NOTORIOUS COACH

Nicknamed ‘Il Mago’ (The Wizard) after bringing European Cup glory to Inter Milan in successive years, Helenio Herrera was hailed as one of the finest minds in football.

This explosive book explores the enigma of the incredibly charismatic ‘HH’: a philanderer, charlatan, trash-talker and serial winner mired in controversy. His stellar career was halted by the death of one of his star players and his subsequent trial for manslaughter.

‘HH’ revolutionised football coaching. Preparing his teams meticulously, he was obsessed with his players’ mental toughness and introduced idiosyncratic psychological techniques. He made his name as a coach, winning La Liga twice with both Atlético Madrid and Barcelona, but it was his move to Inter in 1960 that propelled him to stardom. His team won three scudetti in the mid-1960s and were only denied a third European Cup by Jock Stein’s Celtic in 1967.