| Description | The extraordinary memoir of Paul Lake, the greatest English footballer to never make the national teamPaul Lake was Manchester born, a City fan from birth. Hissoccer talent was spotted at a young age and, in 1985, he signed with City. Just three years later he was handed the team captaincy, becoming the youngest ever City captain. An international career soon beckoned and, after trying out for the England under21 team, hewas called upto the England training camp for Italia 90. Despite missing out on a place in the final squad he suitably impressed the management, with Bobby Robson marking him as an England captain in the making. As a rising star Paul became a target for top clubs like Manchester United, Arsenal, Spurs, and Liverpool, but he always stayed loyal to his beloved club, deeming Maine Road the spiritual home at which his destiny lay. But then, in September 1990, disaster struck. Paul ruptured hiscrucial ligament and so began his nightmare. Neglected, ignored, and misunderstood by his club after a careersaving operation was irreversibly botched, Paul s career began to fall apart. Watching from the sidelines as similarly injured players regained their fitness, he spiraled into a prolonged bout of severe depression. With a forced retirement from the game he adored, the death of his father, and the collapse of his marriage, Paul was left a broken man. Set against the backdrop of one of the world s wealthiest football clubs at the end of their era at Maine Road, "I'm Not Really Here" is the powerful story of love, loss, and the cruel, irreparable damage of injury. It is a storyof determination, spirit, resilience, and broken dreams." |
