Dundee United manager – and soon to be published author – Micky Mellon has revealed he is already working on a second book.
Mellon’s first work, written in collaboration with head teacher Phil Denton, is titled: The First 100 Days: Lessons in Leadership from the Football Bosses.
It comes out on March 25 and proceeds will go towards the fight against Motor Neurone Disease in honour of Mellon’s ex-Burnley teammate Lenny Johnrose.
The Tannadice gaffer is understandably excited – and is not yet ready to put down his pen and laptop.
Mellon said: “It is not a book about me.
“It is a book where I have gone out and gathered evidence on how top managers in the game work.
“It has been a two-and-a-half to three-year pilgrimage for me, if you like, to go and ask the likes of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Sean Dyche, David Moyes, Sam Allardyce, Walter Smith and Joe Royle what was important to them in their success in the first 100 days of them taking managerial jobs.
“The knowledge I was able to gather from them was absolutely phenomenal.
“It got to a point where I showed it to the League Managers Association in England and they have pre-ordered 600 copies.
“There is that much stuff they want their members to be able to use about what all these top managers are doing or have done and how they go about building a platform to work forward from, not just in football but any job.
“We have already got to the point where we are (working on) a second book.
“The people who have read it have said you can’t finish here.
“How do you keep it going?
“Well, we aren’t ready to walk away yet and are looking at the next book – beyond the 100 days.”
Focus on business
Book number one is not just about the beautiful game, of course, with Mellon and Denton delving into the worlds or education and, in particular, business.
“I didn’t want it just to be about football,” added Mellon.
“I wanted to encompass business as well.
“Nothing has been done on this type of book in football and that was why I was so keen to do it.
“An American president gets measured on his first 100 days.
“They can determine how successful he is going to be from that opening period.
“We did Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s whole 100 days – it is all in the book.
“He actually got offered his (Man United) job from their American owners on his 100th day of his trial from Molde.
“They gave him a three-year contract.
“It was fascinating to do.
“There is other stuff like Toyota and the philosophies of some of the big companies.
“What shines through it all is that relationships are massive.”
Good cause
The charitable cause is also close to Mellon’s heart, with the United boss adding: “My friend and former teammate Lenny Johnrose has been diagnosed with Motor Neurone.
“I have seen the way he is bravely battling it.
“I have also seen the way it has taken Jimmy Johnstone and Fernando Ricksen.
“We are also seeing the brave fight of Doddie Weir just now.
“So when I knew I was writing the book, I wanted to help raise awareness and money for a good cause.
“I spoke to Lenny and asked if that was all right if I put the money to Motor Neurone and he told us to go for it.”