Sadly, it looks like it took its toll.
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Just watched the first episode of Sunderland till I die, a Netflix fly on the wall documentary about their 17/18 season which I believe has been released today. It's not very nice I suppose, but I always feel that these sort of programmes are so much better if the club concerned struggles (I doubt it if I would watch one on City if they ever had a season like Sunderland's mind!) rather than wins trophies as in that Man City one recently by Amazon.
The first episode only covers one pre season match and already there's been a 5-0 defeat, crowd trouble and a pissed up player captured on video slagging off some of his team mates - I'm going to enjoy this!
Sadly, it looks like it took its toll.
What a disaster of a club. Self destructing. Bizarre insight into deadline day. 6 people on scouting but no strategy & dismissing 1 player because he wore gloves! Simon Grayson's performance is surprisingly bad.
I have almost finished it after a binge watching session yesterday as the weather/ continuing unrest on the streets with the yellow vest brigade meant I opted for the comfort of the apartment .
This is far more revealing than the Man City one and approaches the subject matter in a more personal way. Probably helps that the club were in such a mess and the CEO doesn't come across very well but ( spoiler alert) Coleman appears to be a very decent sort who had no chance whilst there. Have to feel for Grayson as well as he had the look of a man so far out of his depth that it was painful.
I finished it yesterday and think that's a fair summing up. I often think these things can sometimes be "sanitised" for public consumption, but this is very much warts and all stuff. I agree about Coleman coming out of it well -the reaction of the woman who did much of the cooking at the club to his sacking was very telling
Very open and honest about the struggles of being "injury prone". Opened up about being lonely, having no one to turn too and a bit depressed whilst living on his own, miles away from friendly and friends.
Seemed it really affected him not being able to play. He then let the cameras into his meeting with a sports psychologist and spoke openly about his fear of being injured, but his fear of losing the ball, failing etc and how it brings him down.
I'd heard he comes across well, and he was on my flight home from a Wales game about 3 years ago and even though I didn't talk to him, you could tell he was a polite, well raised person, and the documentary just backs that up in the way he speaks to everyone from the cameras to the players to the canteen staff.
He probably comes across the best out of anyone on there for various reasons.
He certainly appeared to be a thoroughly decent man yet also very vulnerable.
In the scene where he left the training academy , there appeared to be only one player who bothered to say goodbye and then only for a brief moment (and yes, I accept these things can be edited to show what they want) but the office staff were fare more friendly and sincere.
I got the impression he was not the typical laddish footballer and maybe he was slightly shunned by his team mates.
Imagine a documentary about the City during the turbulent red/blue/ Mackay/Solksjaer couple of seasons!!!!