Rodwell was a disgrace . Contract or no contract . He’s exactly what’s wrong with football today . Fact
You’re looking at the symptom not the cause.
Sunderland and other farcically run clubs - including our own - create these situations by handing out these ridiculous contracts in the first place.
How did he not have a relegation clause put in there? Why a flat £70,000 per week, why not make it contingent on appearances?
True, Rodwell may have behaved like an arse but the club allowed him to do it by creating a situation where they carried all the risk and him none.
Its a Chicken / Egg problem though
If one club didnt play Rodwell the £70k then another club will - Trouble is clubs will always take the risk because if they let another team sign the player then they risk that being the difference between survival and relegation
Ultimately needs all clubs to come to an agreement where they wont pander to these sorts of demands from players / agents anymore for it to be fully effective
Rodwell was a disgrace . Contract or no contract . He’s exactly what’s wrong with football today . Fact
You’re looking at the symptom not the cause.
Sunderland and other farcically run clubs - including our own - create these situations by handing out these ridiculous contracts in the first place.
How did he not have a relegation clause put in there? Why a flat £70,000 per week, why not make it contingent on appearances?
True, Rodwell may have behaved like an arse but the club allowed him to do it by creating a situation where they carried all the risk and him none.
Its a Chicken / Egg problem though
If one club didnt play Rodwell the £70k then another club will - Trouble is clubs will always take the risk because if they let another team sign the player then they risk that being the difference between survival and relegation
Ultimately needs all clubs to come to an agreement where they wont pander to these sorts of demands from players / agents anymore for it to be fully effective
If one club didnt play Rodwell the £70k then another club will - Trouble is clubs will always take the risk because if they let another team sign the player then they risk that being the difference between survival and relegation My thoughts exactly.
Ultimately needs all clubs to come to an agreement where they wont pander to these sorts of demands from players / agents anymore for it to be fully effective I don't think that'll ever happen though.
I thought Chris Coleman came across well. Understood what the club was about and was screwed by the owner and CEO during the January transfer window. I thought he should have been given a chance by the new owner to get them back into the championship.
Had a quick look on a Sunderland forum. Generally they like the series but have all commented on shoddy editing e.g Fans in winter gear during midsummer games and vice versa.
It’s not shoddy editing - it’s just editing. Every documentary or ‘reality’ show you watch has inserts and reaction shots taken from completely different moments. It’s just that when it’s a subject you know, you see beyond the magic of editing.
Next time you watch something like The Apprentice, remember this! They really screw over the contestants with those reaction shots.
Had a quick look on a Sunderland forum. Generally they like the series but have all commented on shoddy editing e.g Fans in winter gear during midsummer games and vice versa.
It’s not shoddy editing - it’s just editing. Every documentary or ‘reality’ show you watch has inserts and reaction shots taken from completely different moments. It’s just that when it’s a subject you know, you see beyond the magic of editing.
Next time you watch something like The Apprentice, remember this! They really screw over the contestants with those reaction shots.
Dammit, I thought that filmed an hour of that guy driving to/from the ground for ever game and could only use what he said in chronological order, you’ve ruined TeeVee for me now
Had a quick look on a Sunderland forum. Generally they like the series but have all commented on shoddy editing e.g Fans in winter gear during midsummer games and vice versa.
It’s not shoddy editing - it’s just editing. Every documentary or ‘reality’ show you watch has inserts and reaction shots taken from completely different moments. It’s just that when it’s a subject you know, you see beyond the magic of editing.
Next time you watch something like The Apprentice, remember this! They really screw over the contestants with those reaction shots.
Agree with that, but to edit in a clip from a completely different stadium during game is shoddy.
Had a quick look on a Sunderland forum. Generally they like the series but have all commented on shoddy editing e.g Fans in winter gear during midsummer games and vice versa.
It’s not shoddy editing - it’s just editing. Every documentary or ‘reality’ show you watch has inserts and reaction shots taken from completely different moments. It’s just that when it’s a subject you know, you see beyond the magic of editing.
Next time you watch something like The Apprentice, remember this! They really screw over the contestants with those reaction shots.
Agree with that, but to edit in a clip from a completely different stadium during game is shoddy.
I know what you mean, but it kind of depends on the audience. For the American audience it doesn’t matter at all, they’ll never notice and the shots are just used to better tell the story. What I didn’t enjoy was what I think was fake commentary. It really stuck out, but I accept the non-football fans would really need it.
I binged watched the whole thing in a couple of nights, thought it was a great insight to the way a club works. Rodwell came across as a complete bellend. I liked Coleman, whoever went in there had no hope. Makes you realise what a good job Bowyer is doing with us at the moment as you can see similarities (no money to spend, small squad). Would love to see more of these type of series made.
Had a quick look on a Sunderland forum. Generally they like the series but have all commented on shoddy editing e.g Fans in winter gear during midsummer games and vice versa.
It’s not shoddy editing - it’s just editing. Every documentary or ‘reality’ show you watch has inserts and reaction shots taken from completely different moments. It’s just that when it’s a subject you know, you see beyond the magic of editing.
Next time you watch something like The Apprentice, remember this! They really screw over the contestants with those reaction shots.
Agree with that, but to edit in a clip from a completely different stadium during game is shoddy.
I know what you mean, but it kind of depends on the audience. For the American audience it doesn’t matter at all, they’ll never notice and the shots are just used to better tell the story. What I didn’t enjoy was what I think was fake commentary. It really stuck out, but I accept the non-football fans would really need it.
Spot-on. Even I didn't notice it until reading people's complaints. I doubt any of the non-UK viewers would mind.
Had a quick look on a Sunderland forum. Generally they like the series but have all commented on shoddy editing e.g Fans in winter gear during midsummer games and vice versa.
It’s not shoddy editing - it’s just editing. Every documentary or ‘reality’ show you watch has inserts and reaction shots taken from completely different moments. It’s just that when it’s a subject you know, you see beyond the magic of editing.
Next time you watch something like The Apprentice, remember this! They really screw over the contestants with those reaction shots.
Agree with that, but to edit in a clip from a completely different stadium during game is shoddy.
I know what you mean, but it kind of depends on the audience. For the American audience it doesn’t matter at all, they’ll never notice and the shots are just used to better tell the story. What I didn’t enjoy was what I think was fake commentary. It really stuck out, but I accept the non-football fans would really need it.
“Confusingly Sunderland are wearing grey today whilst Brentford are in red and white stripes”! Yeah it was a bit blatant.
They also showed the same clip of fans getting irate with the team over and over again (look how passionate these guys are, here’s a clip of a bloke tapping his head aggressively suggesting that the players don’t know what they’re doing and that he’s very upset).
Watched it all in one go on a plane and I thought it was just about alright, the editing made me dislike it more than I should. Any show like that, where you get access behind the scenes at a football club is going to be interesting to us football fans.
Thought Williams and Coleman came across well, was surprised O’Shea wasn’t given more time, his perspective would have been pretty interesting.
I thought it was an outstanding series and so much better than the Man City one, which I abandoned after two or three episodes. Apart from the latter's glossy and rather distasteful PR element, failure is always so much more interesting than success.
The Sunderland series really captured the supporters' unconditional love, including that of the club's employees, such as the really nice cook, who mothered all the young players. I hope that she and her colleague kept their jobs, as they are just the sort of people who suffer when a club is relegated or - rather nearer home - when it has to toil under the yoke of an incompetent and cost-cutting owner for five years....
In contrast, I was deeply unimpressed by Martin Bain, who came across as a bit of a blagger and snake oil salesman. Maybe I am being unduly harsh, but I didn't care for the man and found it difficult to see what he did to remotely justify his £1.25million a year salary. I hadn't appreciated that he was CEO at Glasgow Rangers in the pre-Caig Whyte era, when the club utilised contrived employee benefit trusts to avoid tax, although Bain would probably say (with some force) that he and his fellow directors relied upon professional advice. In fairness, he did oppose the sale to Craig Whyte on behalf of minority shareholders in 2011 and his misgivings proved to be justified.
On a brighter note, I passed one of the ardent supporters featured in the series as he came out of the pub yesterday lunchtime (the bloke with the beard and the young son) but managed to suppress my autograph hunting instincts.
Enjoued watching this - Bain seemed a bit of a snake. Coleman reminds me a bit of KR - a Welsh version but not as clueless. Bizarre that he took this job.
I thought that Coleman came out of it really well, it's just that like so many others before him he hadn't really understood the deep malaise that lies within the heart of Sunderland.
Had he kept them up (which he wasn't far from doing),then he would have probably fancied promotion the following season, and from there who knows?
Unfortunately until Ellis Short sold up, that club were in terminal decline - who else does that remind you of?
I'll echo a lot of what's been said, loads more interesting than the man city wet biscuit party.
Martin Bain is a proper senior manager. All polished and suave then as soon as he personally has to take on an actual challenge the knives go out and as much as his PR mask tries to stay glued on you know he is only there for the 6 figure salary and what he imagined was the kudos that would go with being the CEO of a club the size of Sunderland. McGeady came across precisely how I expected him to. I actually felt a bit sorry for Rodwell as a few others have identified, he was just the symptom of the virus, same as a lot of Portsmouth players and I thought the filmmakers were about as fair as they could be to him, Rodwell himself seemed pretty embarrassed by the situation. Not that I think morally he is right but I can appreciate objectively why he say "fuck off" when they tried to fob him off. given the mess that club have been in for a huge number of years, signing someone on that amount of money with no contingency was moronic
It wasn't an eye opener but I do like documentary programmes like this especially when shit hits fans. Fair play to Chris Coleman for not taking a fan offering him out in front of a couple of kids lightly.
Just finished episode 5, enjoying it, but the editing is shocking, mistakes and continuity all over the place
Tbf you can only edit with the footage you have been given. There’s always so many reasons why you can’t use any particular shot, and end up desperately reusing shots or useable but not great 0nes and hoping you will get away with it....
Just saw the episode where Coleman gets hired. I have absolutely no idea why the chairman thinks Coleman is qualified. “Great pedigree” - utter tosh.
He done a decent job at Fulham, was unfairly sacked. I remember when Curbs was linked to Liverpool before Rafa was appointed and Coleman was earmarked as a potential successor.
Just saw the episode where Coleman gets hired. I have absolutely no idea why the chairman thinks Coleman is qualified. “Great pedigree” - utter tosh.
He done a decent job at Fulham, was unfairly sacked. I remember when Curbs was linked to Liverpool before Rafa was appointed and Coleman was earmarked as a potential successor.
He inherited probably their best ever squad, kept them mid table for a bit before they slowly deteriorated. And he got sacked as they spiralled towards relegation. And that’s his club career highlight. Three jobs after that all went awry for a variety of reasons, so I really don’t see why he’d ever be considered as the man to rescue Sunderland.
Just saw the episode where Coleman gets hired. I have absolutely no idea why the chairman thinks Coleman is qualified. “Great pedigree” - utter tosh.
He done a decent job at Fulham, was unfairly sacked. I remember when Curbs was linked to Liverpool before Rafa was appointed and Coleman was earmarked as a potential successor.
He inherited probably their best ever squad, kept them mid table for a bit before they slowly deteriorated. And he got sacked as they spiralled towards relegation. And that’s his club career highlight. Three jobs after that all went awry for a variety of reasons, so I really don’t see why he’d ever be considered as the man to rescue Sunderland.
Its why I hope a lower Premier League or Championship side dont try and tempt Southgate away from the England job - Him and Coleman are International Managers, when it comes to the club side, having to identify players to sign etc. they dont seem to have that talent
Just finished episode 5, enjoying it, but the editing is shocking, mistakes and continuity all over the place
Tbf you can only edit with the footage you have been given. There’s always so many reasons why you can’t use any particular shot, and end up desperately reusing shots or useable but not great 0nes and hoping you will get away with it....
The very first scenes, they said it was the day after the Celtic match (a Sunday in July/August) and the goalkeeper Steele was shown driving his two kids too school in winter coats and no leaves on the trees. They Also captioned one game as 31st September
I never saw Fashanu or Jones as intimidating, if I was playing on a Sunday against either of those they wouldn't have bothered me in the slightest. Keane, Souness those two had a real edge of genuine, nasty violence about them as did our own Lee Bowyer they would have been horrible to compete against and would have brought out the worst in me. The Leicester centre half Walsh was a genuine hard man and no centre forward wanted any part of him
Fashanu and Jones would've come off worse against Tommy Smith or even Jack Charlton in their day.
Can understand Rodwell staying but his lack of effort to even get in the team was a disgrace. There are plenty of players on 5-year, big money contracts with no real incentive to play... The incentive is supposed to be your own career, your pride and your professional integrity. A duty to the fans, the club and its history and a duty to yourself to make the absolute most of the potential you have as a player.
He was obviously playing well enough at one point to earn a contract like that, and has at that point decided to turn it in. Says a lot about the man behind the player.
I also suspect if he was smashing it on the field and leading the charge like a £70k a week player should at that level, they might have been in less of a rush to get him out.
Comments
Sunderland and other farcically run clubs - including our own - create these situations by handing out these ridiculous contracts in the first place.
How did he not have a relegation clause put in there? Why a flat £70,000 per week, why not make it contingent on appearances?
True, Rodwell may have behaved like an arse but the club allowed him to do it by creating a situation where they carried all the risk and him none.
If one club didnt play Rodwell the £70k then another club will - Trouble is clubs will always take the risk because if they let another team sign the player then they risk that being the difference between survival and relegation
Ultimately needs all clubs to come to an agreement where they wont pander to these sorts of demands from players / agents anymore for it to be fully effective
My thoughts exactly.
Ultimately needs all clubs to come to an agreement where they wont pander to these sorts of demands from players / agents anymore for it to be fully effective
I don't think that'll ever happen though.
Next time you watch something like The Apprentice, remember this! They really screw over the contestants with those reaction shots.
They also showed the same clip of fans getting irate with the team over and over again (look how passionate these guys are, here’s a clip of a bloke tapping his head aggressively suggesting that the players don’t know what they’re doing and that he’s very upset).
Watched it all in one go on a plane and I thought it was just about alright, the editing made me dislike it more than I should. Any show like that, where you get access behind the scenes at a football club is going to be interesting to us football fans.
Thought Williams and Coleman came across well, was surprised O’Shea wasn’t given more time, his perspective would have been pretty interesting.
The Sunderland series really captured the supporters' unconditional love, including that of the club's employees, such as the really nice cook, who mothered all the young players. I hope that she and her colleague kept their jobs, as they are just the sort of people who suffer when a club is relegated or - rather nearer home - when it has to toil under the yoke of an incompetent and cost-cutting owner for five years....
In contrast, I was deeply unimpressed by Martin Bain, who came across as a bit of a blagger and snake oil salesman. Maybe I am being unduly harsh, but I didn't care for the man and found it difficult to see what he did to remotely justify his £1.25million a year salary. I hadn't appreciated that he was CEO at Glasgow Rangers in the pre-Caig Whyte era, when the club utilised contrived employee benefit trusts to avoid tax, although Bain would probably say (with some force) that he and his fellow directors relied upon professional advice. In fairness, he did oppose the sale to Craig Whyte on behalf of minority shareholders in 2011 and his misgivings proved to be justified.
On a brighter note, I passed one of the ardent supporters featured in the series as he came out of the pub yesterday lunchtime (the bloke with the beard and the young son) but managed to suppress my autograph hunting instincts.
Had he kept them up (which he wasn't far from doing),then he would have probably fancied promotion the following season, and from there who knows?
Unfortunately until Ellis Short sold up, that club were in terminal decline - who else does that remind you of?
Martin Bain is a proper senior manager. All polished and suave then as soon as he personally has to take on an actual challenge the knives go out and as much as his PR mask tries to stay glued on you know he is only there for the 6 figure salary and what he imagined was the kudos that would go with being the CEO of a club the size of Sunderland. McGeady came across precisely how I expected him to. I actually felt a bit sorry for Rodwell as a few others have identified, he was just the symptom of the virus, same as a lot of Portsmouth players and I thought the filmmakers were about as fair as they could be to him, Rodwell himself seemed pretty embarrassed by the situation. Not that I think morally he is right but I can appreciate objectively why he say "fuck off" when they tried to fob him off. given the mess that club have been in for a huge number of years, signing someone on that amount of money with no contingency was moronic
It wasn't an eye opener but I do like documentary programmes like this especially when shit hits fans. Fair play to Chris Coleman for not taking a fan offering him out in front of a couple of kids lightly.
He was obviously playing well enough at one point to earn a contract like that, and has at that point decided to turn it in. Says a lot about the man behind the player.
I also suspect if he was smashing it on the field and leading the charge like a £70k a week player should at that level, they might have been in less of a rush to get him out.