Amazon fly-on-the-wall documentary about Spurs

[HampshireSpur]

four episodes in... i'm not enjoying it as much as I thought I would. I find Jose a bit dull and uninspiring. I was expecting inspirational speeches and close tactical chats, a real insight but the whole thing lacks energy.

Parts of it feel a bit amateur, the physio, diet... I imagined meals would be carefully planned on an individual basis, I was expecting sports science to feature heavily.

I know they have to closely protect/guard what they have but they don't really mention much of this stuff. Just dull chats on the training ground, half-time and in the dining room. I'll watch the rest but wanted to feel proud and inspired.

There is absolutely no way they will mention the tactical stuff in a TV doc, for reasons you recognise. Where I agree with you is the player chats etc are generally a bit dull. I don't expect scintillating discussion, but also they won't heavily critique current colleagues, for obvious reasons. The only 'character' I've really enjoyed is Hugo - obviously sets high standards for himself and his team mates. Impressed - not a coincidence he's captain for his national team (which won a world cup two years ago).

The interesting questions largely concern how and why the documentary was made, rather than the material itself - see Elias

 

[Harrykane9]

Watched 3-6. Danny Rose lol. Cant talk to amy manager at any level like that. I'm a non league manager and I'd shipped him out or any players that start with what's your problem. Hugo got potential to lose his shit at any time. Players are in awe of Jose which will bode well as there seems better professional distance between manager and players with right amount of respect and friendliness

 

[Donki]

There is absolutely no way they will mention the tactical stuff in a TV doc, for reasons you recognise. Where I agree with you is the player chats etc are generally a bit dull. I don't expect scintillating discussion, but also they won't heavily critique current colleagues, for obvious reasons. The only 'character' I've really enjoyed is Hugo - obviously sets high standards for himself and his team mates. Impressed - not a coincidence he's captain for his national team (which won a world cup two years ago).

The interesting questions largely concern how and why the documentary was made, rather than the material itself - see Elias

Raise the clubs profile, puff piece for the stadium, Jose and Levy, and probably quite a bit of cash. Its been done in a way that flatters us of course. Some of the narration is over the top which I think is aimed at the foreign market. Again I have no problem with it at all.

 

[HampshireSpur]

Halfway through ep 6. Most of the players come across as nice guys but a bit boring. Main exceptions Hugo and Sonny. Enjoying Mourinho, in the main - totally disagree with some comments on this thread, he seems (to me) really keen to prove himself here. What I thought would be good would be the insight into the people you never hear about - physios, groundskeepers etc., and I've enjoyed these bits. Not keen on Levy himself - comes across as a fake with a bit of an ego, but then again that's not at all surprising for a successful businessmen.

For better or worse I imagine the players do have individual training regimens, but the doc makers don't want to give too much away here.

 

[HampshireSpur]

Raise the clubs profile, puff piece for the stadium, Jose and Levy, and probably quite a bit of cash. Its been done in a way that flatters us of course. Some of the narration is over the top of course which I think is aimed at the foreign market. Again I have no problem with it at all.

Written it before but a key aim is clearly to sell the choice of Mourinho (by Levy) to fans. Looking at comments, it's achieved some success in this aim. Even considering the obvious doctoring I am a little more confident about the choice of Mourinho, six eps in, though he comes with a health warning.

 

[Donki]

Written it before but a key aim is clearly to sell the choice of Mourinho (by Levy) to fans. Looking at comments, it's achieved some success in this aim. Even considering the obvious doctoring I am a little more confident about the choice of Mourinho, six eps in, though he comes with a health warning.

Totally agree, you would find it hard pressed to find anyone who wouldn't say Jose has been toxic in the recent past and there is no reason why the same thing couldn't happen with us. But I'm always the kind of supporter that will give a player or manager a chance (no matter his previous allegiance). I am hopful that if we can keep our key players fit and add some more creativity we will have a good season but it will be hard, Chelsea and United have strengthened well.

 

[Airfixx]

There is a difference between 150K and 260K and indeed 320K.

Of course, but there's differences in talent levels also... Point I was making about big pay bumps for out of contract players.

Why is it such a bad thing if he wanted to leave for money? Lets put it this way, would he have wanted a change of scenery if it meant less money, I doubt it especially as this contract will likely be his last bumper one.

Perhaps I should have used the phrase "primary motivation"... I have in various other posts on the subject.

 

[Airfixx]

IMO Baldy knew Eriksen wanted to leave on a free far earlier than the cameras were ever around,

Oh course... Many here suspected Eriksen's intentions before any mention of Amazon.

the shit said in the meetings is just to show the club in a good light...our hands were tied etc.

If it wasn't true why would Eriksen play along instead of calling bullshit?

 

[Donki]

Of course, but there's differences in talent levels also... Point I was making about big pay bumps for out of contract players.



Perhaps I should have use the phrase "primary motivation"... I have in various other posts on the subject.

I will admit I have a very biased view on players and their motivations, we had Berbatov, Keane, Modric, Bale all leave us and my poor little heart wont let me get close again. I go with the stance they are all self satisfying cunts lol.

 

[Airfixx]

I had this impression of a McLaren set-up, state of the art, data and stats everywhere, carefully planned and monitored training sessions. Just seems a bit "so erm, today, we'll just do an hour or two of light warming up"

People have training cycles and peaks, the bulk of training should be managed on an individual basis and rest time factored in. I know schedules are tight but everyone is physiologically different. Thought a sports nutritionist would be working with athletes and providing personalised meals...

We've seen photos and videos of all that stuff so we know it exists..... Thing is, it's not an edu-doc about fitness and physics; nor tactics. It's a story of year in the life of a football club.


It's exactly what I expected when it was announced over a year ago.

 

[Airfixx]

I will admit I have a very biased view on players and their motivations, we had Berbatov, Keane, Modric, Bale all leave us and my poor little heart wont let me get close again. I go with the stance they are all self satisfying cunts lol.

Oh, don't get me wrong... I'm of much the same opinion.

 

[Donki]

Hugo in the changing room at half time in the FA cup game, again showing that natural ability to be a captain, we need more of that IMO, Jose is right we are very quiet and probably too nice.

 

[Elias]

Written it before but a key aim is clearly to sell the choice of Mourinho (by Levy) to fans. Looking at comments, it's achieved some success in this aim. Even considering the obvious doctoring I am a little more confident about the choice of Mourinho, six eps in, though he comes with a health warning.

Yes, with the caveat that "selling Mourinho to our fans" is an emerging, opportunistic, objective.
The Amazon series was commissioned, and began filming, when Poch was our coach.
Levy presumably expected Poch's passion & charisma to carry the narrative, and his main concern was that Poch's loss of MoJo post-CL final, and bitching about knowing nothing about transfers & contracts, would poison the atmosphere.
Once Mourinho came in, clearly the dominant narrative objective was to sell Mourinho to our fanbase.
Plus of course, money from the Amazon deal, global exposure etc etc.

 

[RESPECT THE COCK]

I am on the fifth episode of this. Haven't read any of your comments yet. But I have to say that it appears Levy had full editorial control over it. It is anodyne in the extreme.

 

[HampshireSpur]

Yes, with the caveat that "selling Mourinho to our fans" is an emerging, opportunistic, objective.
The Amazon series was commissioned, and began filming, when Poch was our coach.
Levy presumably expected Poch's passion & charisma to carry the narrative, and his main concern was that Poch's loss of MoJo post-CL final, and bitching about knowing nothing about transfers & contracts, would poison the atmosphere.
Once Mourinho came in, clearly the dominant narrative objective was to sell Mourinho to our fanbase.
Plus of course, money from the Amazon deal, global exposure etc etc.

Exactly, which is why Poch is given short shrift. Personally I would like an episode or two purely on Poch to reflect our season accurately, but we both know why that hasn't happened.

 

[The Mercurial No.10]

If you replace Woolwich with Tottenham and add in that he's the chairman, Daniel gives me real vibes of this guy...



Not a football man at all, kind of lurking about near the lads trying to fit in, but even more awkwardly, he's the fucker in charge and is obsessed with profit. Could be a decent sit-com.

 

[HampshireSpur]

If you replace Woolwich with Tottenham and add in that he's the chairman, Daniel gives me real vibes of this guy...



Not a football man at all, kind of lurking about near the lads trying to fit in, but even more awkwardly, he's the fucker in charge and is obsessed with profit. Could be a decent sit-com.

Inspired choice to pick an Woolwich fan for that sketch.

 

[Airfixx]

If you replace Woolwich with Tottenham and add in that he's the chairman, Daniel gives me real vibes of this guy...



Not a football man at all, kind of lurking about near the lads trying to fit in, but even more awkwardly, he's the fucker in charge and is obsessed with profit. Could be a decent sit-com.

You're trying WAY too hard... What were you expecting; some kind of Roy Keane figure as Chairman?

He's a geeky business bloke who happens to be a Spurs fan.... Nothing more, nothing less.

 

[Airfixx]

Exactly, which is why Poch is given short shrift. Personally I would like an episode or two purely on Poch to reflect our season accurately, but we both know why that hasn't happened.

2 episodes dedicated to the 'fall of Poch' would have caused riots from a cross-section of our fanbase.... The minimal approach was best for all parties.

 

[Elias]

Answer me one question. If Eriksen wasn't looking for the money, I think he was, why would he make comments on public record stating that "if no bid comes i would sign a new contract" or something like that? To me he was clearly running down his contract to get a better contract at his new club, his contract at Inter could be as high as £320K a week...

I'll answer your one question by saying I don't think it's that black and white.
I genuinely believe, and have posted on TFC several times, that I think Eriksen, being an intelligent guy, had a career plan: Denmark > Ajax > Spurs > Real or Barca
When he and we were at peak Poch, circa 2018, Eriksen was the creative hub of a powerful, highly watchable, attacking Spurs team. I'm sure all the big clubs were looking at him.
bus-conductor and todd1882 in another thread linked at the bottom have posted the material about Poch flying to Denmark to meet Eriksen and discuss his future.
Around that time and later, I suspect Real and Barca probably did sound out Eriksen's agent and Levy, and were quoted an impossible price.
As time progressed, Eriksen continued playing for us on a contract that was massively below his market value. He could have signed a new far more lucrative contract with Spurs, but as other posters have said, he would then have lost the ability to control his destination.
So he declined new contract offers to give him the power to decide his future.
If Real Madrid or Barca had agreed a fee with Levy in say the summer of 2019, I genuinely do not think the size of his salary would have been a barrier to the deal being done. I think he would have signed for less than the 260-320 per week Inter deal. Eriksen strikes me as that rare player for whom money is not the dominant driver.
Donki I completely agree with you though that Levy would have been reluctant to match Eriksen's Inter contract because of the knock-on effects for other key players like Kane and Sonny.
And that Inter contract is also the major reason why I cannot see Eriksen returning to Spurs.

https://thefightingcock.co.uk/forum/threads/summer-2020-transfer-thread.34921/page-1308#post-2452770