Sunderland 'Til I Die (2018) s01e04 Episode Script

1
Absolutely fed up now.
Absolutely fed up like we all are
in the North East.
Basically, I think they've just
sort of rushed into getting Grayson
'cause no one else wanted to be here.
Gary, I'm going to interrupt you.
Simon Grayson's left.
Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord.
-About time.
-What you're saying is--
I've been following Sunderland
for 60, 70 years, you know.
There's something wrong in that club,
whereby they have got to get rid
of managers repeatedly.
I think if you're
an up-and-coming manager,
and if you strung together
a set of results,
you know, you'd be hailed a messiah.
Can I get a beef joint
from out the back please?
It was only going one way last night,
and I think Simon Grayson's probably
is a very relieved man this morning
not to be Sunderland manager.
Five, ten minutes after the game
announcing it, I thought it was bit raw.
But, if my staff performed
the way Sunderland Football Club did
if they gave me that dross,
I'd sack my staff.
With Sunderland Football Club,
we're drawing 3-3 to Bolton at home.
We got beat at the weekend.
Yeah, Sunderland's at rock bottom.
It is at rock bottom.
We've had eight managers
in the last four, five years.
Eight managers. That's too many.
We're a poisoned chalice.
They drove me to drink yesterday.
'Cause I don't normally have a drink
on a school night.
So when I got home yesterday,
had a shower,
sorted meself out,
and I had a vodka about that
Like that.
The way we are at the moment,
you can only hope to stay up, simple-like.
This club cannot go down one division.
Who knows?
Who the hell knows?
Difficult.
Difficult.
In many ways, the announcement
that the manager had lost his job
and the way it was done
I know it didn't sit comfortably
with one or two players, but
they have to understand that
where we are at the moment
is completely unacceptable.
And making decisions like we made
and in the manner in which it was done,
it's all about.. Coming down
to the bottom line, it's not good enough.
I imagined that you never,
at the start of this week,
expected to be in this position, now.
It's been a whirlwind
couple of days, really.
We came into a meeting with Martin.
He said he'd like us
to take the team for Sunday.
And that's as far as we know, medically.
I don't want any discussions
going on beyond that.
Came in Wednesday morning,
and that's
when you have those conversations.
As difficult and as raw as they are,
they need to be done
because you need to move forward.
This is my first time, really,
that a management change has happened
during the season to me.
Robbie Stockdale has been
at the club a long time,
and his stock has risen
in the last couple of years.
So, I think they see Robbie Stockdale
as one of the upcoming young coaches.
And he's committed, and he's a lovely guy.
So, fingers crossed, it works for him.
You're sort of disappointed
that a colleague's not there anymore.
But, if I don't prepare the team properly,
then I'm not doing my job.
Boys, come.
Two minutes.
Robbie is a top coach
and will be a top manager, I'm sure.
If Robbie was given the opportunity,
he would do a sterling job.
He's trusted by the board.
He's trusted by the players.
I think the players, if he got the job,
will be more than happy.
We'll wait and see.
Be in twos.
Let's go!
Forty-five seconds!
Lively!
From the side. Come on, Grabs.
Good, Jonny. Like that.
Drop into it so you really
give yourself a little stretch.
In an ideal world, I would like to have
somebody in place for our next game.
And I know time is not on our side.
The longer we don't have a manager
in place,
the more the clamor will be
as to what's going on, you know,
and who are we getting.
I might have conversations
with some people
who might be people
who would like to come.
Then you spend time having
those discussions,
and ultimately, they say,
"No, thanks. I've thought about it.''
And that puts you back in time as well.
The game this weekend for Sunderland
is critical.
They've forgotten how to defend.
They've forgotten how to see games out.
Players are so short on confidence,
and they're going into an away game
where Middlesbrough is showing a bit of
form again. I think it's a tough one.
I'm a Middlesbrough lad.
I grew up there, played for them.
I spent majority of my career there.
The derby is bragging rights
for the supporters.
When you play in them,
and I was fortunate to a few times,
when you're on the touchline in them,
it feels different.
It feels like there's more of an intensity
to the build up.
There's more of an intensity to the game.
What I really hope
is that the players perform,
and prove a few people wrong,
and get this club going
in the right direction.
Holly goes to the footballs every week.
She attends Pauline Quirke Academy
on Saturday morning.
Next along, we've got is Niall.
My favorite player growing up
was Niall Quinn.
So, me first born son,
I decided to call Niall after Niall Quinn.
I wanted to make a Sunderland sleeve.
At the moment, we've got
Quinn and Phillips.
Then we've got the outline of what's gonna
be Peter Reid coming across the top.
I'm due back in December for the next bit
where all this is gonna be really done.
We're gonna have Kevin Ball
coming down the side.
It will be finished before the end
of the season, trust me.
Well, the 131st league derby
between Middlesbrough and Sunderland
is upon us.
Another manager gone, another relegation.
A distinct possibility.
The problems run deep.
This occasion, though,
does afford them a chance
to lift the mood.
Sunderland's grey strip rather matching
the mood on the Wearside at the moment.
Grayson certainly committed himself.
And Cattermole steaming on to it.
Here's Ndong.
It's opened up for him.
Go on!
It will fall for Grabban
They can't keep spurning these chances.
Lee Cattermole involved
in a cut and thrust.
Goes right in behind here.
Tavernier waits. Tavernier crosses!
1-0 Boro.
That is weak as piss, that.
Goals change games.
You know, that was their
first opportunity, Middlesbrough.
Where does it end up?
In the back of the net.
That's the difference.
It's not all going as planned
for Robbie Stockdale.
Williams still waiting down below.
Make you wonder how're we gonna
make a change?
I think we need to make a change.
You've gotta try to get
a hold of the game.
You gotta change it, do something.
Williams will finally come on now.
Williams now just inside
the Middlesbrough half,
taking it away down the left-hand side.
Rolling it down to Oviedo
who's trying to pull it back,
and here's McGeady!
McGeady's It's gone around
the side netting and behind.
He's got to hit the target.
And that's the the first touch
Williams has got on the ball,
and it has made things happen.
That's it.
Middlesbrough win by a goal to nil.
Gutted.
Whoever's gonna come in,
clearly, still has a lot to do
to address the problems.
This result leaves Sunderland
at the bottom of the Championship.
I don't know
who'd want to take the job on.
It's a poisoned chalice.
Whoever takes the job
has got to be mentally strong.
'Cause he's gonna be in for some stick.
It's not gonna be
like a Christmas Eve party.
He's got to be mentally strong.
We were struggling to get a manager
at the start of the season
in a level playing field.
Now, we're bottom of the league.
How're we gonna get
a manager to come now
when we couldn't get one
to come in the summer?
The word's on the street
that Sunderland's in a plight.
Massive absolute plight,
and unfortunately, I hate to say it,
I cannot say,
I don't know how were gonna get out of it.
If I sat here in my position
and said to you,
"Sunderland was unmanageable,"
then I'd be throwing the towel in.
But there's lots and lots of speculation
that umpteen names have been interviewed
or are coming to Sunderland.
And I just keep my cards
close to my chest on that one.
I have an individual in mind
who's the number one target
and who, I think, will be a great fit
for the club.
So I'm gonna go after that
with conviction.
Good morning, everyone.
Thank you for coming along
and joining us this morning.
The club in recent weeks has carried out
a thorough process
to recruit the right man for the job,
and the best man
for Sunderland Football Club,
and Chris was our first choice all along.
I'm delighted that he's here
with me this morning
as the new manager of Sunderland.
I had a conversation with Martin.
I was very, very impressed
with what he had to say.
So, it took me 24 hours, really,
to think,
"Could I make an impact here?"
When I sat down with Chris,
the moment he and I
started discussing Sunderland,
I could see in his eyes
that this was for him,
and for the future of the football club.
I believe Chris Coleman
is a massive signing.
Chris's reputation speaks for itself.
He's got pedigree.
He was able to create a squad
where everyone enjoyed meeting up,
and enjoyed his training sessions.
It's no surprise we did so well.
Our team spirit was second to none,
and he created that.
He's an experienced manager.
More recently, he was extremely well known
for his results
with the Welsh national team
when he took them to semi-finals at Euros.
Which was a tremendous achievement,
and from Chris's perspective,
I think, really put him
on the managerial map.
I see a lot of positivity
in this football club.
It's a huge football club.
Possibly the biggest one
I'll ever manage.
When Martin gave me
the opportunity to come here,
regardless they're bottom
of the Championship, this or that,
I was always gonna come.
It's a great appointment.
Obviously, he's pedigree,
bringing the Welsh team from
over 100 in the world up to the top ten.
I think he's worked miracles there,
so, he can work one here.
You got pork sausages, Jim, or not?
Cheers, Philip.
We actually done a sausage.
It was called Welsh Dragon.
It's a Welsh dragon sausage
made with chili and leeks.
We just got that in the back,
ready for Chris Coleman to be a success.
We might make some to celebrate
his first win, you never know.
Everyone's absolutely delighted.
All of my friends, especially the ladies,
are absolutely delighted.
But no, seriously,
I think the whole of Sunderland
are delighted that he's come.
I'm absolutely over the moon
that we'd get somebody that high-profile.
I'll put it this way.
I'd rather catch me missus in bed
with Coleman than the window cleaner.
Right, I've said
this is the happy floor in the place.
Tell the boys what you do.
Yeah, I'm the supporting liaison officer.
So, I get a lot of fan feedback
after games.
So, they send me the transfer suggestions
in January,
so I'll send through to you, Chris.
We better win some games
and make it a bit easier for you, right?
-That's Leslie.
-I'm Chris. Nice to meet you.
-Hi, I'm Claire.
-Claire, nice to meet you.
So, I am the other half of
the communications dream team with Adam.
I'll be the one bullying you
into doing it.
He bullies me three days a week,
might as well keep it in the family, yes.
More? There's more?
There's rooms everywhere.
I'm Chris. Nice to meet you.
Would you like to take part
in Secret Santa?
I'd like to take part in
having a taste of that little chocolate
you got there.
You got These are fantastic.
Popping candy.
No, that's great. Thank you.
Thanks very much.
Cheers.
See you later. Take care.
-Nice to see you.
-Nice to meet you.
I think Chris will be a major milestone
in the history of Sunderland Football Club
for years to come.
This is where the magic takes place.
What a stadium.
-48,500.
-Fantastic.
Amazing place, isn't it?
This is what you call,
a proper football stadium.
Robbie Stockdale looking
for a first home win of the season,
and only a second win of the season
for Sunderland,
which just shows what an appalling state
Chris Coleman has come into.
The game underway.
Williams, a big favorite
of Chris Coleman's.
Oviedo from the line.
It's dropped to Grabban!
Lewis Grabban
has put Sunderland in front!
There's the free kick.
-No, no, no.
-Unbelievable.
Saville again to take the free kick
for Millwall.
And he scores!
Millwall are 2-1 up
in two identical free kicks.
Matthews darts down towards to goal line,
pulls it back.
Oh, no!
-Now Williams is down.
-You're right. Williams is down.
Williams' involvement in the game
is gonna end,
and that'll be a blow to him.
It's a blow to Sunderland.
Wretched luck for Jonny Williams.
I had an idea of a formation
I wanted to play before I got to the club,
and that quickly was thrown out the window
when we lost Jonny,
after the Millwall game.
I know you won't want to make excuses,
but I suppose the injuries
is the last thing you needed
in your first week on the job.
It'll make me a better manager,
whichever way it goes.
We have a big club in a tough situation.
That's where we are.
Though we never saw Sunderland
bottom of the league
on the back of a relegation,
we saw Sunderland.
Sunderland's a huge football club.
It's exciting for a manager or a coach
to get the chance
to try and build something.
Here, I thought, we can make an impact.
We can make a positive impact here.
Looking forward every morning,
going into the office,
doing the training sessions,
trying to improve the players individually
and collectively as a team,
and putting your own game plan in place.
Okay, get cracking.
Chris and myself have a style
and way a we like to train and play.
Go to two groups,
the purples and the oranges.
Start from the bottom.
Chris's big word when he first spoke
to the players was accountability.
Everyone's gotta be accountable.
There's not hiding places.
Here we go, guys!
We're going wide to Donald.
That's it. Can we affect it?
-Little yard!
-Good defending!
There we go. There we go.
Well done, you three.
Delay, delay. Well done!
Great reactions!
Great reactions! Love that!
Yes!
Some players will sort of
drift through sessions
and go under the radar a little bit.
It's our job to design the sessions
whereby they can't do that,
even maybe ones who want to.
And you draw them out of themselves
a little bit, I think.
And we want to see people's personalities.
Check back. Come, get up, get up!
The normal rotation for you is about 60.
And it's pretty tight here already.
Reaching around behind your back here.
The big part is getting movement back.
Because if you get really stiff now,
or you don't get on with it,
it's very difficult
to recover the movement.
The weeks are longer when you're injured.
Spending a bit more time
doing rehab and physio,
and you're not with the lads training.
You can get a bit isolated at times.
There's days where
I just can't be bothered, really.
It helps when you're working
with a manager that knows
what I need as a player.
He knows me as good as anyone
in the football world.
He's known to get the best
out of me on the international stage.
So hopefully, he can help me do that
in a red and white shirt.
Great strike.
It was a recurrent theme of me
getting into the first team
at the end of a manager's reign,
and then they'd be gone
in the next couple of weeks.
I'd have to start from scratch,
because a new manager comes in.
I've only got a couple of appearances
to my name.
That's not exactly a good resume
for them to start playing me.
I've always thought I gotta do something
that other people don't.
So mine was
What can I do
that other people can't do well?
For me, the easiest one was
just to work harder than everyone else.
Off the field, on the field, or whatever.
I just want to play
every game this season, really.
Breathe, lad, breathe!
Breathe!
Whether I fail from that or succeed,
I'll always think back
when I gave it much more.
So it's sort of a satisfying way
to think about it.
Mother Mary!
Wise Men Say, Sun FM preview show.
With Stephen Goldsmith and Gareth Barker.
All things Sunderland.
Chris called me when he came in,
on his first press conference,
and he said he wanted to get the city
rock and rolling again, didn't he?
Rocking and rolling.
If we lose to Burton,
we're only rolling in one direction.
Chris Coleman is here
to take your calls.
There's been a few false dawns lately,
but hopefully,
you're the man to take us forward.
Thank you very much. Appreciate it.
I believe in empowering people.
What I've seen so far has been promising.
George Honeyman,
who's done really well for us.
Good legs, good energy going forward.
We have got options.
Any successful team at any level,
you need players.
Coleman
For a new manager coming in,
especially in Sunderland's situation,
it's kind of perfect, isn't it?
If we win,
we're definitely off the bottom.
It's just the chance
to get that momentum going.
I know what I'm faced with.
I know what's coming.
But I'm excited about that challenge.
I am genuinely excited.
I'm here to do my best for Sunderland.
It's gonna be a good, tough game,
and a big one for us.
Drives this in.
It's flicked across the face
James Vaughan. Vaughan has scored!
It's Sunderland 1, Burton nil,
and Sunderland on course for victory.
One-nil up,
with just over five minutes to play.
Taking it into the penalty area.
Trying to go around Murphy,
crossing it here
It's Sunderland 2, Burton nil.
But it was Honeyman who smashed it
into the back of the net,
from just a couple of yards out.
And Honeyman has wrapped it up
for Sunderland.
On behalf of myself
and a lot of Sunderland fans,
I really want to thank Chris Coleman
for what was the first moment
of passion we've seen
in what seems like 18 months.
It's slowly becoming an iconic moment.
It just felt normal and natural.
In my experience, be yourself.
People accept you, or they don't.
Just got to be yourself
and get on with your job.
Mark, I think they want
that printer in there.
You never know.
See if he gets that one right.
You tall enough for that?
We beat Burton on the weekend.
You think we beat Barcelona.
We're just all over the moon.
Turned a corner.
It's a new regime. It's a new start.
Just like that one win,
everyone's just positive thoughts.
We knew that when the new gaffer came in,
there'll be room changes,
there'd be stuff to do.
-It's the way it's always been.
-It's not always a bad thing.
It's good to change. Freshen all up.
Change it around.
-Without a doubt.
-New start.
When Chris comes in, he's kind of like,
"Yes, I'm with you, mate. I'm with you."
It sounds mad,
but it's that effective?
It's true, innit?
Just the way he talks,
it has somewhat
Somewhat of power?
-Happy days.
-Yeah, without a doubt.
He's got a spring in his step now
from these boards.
Whatever you want.
I'll work the night shift tonight as well.
-I'll run through fire for you.
-I'll put it out.
Brilliant.
Just the whole place feels lifted.
It's changed a lot of things around here.
All for the better.
-Breathe in, Mick.
-All for the better.
Divide yourselves into threes.
Good. Set. Break. Good.
Good. Get it around.
Good. Set. Break.
-Good man.
-Good position. Good.
All the signs here,
after two weeks of being here,
some of the younger players are capable.
We need to be careful with them.
Put them in, take them out
at the right times,
but what I've seen,
they're definitely capable
of making an impact in the situation
where we find ourselves.
Young Josh, we've got to be careful
where we don't overexpose him too early,
and ask for too much too soon.
So we've got to get
that balancing act right.
No, I'm only 18.
Nineteen in a few days.
Joel's got more tricks than me.
His nickname is The Flash.
That's Joel.
It's his speed.
And he's Magic Maj.
You don't know what's gonna happen,
so yeah.
-Yes.
-You're lucky, man.
My mom, she's a Christian, so
Yeah, she's got me into my beliefs.
Definitely helps on the pitch
'cause just gives me
that belief in myself,
and belief that people are on my side,
if you know what I mean?
Yes.
Josh Maja and Joel Asoro
are the likely lads.
They are inseparable.
I think they are very, very good friends.
On top of that, they are both talented.
They're both attacking players.
They both have no fear,
and there's a bit of swagger about them.
It's good to see that confidence
and swagger in a player
at a football club
which has been so badly beaten
over the last few years.
And players ground down.
Yes!
The enthusiasm with which they talk
about wanting to play
however difficult circumstances are.
Tap into that, and you think,
"Yeah, there is a future here.
The future's quite bright."
Maja, to be fair, he's worked hard.
So, certainly
highly rated, I think,
by the coaching staff.
A season like this could actually
be the making of Josh Maja.
We haven't won a game here
since December 17 last year.
Almost a year.
So I think now is the time to win again.
We keep hoping, once Sunderland wins
one game at home,
then more wins would follow.
It's become a massive psychological
barrier for the players, I think.
It'll be a tricky game for us on Saturday.
I know what's been said
about the Stadium of Light.
We've not won there for so long.
You just got to show a bit of mettle
and a bit of courage.
I think the fans can see
that in Chris's appointment,
that the club have made
a determined effort
to get stronger. It needs to get better.
The fans have got a massive part to play
at the Stadium of Light
because at the time of year,
with the holiday season coming up,
it would just be great.
Today is a really important day.
It could be a turning point for the club,
in terms of getting that home win
that everybody craves.
Hello, how are you?
It's cold, eh?
How are we, boys?
-Would you like a team sheet?
-Yeah. Thank you.
Getting a win today is really important
for obvious reasons,
and it just helps as well
with morale.
I think, hopefully,
it'll kick start us as well.
Once we get that win,
I think that'll be it.
That'll set us up on a roll.
Help yourself to some food.
Or you can buy some drinks,
alcoholic drinks.
So, yeah?
And Chris is brilliant.
He's really brought something to the club
that was missing.
That's not being disrespectful
to anybody that was here previously.
He's just injected some life.
He's just got a presence.
I feel like that's kinda soaking in
throughout the team and the club.
So, hope he gets it.
Hope we're getting points for him as well.
Not just for the supporters and the team,
but for him.
The club's always meant a lot to me.
I'm not from there
but it's meant a lot to me
for 40 years.
1977 is when I started going.
Probably turned into my life
more than anything else.
Today is the 200th consecutive game
I've managed to get to, home and away.
I think it's gonna be 3-1.
1-0. I'd be happy with 1-0.
Before every home game,
Bob Stoker's foot is dutifully rubbed
by the pair of us.
I don't think it has any bearing
on what the 11 players do on the pitch,
but I just can't not do it.
I've got a good feeling. I really have.
We've got to stay positive.
We've got to
Hey, come on.
I want to walk out of here at full-time
with a bloody smile on me face.
And away we go.
Fulham unbeaten in their last six visits.
Sunderland need to start
on the front foot.
Matthews. That's dangerous.
Vaughan on the end of it! What a save!
Sensational save from Bettinelli.
Sunderland don't want to go
a full calendar year without winning here.
This is Honeyman. Beaten away.
Towards Grabban!
They still keep banging on the door,
but it just will not go in.
How did we miss that?
So, Joel Asoro and Josh Maja
are coming on here for Sunderland.
Listen to the reception
that this young man gets.
He's seen as a really exciting prospect.
And look at the two youngsters
flying forward and demanding the ball.
It's squared across goal
and it couldn't reach Maja.
Should we go out?
Gibson bringing it back for Sunderland.
Now there's space
for Matthews to work with.
Moved in towards Maja.
Great first touch!
Second touch, Josh Maja!
That's how you introduce yourself,
on Wearside!
Josh Maja!
Terrific first touch at his feet!
And his second one isn't bad either.
Into the bottom corner.
And Sunderland lead.
Sunderland four minutes away.
Listen to the noise.
Referee had a look at his watch.
He's yet to blow. He does now!
Sunderland have finally won a home game,
364 days on from the last!
Hopefully, this is a turning point,
'cause we are Sunderland.
And we're Sunderland till we die.
Happy days.
Come on!
Well, it was organized.
A bit of confidence.
Three clean sheets.
That's what you gotta remember.
Anyway, I'm bloody freezing.
I'm gonna go home and have me tea.
All right?
Absolutely amazing.
It's just a really, really nice feeling
to come in and just to be happy.
And just to see everybody feel it.
It's just great.
It's just we've been waiting for so long.
Maja, Maja, Maja!
First goal, first league game.
Just buzzing. I'm very happy.
I'm happy I got my opportunity today,
and I'm glad I took it.
Yeah, delighted.
The whole place, you can feel
the energy here and the happiness.
A good Saturday afternoon for us
because it's been so long.
We deserved it today,
and the supporters certainly
deserved it for sticking with us.
No other manager
David Moyes couldn't do it.
Simon Grayson couldn't do it.
This man, Chirs Coleman, we love him.
We've been waiting a long time for it.
Chris Coleman, top man. Brilliant.
What a speech!
That's been a good one.
It's electric.
Once we scored like,
the whole stadium erupted.
Even at the end, you know,
you'd think we won the cup.
All's we done was win a game
first time this year.
To see the young lads come on as well.
He was only on a few minutes.
Five minutes.
Class, man. It was class.
I've got a gammon cooking for tomorrow.
So once that's cooked,
I'm gonna put my dressing on top.
Honey mustard and brown sugar,
and roast it.
That's for our Christmas lunch
with turkey and all the trimmings.
The place is buzzing.
Just relief, really,
just to get that first win
in 364 days, it was.
Instead of having one vodka,
I had two vodkas to celebrate.
Doubles, trebles.
Merry Christmas!
Grinch.
Got him a special hat.
Hopefully, we're on the up now.
They do say miracles happen
at Christmastime.