Take Us Home:Leeds United

Discussion in 'General Football & Other Sport' started by CleyHorn, Aug 23, 2019.

  1. CleyHorn

    CleyHorn Reservist

    I've just finished watching this six-part series. 6x45mins = 4.5 hours worth! It covers their, somewhat tumultuous, last season. I understand that other clubs have been similarly covered previously. The Mooners and QPR are two at least but I haven't seen that stuff.

    Produced by ElevenStudios for Amazon Prime it's utterly brilliant. Narrated by Russell Crowe (a fan apparently). Has anyone else seen it?

    Leeds have a very similar set up to us with an owner, director of football, chief executive and head coach. There's full access to the first three granted throughout as far as I could see including the way they go about their jobs, the boardroom, their emotions and, in the owner's case at least, his family. Would Gino be so accommodating? The players too. Including their families. Only Bielsa comes across as a bit remote. Just his style maybe rather than a specific reluctance to participate and he's the only participant who doesn't speak our language. He's extensively quoted throughout though. 'Spygate' and the Leeds v Villa goals controversy get full coverage, especially the former. Various (some way o.t.t.) fans are followed about and there's lots of match footage, analysis and 'crowd participation'.

    What impressed me most was the sheer quality of the production. Lord knows how many camera crews they had following them about all season. And the editing is utterly brilliant. If that's a sample of the quality of ElevenStudios stuff then bring it on.

    So, you might be getting the impression that I enjoyed it and found it very informative. I did! Quite simply the best football documentary I've ever seen that shows what really goes on at a football club behind the scenes, rather than our relatively uninformed ramblings and speculation. Edge of the seat stuff. And highly recommended.
     
    Last edited: Aug 23, 2019
  2. GoingDown

    GoingDown "The Stability"

    They don't get promoted.
     
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  3. CleyHorn

    CleyHorn Reservist

    Indeed. A thriller with a known ending. Still engrossing.
     
  4. The undeniable truth

    The undeniable truth First Team Captain

    Who got to play Ken Bates ? Colonel Sanders ?
     
    Last edited: Aug 23, 2019
  5. CleyHorn

    CleyHorn Reservist

    Previous footage of Ken Bates played Ken Bates in a nice little cameo.
     
  6. folkestone orn

    folkestone orn Squad Player

    Lol
     
  7. CleyHorn

    CleyHorn Reservist

    Yep. Watch it. It's rather good.
     
  8. Burnsy

    Burnsy First Team

    I assume all their d1ckhead fans are played by themselves?

    Would take some impressive ‘method’ acting otherwise.
     
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  9. CleyHorn

    CleyHorn Reservist

    Indeed they are. We all have '****head fans'. Leeds may have more than their fair share. But don't let an initial 'dirty Leeds' prejudice inform you to the extent that you wouldn't consider this a very considered piece and relevant us all.
     
  10. reids

    reids First Team

    How does it match up to the Sunderland one? I've got both the Leeds + Dortmund ones on my watchlist but not sure when i'll get a chance to watch them :(
     
  11. Arakel

    Arakel First Team

    I can't bring myself to watch four and half hours of material about Leeds, even if the crew did a good job.

    It's f*cking Leeds.
     
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  12. The undeniable truth

    The undeniable truth First Team Captain

    Exactly. Though it might be worth fast forwarding to the bit at the end when they fail to get promoted, just to see their sad little faces....
     
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  13. CleyHorn

    CleyHorn Reservist

    Dunno. I was informed about the Sunderland one prior to my o.p. but forgot about it. Maybe the Dortmund one too. But kindly don't critique me on a lack of comparative analysis. I've watched the Leeds offering. I've no idea how it compares to previous offerings. I liked the programme I saw. It is a quite brilliant piece of football journalism. Human journalism too. Relevant to us all.

    Should some 'sad little sacks' on here choose to rubbish it just coz it's Leeds then feel free. That's up to them.
     
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  14. Burnsy

    Burnsy First Team

    I really enjoy your posts @CleyHorn and engage with you often.

    The last paragraph is unnecessary. No one has insulted you for watching it...
     
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  15. luke_golden

    luke_golden Space Cadet

    I’ve been watching it the last couple of days. It’s okay, and I’d agree that it’s really well made. Would have loved more Bielsa, but doubt he’s the kind of bloke who’d be happy to take time away from his meticulous analysis for a documentary.

    For me, the best part would have to be the insight into the Dan James “transfer”, and how it was derailed by the Swansea board at the last minute. Gut-wrenching to see the kid go through the day with his medical, photo shoots with the shirt etc and then have it snatched away. Obviously it worked out well for him in the end, but it was a decent reminder of how hard it can be to get deals across the line, and the uncertainty that faces a player who might be moving clubs.

    It’s better than the Man City one, easily, but the turmoil at Sunderland was a more intriguing watch. Planning on the Dortmund series this weekend.
     
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  16. CleyHorn

    CleyHorn Reservist

    OK. Yep, that last para. was a bit gratuitous. I must have come over all Kelso following a liquid lunch. I apologise. Those I had a go at most certainly don't fit the description!

    However, I would find it a bit sad if someone genuinely chose not to watch the programme on the grounds that it's about 'dirty Leeds'. We all speculate endlessly on here about the relationship between the four at the top of our power structure (although Scott Duxbury is genuinely quite open about it). But here you can see all that played out for real. So extrapolating to us makes it very insightful. Nowhere was that better illustrated than in the Daniel James 'non-transfer' as luke_golden has said.

    If there was a similar programme about Lootown I'd make a point of watching it specifically because it was about Lootown! Seeing as the Sunderland offering comes highly recommended I'll make a point of watching that too. Although, if it shows them up to be a 'basket case', as I presume it does, it begs the question of why the production company were allowed access to make it.
     
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