Angry the butcher chops the meat

On the walls of the Church, burning candles, in the Background, organ music plays, slowly, the benches fill. Red-and-white scarves everywhere. The priest begins his sermon: "Lord, help us to understand how important the football for our community."

The new documentary, "Sunderland 'Til I die" the streaming giant, Netflix, told the football that's different for once. It's more than the goals, the victories and defeats. A fairy tale would have it, the wonderful story of a traditional club that is relegated from the Premier League and in the second highest League back to the top fight. For a year, the producers accompanied the AFC Sunderland. A history of spectacular failure, which allows for countless behind the Scenes insights and the problems of English football, relentlessly and full of emotions in public places has come.

tears after the victory

In the center of the narrative, the Fans are always. You are sitting in Pubs, speaking of Sunderland, with a rolling "R" and "U" instead of an "a", wear simple Jackets, Tattoos of your favorite players and give their firstborn the name of Club legends. After the first home win since 364 days of tears roll down her cheeks, and after the coach dismissal was a butcher with a big belly and a red head declared, he would have fired his employees if such crap would have made while he chop large pieces of meat. It is typical of the inhabitants of a typical English industrial city – was a little cranky, a little on the simple side, but all the more passionate when it comes to football.

Starts the series as an Ode to football, the tone soon gets harder, the images of dark and the mood subdued. Sunderland classified in the second League, by no means, victory to victory, but loses, stumbles, fails. And can be found quickly in the relegation zone again. The coach is dismissed, the players are unhappy and the audience impatient.

In these moments, the series knows to convince, because they can offer TV viewers more than he is accustomed to with traditional sports coverage. Instead of platitudes and prepared Statements to broadcast that accompanied the camera to the chief Executive Martin Bain on the frustrating search for a competent, affordable coach who is willing to take over an ailing Club in a relegation place in the second highest League. The microphones will run if Trainer and managing Director of Transfers to discuss, and the club's management, the Scouting Department criticized, because they have no realistic view: "Why for God's sake, is Ibrahimovic? Have you found some money?"

In the Tornado of fear

The Club slides ever deeper into crisis, and the producers show what you get to see the kick-off of his idols never: weakness, vulnerability, helplessness, despair. "We are in a Tornado of fear, pain, and Stress," says Coach Chris Coleman. Employees make this Tornado appreciable if you can explain pragmatically, which would still mean a descent: they would be fired.

The Fans long to stay optimistic, but when you despair, can the series break points in today's professional football. For example, in a conversation between sponsors and the club management. Owner Ellis Short is unwilling to invest more of their own money. The smaller donors complain that Short have made the Association is broken. Would you have supported the Club previously and would not do this even if Short. He leaves but only debts. The anger of the Fans is focused more and more on Short, sold the club after the season finally.

"a new beginning" is the name of the last episode of the series. It conveys a spirit of optimism: new owner, new management, new coach – everything will be fine. Whether the filmmakers have taken the mood in Sunderland exactly, may be doubted. "Our goalkeeper is also shown that he has cost us in the last season is still more points than I could ever imagine," a Gran tiger Sunderland Fan, to the point.

After the descent, you see a group of crying Fans. You are in the arms and singing "Can't Help Falling in Love" by Elvis Presley. "Sunderland 'Til I die" can be hard. Ironically, the most difficult months of the Association were recorded by a camera team. For the Sunderland Fans are a bitter testimony. For all lovers of football as a gift. Since a few days the series is on Netflix.

(editing Tamedia)

Created: 28.12.2018, 18:44 PM