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"An Impossible Job"
Cutting Edgeepisode
VHS cover
Episodeno.Season 5
Episode 1
Directed byKen McGill
Written byPatrick Collins
Narrated byMark Halliley
Featured musicCliff Rossiter
Editing byDave Simpson
Justin Annandale
Production codeChrysalis Sport
Original air date24 January 1994(1994-01-24)
Running time50 minutes
Episode chronology
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"Graham Taylor: An Impossible Job"is a 1994Britishfly-on-the-walldocumentarydirected and produced by Ken McGill, written by Patrick Collins, and made byChrysalisforCutting Edge.The documentary follows theEngland football teamthrough the 18 months before their failure toqualifyfor the1994 FIFA World Cup Finalsand showed the pressure managerGraham Taylorwas under before his resignation. It was originally broadcast byChannel 4on 24 January 1994.

Background

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Neil Duncanson (who joinedChrysalisas a freelance producer in 1991) suggested the documentary, though some of his colleagues believed they would never get permission.[1]The title of the film,An Impossible Job,reflects the difficulties of theEngland manager's position.[2]

Film-maker Ken McGill and his team recordedGraham Taylorand his team throughout the qualifiers. Taylor agreed to take part in the programme as he hoped it would show the differences between club and international management. But as results turned for the worse, the focus shifted to Taylor[3]and the documentary captured a manager increasingly bereft as results went against him.[4]In 2013, journalist Rob Shepherd revealed, "None of us in the 'Hack Pack' who followed England at the time knew that a documentary was being filmed. But Graham Taylor did. "[5]

Taylor thought about cancelling filming before the trip toNorwayin June 1993, but believed that the written press - who were already hostile towards him - would seize on it as an admission England would not qualify.[3]

Before England's match againstthe Netherlands,theDutch FAhad denied access to the crew filming Taylor, but the England manager helped to smuggle them inside theDe Kuipstadium.[6]The crew donned England tracksuits and carried their film equipment into the stadium in team kitbags.[3]

Synopsis

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The documentary followsGraham Taylorbefore, during and afterEngland's crucial qualifier against the Netherlands inRotterdam.[6]

England'scampaignstarted poorly with a home draw against Norway in October 1992. Taylor's subsequent touchline performances included the quotes "Do I not like that" and "Can we not knock it?" from an away game againstPolandin May 1993. During the following game, with England 2-0 down in Norway in June and making several misplaced passes, Taylor can be heard off-screen saying "fucking hell".[7]

Taylor visitsDavid Plattin Italy to ensure the player consents tohis captaincybeing handed toStuart Pearce.He holds court in front of an audience of prison inmates ofAshwell Prison.He quips and scolds journalist Rob Shepherd during a press conference:[7]Shepherd looks dejected by Taylor's team selection for the game against the Netherlands and pleads with him to change his mind. Taylor mocks him for his negativity,[8]"Rob, I can't continue... Rob, I can't have... Listen, Rob... I cannot have faces like yours around about me. [Uproarious laughter] No I can't – I tell you this now, if you were one of my players with a face like that, I'd fucking kick you out. You'd never have a chance. Put a smile on your face, we're here for business, come on."[9]

In October 1993, during the penultimate match in the Netherlands, refereeKarl-Josef Assenmacherdid not send offRonald Koemanfor fouling Platt.[7]After Koeman scored, Taylor vents his frustration on the fourth officialMarkus Merkand the nearside linesman. After repeatedly complaining about the decisions, he says to Merk: "You see, at the end of the day, I get the sack."[10]He then says to the linesman, "I'm just saying to your colleague, the referee has got me the sack. Thank him ever so much for that, won't you?"[7]

Appearances

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Broadcast and release

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The film was broadcast byChannel 4on 24 January 1994 as part of theCutting Edgedocumentary series. Acensoredversion of the film was broadcast a few days later. More than six million people tuned in to watch the film.[3]

A 77-minute version of the film including previously unseen footage was released on VHS on 7 July 1997 retitledGraham Taylor: "Do I Not Like That. The Final Chapter".[11]North One(which now ownsChrysalis) sold the documentary toITVwho broadcast the extended version of the documentary on 5 October 2008 onITV4.[12][13]

Aftermath

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During the qualifying campaign, commentators felt that Taylor and his two assistantsPhil NealandLawrie McMenemygave the impression of never being in control of their situation.[7]Neal was criticised for being a 'yes man' after the documentary was broadcast.[3]

The 2001 comedy feature filmMike Bassett: England Managerwas inspired partly by Graham Taylor andAn Impossible Job.[14]

In 2013, Ken McGill toldBBC Sport,"I found it hard to take the consequences of the film. But there is nothing I would change. It is a piece of honest film-making."[3]

Reception

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TheDaily Expresscalled it "A fascinating mix ofblack comedyand personal tragedy. "[citation needed]

101 Great Goals said in 2008, "...the documentary is a super watch... Above all, it explains much about the pressure of being the England manager. It does also make you wonder how Graham Taylor is now a respected pundit."[15]

The Guardianreported in 2010, "An ImpossibleJob was immediately hailed as a comic masterpiece ".[7]Daniel Taylor ofThe Guardianin 2013 described it as "a piece of television gold."[16]David Elkin ofPulp Footballin the same year said, "The documentary is a brilliant examination of the media, the pressure and the utterly ludicrous nature of being the England national team manager." He added:An Impossible Jobgives a real insight into the doomed campaign and the nature of the role. "[17]

Barney Ronay in his 2010 bookThe Manager: The absurd ascent of the most important man in footballsaid, [Taylor] "turned out to be a brilliantly absorbing subject for a tragicomic documentary film."[18]Andy Mitten in his 2003 bookThe Rough Guide to Cult Footballsaid, "the programme's enduring legacy is to present him [Taylor] unfairly as a provincial buffoon."[19]

Awards

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Year Award Category Recipient(s) Result
1995 Royal Television Society Best Sports Coverage Cutting Edge Won

See also

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References

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  1. ^Duncanson, Neil (6 October 1996)."Anorak with a cutting edge".The Independent.Archivedfrom the original on 4 March 2016.Retrieved30 June2014.
  2. ^"The impossible job".BBC News.5 February 1999.Retrieved30 June2014.
  3. ^abcdefRostance, Tom (8 October 2013)."Do I not like that: 20 years since Graham Taylor's World Cup failure".BBC Sport.Retrieved30 June2014.
  4. ^White, Jim (7 October 2010)."Graham Taylor: I will take England's failure to reach 1994 World Cup finals to my grave".The Daily Telegraph.Retrieved30 June2014.
  5. ^"Do we not like that: Shep's TV highlight".Sports Journalists' Association. 12 October 2013.Retrieved30 June2014.
  6. ^ab"Documentary: Graham Taylor –" The Impossible Job "s".4DFoot. 5 November 2010. Archived fromthe originalon 6 August 2014.Retrieved30 June2014.
  7. ^abcdef"The Joy of Six: Football documentaries".The Guardian.5 November 2010.Retrieved30 June2014.
  8. ^Hellier, David (18 May 2004)."Been inside? You're hired".The Independent.Archived fromthe originalon 8 August 2014.Retrieved30 June2014.
  9. ^Brown, Oliver (3 October 2008)."Top five managerial rants".The Daily Telegraph.Retrieved30 June2014.
  10. ^Jackson, Jamie (1 October 2006)."How did it feel..."The Observer.Retrieved30 June2014.
  11. ^"Do I Not Like That - The Final Chapter [1994] [VHS]".Amazon.co.uk.7 July 1997.Retrieved30 June2014.
  12. ^McMahon, Kate (17 September 2008)."ITV to revive C4's classic Graham Taylor football doc".Broadcast Now.Retrieved30 June2014.
  13. ^"An Impossible Job/ Do I not like that!".Digital Spy.5 October 2008.Retrieved30 June2014.
  14. ^Smith, Arthur; Pulver, Andrew (21 September 2001)."Turnip - the movie".The Guardian.Retrieved30 June2014.
  15. ^"Do I not like that".101 Great Goals. 23 September 2008.Retrieved30 June2014.
  16. ^Taylor, Daniel (12 October 2013)."England manager Roy Hodgson shows job may not be impossible after all".The Guardian.Retrieved30 June2014.
  17. ^Elkin, David (10 December 2013)."The 5 Essential Football Documentaries".Pulp Football. Archived fromthe originalon 2 July 2014.Retrieved30 June2014.
  18. ^Ronay, Barney (2010).The Manager: The Absurd Ascent of the Most Important Man in Football.Sphere.ISBN978-0751542790.
  19. ^Mitten, Andy (2010).The Rough Guide to Cult Football.Rough Guides.ISBN978-1848365421.
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