The Four Year Plan.

El Weirdo · 04-03-2012 12:52am #1

Just a heads-up for anyone that might be interested.

The Four Year Plan, a film documenting the (frankly miraculous, as you will see if you watch it) rise of QPR from the lower reaches of the Championship to their eventual promotion to the Premier League last year, is on tomorrow night on BBCHD and BBC2 (times vary).

I watched this on DVD a couple of weeks ago and I have to say, it is a very good documentary even if you're not a QPR fan.

It gives a great insight into the behind-the-scenes machinations of a modern day football club - well, a football club owned by an orange egomaniac and a dwarf, anyway.

Here's the trailer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R5xAmAjZ1mY

monkey9 · 04-03-2012 1:05am

A bit of insight there as to what the likes of Rafa had to put up with at Liverpool!!

It's actually unbelievable to think that there are clueless people out there with money who pick the manager for your beloved club.

That trailer reminds me of Blackburn Rovers. There is something fundamentally wrong at that club. Some unknown people buy the club, sack Allardyce and give Steve Kean the job??

Look at them now. A complete and utter circus!!

El Weirdo · 04-03-2012 1:11am

monkey9 wrote: »

A bit of insight there as to what the likes of Rafa had to put up with at Liverpool!!

It's actually unbelievable to think that there are clueless people out there with money who pick the manager for your beloved club.

That trailer reminds me of Blackburn Rovers. There is something fundamentally wrong at that club. Some unknown people buy the club, sack Allardyce and give Steve Kean the job??

Look at them now. A complete and utter circus!!

Absolutely. Easy knowing the Fit and proper person test doesn't have an IQ section.

Spread · 04-03-2012 3:58am

Am just glad that they got rid of those fucking Eyeties. They were merely carpetbaggers with narcisstic egos.

colly_06 · 04-03-2012 6:16pm

Is this been shown here?

Qprmeath · 04-03-2012 6:46pm

colly_06 wrote: »

Is this been shown here?

Yes, think its on at midnight BBC 2. Well worth watching. Also seen it on dvd. Qpr virtually had the championship won last season and Flavio was still going on about how clueless Warnock was. How Neil won a league with these clowns in the background is beyond me.

Spread · 04-03-2012 11:04pm

For anyone to read of the countless frauds/jail sentences that this scumbag has under his belt ......... go no further than Wiki:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flavio_Briatore

How the fuck did he become the CEO at QPR with that form. Had they not heard of "fit and proper person" to take the hot seat?

He gave Warnock a hard time because he did not fit in to the slick con-artistry that pervaded Loftus Road with the emergence of the sons of Caesar. I don't think Warnock used Bolivian marching powder.

05-03-2012 1:37am

Wow jesus im watching this at the moment. Those Italians are complete gobs*ites. The indian owner seemed a positive sort of guy though. How he got involved them tools is beyond me. Bernie Ecclestone didnt feature much except one scene where he complained about expenses before/after a game and i think he was referring to bottles of water

Could be wrong

MoscowFlyer · 05-03-2012 3:06am

QPR need 1pt for automatic promotion and Briatore is calling Warnock an idiot. Amazing. Can't make this stuff up.

Nemanja91 · 05-03-2012 3:14am

Anyone have a link to this or know when it is going to be repeated? Thanks

Kojak · 05-03-2012 3:22am

MoscowFlyer wrote: »

QPR need 1pt for automatic promotion and Briatore is calling Warnock an idiot. Amazing. Can't make this stuff up.

He seemed to say that about everybody. What he really wanted, but wouldn't admit to, was to be manager himself when everything was going well. When things would go pear shaped, then have someone else to blame.

StupidLikeAFox · 05-03-2012 4:00am

Very interesting comment made re the money involved. Getting promoted meant their league income would jump from 2m to 42m, and I presume that was factoring in that they werent even going to win anything.

Glico Man · 05-03-2012 4:05am

Nemanja91 wrote: »

Anyone have a link to this or know when it is going to be repeated? Thanks

It's on BBC iplayer if you have a proxy

Only just finished watching myself and its a great show I must say. The difference between the attitudes of the Italians and the Indians (although I believe they were born in the UK(?)) is startling. As an outsider, the best move that the club made was moving Briatore away from a position of power and giving it to Amit Bhatia. He seemed to 'get it' a helluva lot more than the others around him.

Fascinating watch and leads me to only begin to imagine what Rafa had to deal with at Liverpool with the two donkeys at the top table.

Glico Man · 05-03-2012 4:10am

ColHol wrote: »

Very interesting comment made re the money involved. Getting promoted meant their league income would jump from 2m to 42m, and I presume that was factoring in that they werent even going to win anything.

That's the difference in t.v revenue. And again, they were correct in saying it increases the longer you stay in the league and also by position you finish the season.

If they were to be relegated this season, they would still receive approx. £40 million in parachute payments.

tvercetti · 05-03-2012 4:16am

Enjoyed it, Amit came off very well, interesting seeing the running of a club albeit different to most Im sure.

Amit keeping Neil sweet saying he won't lose any players and then saying a minute later behind his back how he has Neil in his pocket and will have him letting go a player in a couple of days. Briatore ringing the assitant manager and telling him put on a second striker.

dfx- · 05-03-2012 5:07am

Interesting show around the end of Sousa and Amit's comment in the box to the Italian at the start of the promotion season "if you want to be sitting here, there's no criticism of the players, otherwise sit somewhere else"

Have to say that Gianni lad came off the worst for me.

kronsington · 05-03-2012 10:09am

i watched about an hour of this. thought it was fascinating. would like to catch the rest. if anyone has a link please post

ColeTrain · 05-03-2012 10:29am

Really interesting documentary.

It's on the BBC Iplayer. Downloading expatshield allows you to watch it.

Qprmeath · 05-03-2012 10:51am

kronsington wrote: »

i watched about an hour of this. thought it was fascinating. would like to catch the rest. if anyone has a link please post

http://youtu.be/YAAOsPMkYWk

El Weirdo · 05-03-2012 11:06am

dfx- wrote: »

Interesting show around the end of Sousa and Amit's comment in the box to the Italian at the start of the promotion season "if you want to be sitting here, there's no criticism of the players, otherwise sit somewhere else"

Have to say that Gianni lad came off the worst for me.

My opinion of Paladini was actually improved by watching the film. Although, admittedly, it wasn't very high in the first place.
The guy is a buffoon that seems to attract trouble and controversy at every turn and I find it unbelievable that he wasn't removed from his position earlier.

Despite this, I get the impression that he actually did care about the club.

kronsington · 05-03-2012 1:02pm

Qprmeath wrote: »

http://youtu.be/YAAOsPMkYWk

thanks. hopefully ill get a chance to watch it before its taken down.

Squelchy · 05-03-2012 2:32pm

El Weirdo wrote: »

Despite this, I get the impression that he actually did care about the club.

Yeah, have to agree. Horrible individual though.
As a fan I'd been following the goings on anyway, but there were insights here I obviously wasn't privy to beforehand.
Was hugely entertaining and thoroughly depressing in equal measure.
How Briatore became a success in any business is beyond me. Testament to his egomania that given how badly he comes off he was still willing to sign off on it being released publicly. Mad man.

walrusgumble · 05-03-2012 2:45pm

Sweet Lord, Sky 1's Dream Team was not completely exaggerated.

The Formula 1 lads were complete, idiots. Maybe they are so use to get what they wanted (so sh1t Sherlock) but you would have thought that they of all people know that a team takes time. The Italian Chairman was an absolute lunatic. Bloody kicking and crying like a child - he initially sounded sane at the beginning. The Asian family (Ignorant , I know) actually came out of it looking a bit better, near the end.

Lord, you would think people with money would not behave so idiotic.

I know that the fans will always be there, but talk about sport being such a fickle game. One minute Warnock is king (well, I remember some fans were not happy with him ) next out out out

I have absolute sympathy for Neill Warnock in this. (and that is hard)

You would feel sorry for anyone insane enough to go to Chelsea after Jose (well, almost). You would appreciate even more, the work of Ferguson and Wenger for being absolute control freaks

NinjaK · 05-03-2012 7:55pm

Great doc, wouldnt mind see QPR go down now having seen it. Those Italians were clowns:rolleyes:

Iang87 · 05-03-2012 10:38pm

NinjaK wrote: »

Great doc, wouldnt mind see QPR go down now having seen it. Those Italians were clowns:rolleyes:

They're gone now the italians arent they so I've no problem with them.

The main thing that amazed me was just how arrogant they were dealing with professionals in a game they only got involved in cos of money. I'd love to have seen Paulo Sousa start to tell him how to run his companies

Dempsey · 05-03-2012 10:40pm

A very interesting documentary, a real eye opener to what can go on at a football club.

I thought Paulo Sousa came off as very unprofessional, it was the only thing that really surprised me.

Iang87 · 05-03-2012 10:44pm

Dempsey wrote: »

A very interesting documentary, a real eye opener to what can go on at a football club.

I thought Paulo Sousa came off as very unprofessional, it was the only thing that really surprised me.

How do you mean unprofessional? I thought he came across as a man who was afraid

Big Pussy Bonpensiero · 05-03-2012 10:54pm

How long do shows stay up on the BBC iPlayer does anyone know? Wouldn't mind giving it a watch, feedback seems to be positive anyways.

Dempsey · 05-03-2012 10:58pm

Iang87 wrote: »

How do you mean unprofessional? I thought he came across as a man who was afraid

There was that stunt he pulled with the press over the Blackstock loan deal and then playing one up front at home after Briatore complained about his tactics & not scoring enough goals. He cut off his nose to spite his face in the end.

Iang87 · 05-03-2012 11:00pm

Ya I see what you mean to an extent.

The 1 up front thing I thought was a fúck you off sorts to briatore after going at him for constantly playing 442 or to quote briatore 442442442442442442442442442442442

Glico Man · 05-03-2012 11:23pm

THFC wrote: »

How long do shows stay up on the BBC iPlayer does anyone know? Wouldn't mind giving it a watch, feedback seems to be positive anyways.

It'll be up for another 5 days from tomorrow.

The Four Year Plan.

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