When Phil Cope (Malcolm Terris), the manager of the England football team, suffers a heart attack during the qualifying rounds of the World Cup, the Football Association opts to replace him with Norwich FC manager Mike Bassett (Ricky Tomlinson). Followed everywhere he goes by a documentary crew, Bassett gets off to a rocky start when his boys lose to Poland, and he doesn't fare much better in games against Belgium and Slovenia. The press are against him, and the country as a whole seems to have little hope for the national team, but can Bassett do the impossible and turn the lads' game around? From The latest in the ubiquitous mockumentary genre, Mike Bassett: England Manager follows the eponymous hapless head-honcho of the England Squad through the build-up to the World Cup. Ricky Tomlinson is Bassett, once again donning the sheepskin coat of the nation's favourite working-class northern underdog ( Riff Raff, The Royle Family). Plucked from obscurity and literally out of his league Bassett is the last choice for the unwanted job of England Manager. He's also hamstrung by a team of misfits, clearly modelled on well-known England players, including a violent psychopath who's more interested in breaking limbs than breaking away with the ball and a blubbing Geordie team-joker. Bassett and his team of allsorts are further hampered by drunken arrests, forgotten balls and Brazilian girls turning out to be boys. Though primarily a vehicle for Tomlinson, there's the usual smattering of Lock Stock faces and cameo appearances here: Phill Jupitus underacts a jaundiced sports hack; Keith Allen sends himself up as a new-lad celeb leading the team through the their awful World Cup song; and Atomic Kitten are, well, Atomic Kitten. Fart jokes and swearing provide plenty of beer-belly laughs, and the Henry V "once more unto the breach, dear friends"-style attack on the fickle back-stabbing English press proves unexpectedly poignant. Throw in a trendy soundtrack featuring Robbie Williams and Artful Dodger, and we have a cup-winner. It may be episodic, patchy and xenophobic in places, but football fans, or anyone who can take the odd high tackle, will enjoy this bittersweet taste of flawed glory leavened by British humour at its self-deprecating best. --Paul Eisinger
DELIVERY INFORMATION
Updated a month ago
Please choose your location from the dropdown below:
✔ You have qualified for FREE delivery!
THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW...
You’ll receive a confirmation email once your order is placed, followed by a second email containing your tracking information once your order has been shipped from our warehouse.
All delivery timeframes start from the day after you place the order unless specified.
Gift Card purchases don’t count towards qualifying for a free delivery threshold.
Unfortunately, we’re unable to deliver to Military Addresses in EU countries.
In the unlikely event that you don’t receive your order after the stated delivery timeframe, or your order is damaged when it arrives, please contact us.
SHIPPING EXCLUSION LIST
We currently do not ship to the following places:
Afghanistan, Belarus, Burundi, Bonaire, Cambodia, Central African Republic, Cuba, Democratic Republic of Congo, Guadeloupe, Iran, Iraq, Kosovo, Lebanon, Libya, Mali, Martinique, Myanmar, Nicaragua, North Korea, Northern Marianas Islands, Oaxaca Region of Mexico, Pakistan, Reunion, Russia, Somalia, South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands, South Sudan, Sudan, Gauteng Province of South Africa, Syria, St. Barthelemy, St. Martin, St. Pierre and Miquelon, Ukraine, Venezuela, Yemen, Zimbabwe.
FAQ
What is the IOSS (Import One-Stop Shop)?
The Import One-Stop Shop (IOSS) is an electronic portal that businesses can use to comply with their VAT obligations on distance sales of imported goods. Since 1st July 2021, all goods imported into the EU with a value of up to €150 are subject to VAT. No additional VAT fees should be paid for the delivery of parcels in Europe under €150. For orders over €150, your order will be shipped DDU (Delivery Duty Unpaid).
One of the must have for your Skyrim board game collection. Especially if you are a collector of Skyrim series.
Good Seller, fast shipping from UK to Canada! Definitely will shop with again.
I bought 4 for my daughter as they are so much cheaper here than anywhere else else. They are all gorgeous. Hazel is beautiful and a great figurine to have. I'm very pleased with the site and the purchase
Not the easiest record to source on vinyl but a real gem, received promptly, well packaged and in perfect condition.
Justin Adams is one of the unsung heroes among UK guitarists and cross-cultural ambassadors, committed to working with great musicians across West Africa, the Maghreb and southern Europe. On this record he joins the remarkable Mauro Durante of Canzoniere Grecanico Salentino to showcase a UK/Puglia blend with a sharp political edge. The title track Still Moving bears witness to the trauma of refugees seeking shelter that few here can imagine and too few even care to think about.
Full credit to Justin Adams, a wonderful musician with a true grasp of what solidarity means. His world view crosses musical borders and calls for a better future for all humanity.