The #1 most important thing to me about that episode is the true canonisation of real actual Pep Guardiola (not a fake person also called Pep) as Man City's coach, and the HUGE amount of impact that has on Jamie, as a footballer and as a person. The show is going beyond my wildest dreams in terms of canonising his impact on Jamie and proving that he's had excellent positive male figures in his life before Ted. Because being coached by Pep matters so much!
It wasn't that brief, either, Beard - it's depending on when Jamie was finally called up to the first team, but Pep's been there since 2016. The fact that Jamie went from Pep (a genius, praise-heavy, affectionate, passionate coach who does not tolerate ANY ego, and rotates his starting line ups and positions constantly, and, oh yeah, plays a version of total football) to George Cartrick (horrible toxic man reminiscent of Jamie's father who put Jamie as a one up front striker when he wouldn't have been trained like that at City whatsoever, and then tried to use his Guardiola-trained wunderkind to lazily coast, and the team wasn't even winning) explains so much about Jamie's attitude after 6 months at Richmond when we meet him in season 1.
Jamie would not have been "a prick" at Man City or shown individual ego or selfishness on the pitch or in the dressing room. He absolutely would never have gotten away with it. Pep would not allow it. Jamie would have been a little fish in a big pond, a young player trying to earn his place, probably trying to be an extremely good boy at training while also having to deal with his dad's outside (and incorrect) criticism about "dominating." Going from Pep to George is a travesty for Jamie. And then in comes Ted, who has zero tactical intelligence, is blase about understanding the sport, and never gives the players any hugs? Yeah, Jamie was on the brink of losing it and I get why. Honestly, even just the impact of losing Pep levels of male physical affection and positive reinforcement would have been a huge impact on him.
But now! Jamie's refusal to shit talk City when all the others were! His visible frustration the whole week! "I'm not doing it wrong! You're doing it wrong!" His football intelligence when he finally feels allowed to speak up, actually take command of the tactics and set the tempo of the game! That's Guardiola ball, baby! He knows! He fucking knows because he is the successor to the Cruyff-Pep legacy and at his core, a brilliant midfield playmaker! Yeah, yeah, the Lasso Way, I know, but for real, if Richmond win the league it's largely going to be because Jamie Tartt was trained by Pep Guardiola.
Do the cuddling/ touch starved thing next, show. It's extremely important.
Also, I bet we get a cameo at the Etihad game.
izzy806
tangentwithtanner
gummygunk
prguitarman
blakekathryn
