The problem with modern clubs pitching themselves as content producers is that you can never quite be sure whether what you are watching is real. Take, for example, Chelsea. Are they a football club or a slightly heavy-handed sitcom?
You have a brash American owner certain he has spotted a way to do things beyond the comprehension of the unambitious Brits who have been running clubs hitherto (in reality, most of them are also American). You have a coachload of superstars and overexcited young talents all desperate to play. In charge of them you place the epitome of English reserve, a polite and thoughtful man who responds to setbacks by pointing out the xG of what’s just gone wrong is pretty low so it probably isn’t going to happen again and ends up reduced to answering questions about whether he’s angry enough to manage Chelsea.
