Giant Killing - Episode 3

After setting the cat amongst the pigeons early on by showing up the regulars with some of the team's younger players, things were only ever going to be shaken up even harder by Tatsumi's decision to give the squad free reign to practice however they liked for the start of East Tokyo United's pre-season training camp.

Thus, Tatsumi sits back and watches while the squad all goes off and sleeps with one another's girlfriends.... oh wait, sorry, this isn't about Chelsea is it? Instead, Tatsumi sits back and watches while the squad implodes, or rather fractures, into its various cliques, all of whom have a different idea of what training should be about, before taking away all but one ball and watching as chaos descends and we're left with little short of a training ground brawl.


Not only that, but the new manager also has another interesting predicament to ponder in the form of "Gio" (or "the Prince" as he prefers to be known thanks to that wonderful footballer's habit of choosing their own nicknames) - An undoubtedly talented and skillful player, but also a huge primadonna who has no qualms about turning up late for training and doing whatever he likes. With the club's first pre-season friendly coming up, the proof will soon be in the pudding that Tatsumi has concocted in his own unique way, and with this opening match against the local champions of two years in succession it's hardly the easiest start to a managerial career either.

Even when the football itself is at a premium, Giant Killing continues to be oddly entertaining thanks to its blend of characters that might be clichéd, but oddly still feel quite realistic when set up against you're average top-flight football team (in England at least). Even Tatsumi himself could be seen as an interesting blend of Sir Alex Ferguson's mind games and Jose Mourinho's arrogant yet entirely justified self-confidence, while I could spend all day thinking up suitable comparisons for the various players given focus by this series. It's this mixture of Roy of the Rovers and Match of the Day which is keeping me absolutely hooked - I have no idea how non-football fans will be finding the show at this point, but personally I'm really rather loving it, and I can't help but finish this episode with a wry smile of satisfaction on my face. It's certainly more fun than watching Arsenal concede three goals in ten minutes, that's for sure...