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Announcer: “Tonight we present the first episode of a new series which explores the former England player, Des Arbalour’s foray into international management, a move that at the time was greatly unexpected and was, as it turned out, to have a great impact on the lives of Des and those around him; almost as much as it was to change the face of football itself.
Terry McGinty presents the show, which tonight will tell, in Arbalour’s own words just how he came to be manager of the Canadian national football team.”
Author’s note: Game played with 7.0.2 patch, a number of leagues running including England, USA, Holland, Belgium. That’s the main points, I’ll let you know if anything else important crops up.
O Canada – The Des Arbalour Story – A New Series on BBC Four
Terry McGinty™: “Hi, I’m Terry McGinty. You may remember me from such documentary classics as “My Postilions Ear Trumpet is Broken – Advances in Hearing Aid Technology”, “That’s not my Hassock – The Rush to bring Christianity to Southern Africa” and “Denton Patch – The Wilderness Years”.
But today I bring you amazing footage from the career of what was one of England’s most promising footballers as he moved into international management many years after his playing career ground to a halt. We are indeed fortunate to have footage from a fly on the wall documentary series taken for cable television in Holland that follows Des Arbalour as he takes over the Dutch Premier Division side NAC Breda.
Little were they to know that this period would also cover Arbalour’s assent into management. Arbalour offered the film makers almost total access to his life, and we present the best of that footage here. Most of it is in English, but subtitles will be provided for those BBC Four viewers who can’t speak Dutch.
So sit back, and relax, and watch the first instalment of what I’m calling “O Canada – The Des Arbalour Story”
Terry McGinty(TM): "Sorry Darlings, I really blew that one.... How about I give it another go with a bit more a 'youth' stance....."
Director (exasperated): "If you must Terry. O.k. Everyone, Ready ? O Canada. Take Two. Action!"
Terry McGinty(TM): “Hi, I’m Terry McGinty. You may remember me from such documentary classics as "Wheels Of Steel - Death Metal in Iceland", "My Little Crack Whore - The Brittany Squeers Story" and "Beggars can't be choosers - Bros, After They Were Famous"
But today I bring you amazing footage from the career of what was one of England’s most promising footballers as he moved into international management many years after his playing career ground to a halt. We are indeed fortunate to have footage from a fly on the wall documentary series taken for cable television in Holland that follows Des Arbalour as he takes over the Dutch Premier Division side NAC Breda.
Little were they to know that this period would also cover Arbalour’s assent into INTERNATIONAL management. Arbalour offered the film makers almost total access to his life, and we present the best of that footage here. Most of it is in English, but subtitles will be provided for those BBC Four viewers who can’t speak Dutch.
What really went on there. We only have this excerpt.
So sit back, and relax, and watch the first instalment of what I’m calling “O Canada – The Des Arbalour Story”
(An extra point for whoever spots the music reference there)
Thanks guys. It is always nice to get a bit of early encouragement. BTW I fully admit the Troy McClure influence on my TV characters in this story.
The scene is the driveway outside a Mock Georgian house, somewhere in England. The caption briefly reads ‘Eccelshall, Staffordshire’ and then the camera pans round from the house to focus on a man, standing with a microphone, dressed in a fur lined jacket. The caption now reads “Wim Zuiderzee”. BBC Four captions take over at this point, as the talking is in Dutch.
Wim Zuiderzee (WZ): “I’m Wim Zuiderzee, and I’m here outside the home of Des Arbalour, the ex-England international, who was yesterday named as manager of NAC Breda. We’re lucky enough to have been granted access for an interview with the former West Brom favourite as he prepares to take the step from his comfort zone of English football, where, since his retirement, he has managed several clubs and moves into Dutch football. Let’s go and meet the man himself.
The next shot is of what we assume to be the interior of the house we just saw. The camera shows a man relaxing on a sofa in the room, Wim Zuiderzee is just off camera, and is asking the questions. No BBC Four subtitles now, as the interview is conducted in English.
Wim Zuiderzee (WM): “Des, perhaps you’d start be reminding our viewers in Holland of your playing career.”
Des Arbalour (DA): “Your viewers will most likely remember me as a footballing right back who played for England three times. But I actually started on the youth scheme at Everton but was let go when I was sixteen. I was lucky enough to be picked up by Blackpool and was also lucky enough that the regular right back Tony Sproat came down with a nasty bout of Shingles only four days into the 1987-8 season. I became the starting right back for The Seasiders for the next two seasons. A £350,000 move to Burnley followed, two more seasons ploughing the right back furrow there and then a big money move, just before the start of the 1991-2 season to West Brom.
That’s where most people remember me from of course. I had three good years there, was at the top of my game. Then came the England internationals. Three friendlies. It was in the third of those games, a nothing game against Malta I tore the cruciate ligaments in my knee. 23rd June 1994.I never played for England, or West Brom again. After two years on the treatment table The Baggies cut their losses. I played a few times for Stafford Rangers after that but the comeback didn’t amount to much and I retired completely from playing in 1997 aged 26.
WM: “So management beckoned straight away ?”
DA: ”No, Wim, not as such. I wanted out of football for a while. I tried painting and decorating for a bit. I didn’t need the money though and never really put my heart into it. When Eccelshall United, the local side here, asked me to be manager I agreed. Well time at Stafford Rangers, Aberystwyth Town in The League Of Wales and Crawley Town followed. Then Walsall and then finally Barnsley. We did pretty well at Barnsley and it was no surprise when some alternative offers came floating in. “
WM: “Including one from NAC Breda ?”
DA: “Indeed so. It was the most intriguing of the offers, though the club had no money to speak of for players or wages. I’m keen to test myself on new stages, so, I thought, let’s give it a go.”
Still Episode One Really. Anyway. The Press Conference
The program then has a small section consisting of shots of Des Arbalour getting picked up from his home, on a plane, arriving at an airport (looks like Schipol to me) and then arriving at the ground where he is greeted by a corpulent man in a suit. The shot cuts away to a classic press conference set up, a low table, with a number of microphones on, with a backdrop containing the NAC Breda club crest and the logo of the main club sponsor. Des Arbalour and the fat man in the suit walk in and sit down, the label in front of the fat man says Dirk Vorhees. The press conference starts.
Dirk Vorhees (DV): “Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome, I’d like to present to you our new club manager Des Arbalour.”
Des Arbalour (DA): “Thank you Dirk, may I say that I am looking forward to the challenge of managing this club, I believe we can go on from strength to strength and do this fine city proud.”
Cindy MacGyver (CMG): “Des, Cindy MacGvyer, Sky Sports News, does it worry you at all that you have no experience in Dutch football, indeed no real experience of managing at the top level in any country ?”
DA: “Cindy, that’s a fair question. Like I say I look forward to the challenge of managing in Holland’s top division. To blow my own trumpet a little I think that my managerial experience in England shows that I am ready for a step up in terms of level, and the one thing I’d like to say to the Breda fans is I am raring to go with challenge and I promise you 100% effort on my part.”
Timmy Resenbrink (TR): “Hi, Timmy Rensenbrink, RTL5, Do you see making wholesale changes to the playing squad or are you happy with what you’ve got ?”
DA: “Well, Timmy, even if there were money to spend, which the chairman assures me there isn’t !, I’d still want to have a good look at the squad before making any decisions.”
DV: “And on that note ladies and gentlemen I’d like Mr Arbalour to have the chance to meet his players and get working with them, so if you’ll excuse us.”
The two men get up, shake hands as flash bulbs go off, and then leave the room.
The handheld camera follows the two men, Des Arbalour and Dirk Vorhees into the corridor, as the men walk down the corridor you can see the interviewer, Wim Zuiderzee come into shot, holding a microphone in the general direction of the two men, as he walks alongside, and then slightly ahead of the cameraman.
Dirk Vorhees (DV): “Let’s go and meet the players then, Des”
Just then Des Arbalour’s mobile phone rings, the tune is that one everyone used to shout ‘I’m on the train” at.
Des Arbalour (DA): “Hello…….Yes, it’s Des speaking……Ahh, right, Hello Tony”
Des stops walking as he listens to what is being said on the mobile phone.
DA: “That’s good. Seriously I’d love to, but I’ll have to clear it with my boss first. I’m with him right now, as it happens. Let me talk to him, and I’ll get right back to you.
Des kills the phone call and turns to find his chairman looking at him curiously.
DV: “What was that, an offer of publicity work already? You don’t need to ask my permission to do that, not unless it’s for my business rivals of course !”
DA (joining in with Dirk’s laughter): “No Dirk, nothing like that. Actually I’ve just been offered the manager’s job of Canada.”
The credits roll, and over the credits Terry McGinty speaks.
Terry McGinty : “Next time, on O Canada , The Des Arbalour story, we see how Dirk Vorhees reacts to the news, will Des keep the day job ? find out next time, right here on BBC Four.”
O Canada - The Des Arbalour Story 
Linear Mode
