“Take the Ball, Pass the Ball”
Based on the objective of producing the film, I believe that the film was a success and, therefore, the film was not a flop. The film director Duncan McMath has successfully the story of those who are believed tie and were the best footballers that the world ever have. Graham Hunter, a football expert, did a marvelous job by bringing football legends, such as Andres Iniesta, Xavi Hernandez, Samuel Eto’o, Thierry Henry, and Lionel Messi to the side of the story concerning the success of the club for the four years that these players were under Pep Guardiola Coaching.
The film was successful in demonstrating tactics that Pep employed to win his opponents. Although there have been many coaches who helped their team win many trophies, for example, Sir Alex Fergusson, Pep is seen as the genius of football. Pep managed to transform the club with a period of four years beginning in the year 2008 to 2012. As a result of his hard work, Pep managed to win fourteen trophies out of the nineteen possible awards. The importance of hard work is one of the themes of the film. In addition to describing Pep as a football genius, the film also shows that he worked hard to achieve success.
The theme of cooperation is also evident in the film. The film shows both experienced players like Thierry Henry and Samuel Eto’o whole played more experienced roles for the club cooperate with the new faces in the club, for example, Sergio Busquets, Gerard Pique, and Lionel Messi, among others. This helps to inform other clubs the need for cooperation to achieve a common goal. During his time at the club, Pep managed to cultivate collaboration between him and the team and between players themselves. Some players who played against the team commented on how effectively team players cooperated. For example, Michael Carrick, one of Manchester United player acknowledged how the team cooperated and even admits admiring how Barcelona forwards were patients. It is, however, essential to note that not all players agreed with the Pep style of leadership and ideas. Some players who played a critical role for the club, for example, Eto’o and Abidal, claimed that they felt that Pep was too demanding and difficult at times. However, due to their respect for the coach, they hand to cooperate with the rest of the team. This shows that as long as team members are cooperating, nothing is impossible.
The theme of selfishness is yet another theme that can be noticed in the film. While Pep is the person believed to be the captain for success due to his experienced tactics, he rarely comments on the film. Instead, he let the players comment first, and only appears towards the end of the film. This shows how Pep respected his team. He acknowledged that were it not for the support of his team members; he could not have won any of the trophies.
Despite the film being informative about the success of Barcelona and Pep Guardiola as the club manager, the film has been criticized for its disorganized structure. The film does not feel like there is a start or an end as it darts and divers around the Pep era in leading the club. It is one of the major films that begin with the ending. Although some people, especially those who new Barcelona before 2011, might be okay with the structure, the film is confusing to new fans as the structure makes it difficult to follow the documentary.