The story begins with a real-life clip of a penalty miss in the Euro 96 semi-final and links it to long-lasting damage to the national psyche. In 2016, England faces crisis as the men’s squad crash out of the Euros to Iceland while Brexit looms. Southgate, now middle-aged and managing the under-21 team, watches football and appears pensive. Early scenes provide background on mid-2010s English football, including a manager being asked to resign by the FA after illegal transfer advice. Southgate is portrayed as a considerate figure, waiting to be asked to become caretaker coach. The World Cup is presented as the looming goal, with intense pressure from press and fans.
"To watch Dear England (Sunday, 9pm, BBC One) the BBC's stellar adaptation of James Graham's Olivier award-winning play you must first understand the incomparable damage to the national psyche that arose from Gareth Southgate missing a penalty in the Euro 96 semi-final. For those born outside England or too young to remember, imagine the apocalypse mixed with the death of your childhood pet and you're just about halfway there. I was 11 at the time and almost three decades later still remember going to bed crying as my dad explained over my tear-strewn pillow: This is what it is to be an England fan."
"the four-part fictionalised account of Southgate's revolutionary reign as England manager begins with a real-life clip of his penalty miss. Fast forward to 2016 and England is in crisis, with the men's squad crashing out of the Euros to Iceland while Brexit looms large. Meanwhile, Southgate (Joseph Fiennes, reprising his critically acclaimed West End role) now middle-aged and managing the under-21 men's team is watching football on the TV and looking pensive."
"The first 10 minutes is essentially exposition for anyone unfamiliar with the minutiae of mid-2010s English football. There's a scene in which manager Sam Allardyce is asked to resign by the FA while explaining helpfully for the viewer that he's only lasted one game and has just been caught giving illegal player transfer advice over a pint of wine. An irate Allardyce insists this is what people want from an England manager: a pint of wine (but presumably while winning games). Cue Southgate the gent who buys croissants for staff and remembers the cleaner's name waiting in the corridor to be asked to be caretaker coach."
"It's the World Cup in two years, the FA bosses tell Southgate/viewers, and the press and fans are foaming at th"
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