Mike Bassett

Mike Bassett
Personal information
Full nameMichael Bassett
Place of birthWirral, Merseyside, England, UK
Club information
Current team
Wirral County
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps†(Gls)†
?-1975Doncaster Rovers
1975-1976Crewe Alexandra (loan)
?Hull City
?Grimsby Town
?Darlington
Teams managed
?Colchester United (assistant)
? - 1998Colchester United
1998-2001Norwich City
2001–2003England
Newcastle
Norwich City
Colchester United
2005-2006Wirral County
2012Iran women's national football team
2013-2014England (assistant)
2014England (caretaker)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.
† Appearances (Goals).

Michael "Mike" Bassett is a fictional character played by Ricky Tomlinson. Bassett's first appearance was in the 2001 film Mike Bassett: England Manager. The film takes the form of a fly-on-the-wall fictional documentary (mockumentary) following Bassett as he starts his international management career. [1]

Bassett also appeared in a 2004 ITV British TV comedy series titled Mike Bassett: Manager.[2]

In 2014, it was announced that Bassett would return in a sequel to Mike Bassett: England Manager titled "Mike Bassett: Interim Manager".[3]

Playing career

As a footballer he played for 14 different clubs in 9 different positions including Goalkeeper.[4]

Managerial career

Colchester United

Bassett got his big break after being offered the Assistant Manager job at Colchester United before becoming the permanent Manager alongside Lonnie Urquart (Assistant Manager) and Dave Dodds (Coach).

Norwich City

Bassett spent three years at Norwich winning the 'MrClutch Cup', beating Leicester City 3-2, before being offered the England job for the 2002 World Cup in Brazil.

England

Following the unexpected heart attack of the England manager the search was on for his replacement before the 2002 World Cup in Brazil. After an initial search most people who seem qualified for the position have the good sense to turn it down, and so the responsibility fell to Bassett. After stunning losses to Poland and Belgium, Bassett went from a fan favourite to one of the most hated men in England. Despite Bassett's ineptitude, England managed to qualify for the 2002 World Cup tournament on goal difference thanks to group opponents Turkey losing their final game.

Bassett suddenly goes from villain to hero overnight, and the following year England head to Brazil with a new found optimism. The optimism around England's campaign soon evaporated after a 0-0 draw with Egypt, in which England failed to even so much as make a shot on goal. Needing a result against Mexico, Bassett opted to change to an unusual new formation which proves to be ineffective as England go on to lose 4-0. Bassett's last opportunity at saving his job was by beating Argentina - despite the fact that Argentina had drawn one and won one game and had a far better goal difference, England could still beat them into the knock-out stages, since World Cup group placings are decided on head-to-head results and not goal difference.

Nearing full-time and with the score still 0-0, Bassett decided to give the dice a last throw and send on striker Kevin Tonkinson. He immediately scores a very controversial goal. This sends England through to the knockout stages, where they overcame France before exiting at the hands of Brazil in the semi finals. After an eventful but successful World Cup campaign Bassett vowed to stay on as England manager for "Four more years!".

Following on from Mike Bassett: England Manager, Bassett then appeared in Mike Bassett: Manager Series.

After an unsuccessful European qualifying campaign, Bassett is axed by England.

Newcastle, Norwich & Colchester

Following the England sacking Bassett went on to be sacked by Newcastle, Norwich and Colchester in quick succession before getting the call to manage his boyhood club, Wirral County.

Wirral County

After a terrible start to the league campaign Wirral County and Bassett find them selves in a relation battle. Wirral's last game of the season was against local rivals Chester City, who needed a win in order to secure a play-off spot. Chester beat Wirral by 2-0 but fortunately Mansfield lost 6-1, allowing Wirral to survive on goal difference. At the end of Mike Bassett: Manager Bassett leaves the club in Dave Dodds hands and sets off to Spain with Karine.

In 2014, Bassett's return was announced with the sequel film to Mike Bassett: England Manager titled "Mike Bassett: Interim Manager". It is unlikely this project will go ahead following a failure to raise required funding.

Iranian Women’s Football Team

Ten years after steering England to the semi-final at the World Cup, Bassett’s returned to the international fold as Head Coach of the Iranian Women’s Football Team. "Unfortunately for Bassett, he unwittingly offends the locals and finds himself doing an Argo-style runner to Ayatollah Khomeini Airport, with a bottle of Chivas Regal in his hand and a fatwa on Harry Redknapp’s head".[5]

England Interim Manager

Jorgen Mannstein, England team manager and German wunderkind, offers Bassett the assistant manager’s Job, working as an intermediary between the entirely German back-room staff and the English players. Bassett then gets a lucky break when Mannstein jumps ship to manage the Germany national football team, plunging the England set-up into turmoil. Bassett finds himself anointed Interim Manager to take the team through the 2014 World Cup finals.

Managerial Honours

Norwich City

Personal life

Bassett is married to Karine, and they have a son called Jason who left Loughborough University for drama school.

References

  1. ↑ "Mike Bassett: England Manager | Film". The Guardian. 2008-07-21.
  2. ↑ "ITV to make Mike Bassett series - TV News". Digital Spy. 6 October 2004.
  3. ↑ "Mike Bassett: Interim Manager – is this the least essential sequel ever?". The Guardian. 2014-03-18.
  4. ↑ http://www.moviequotes.com/fullquote.cgi?qnum=157587
  5. ↑ http://www.goldfinchpictures.co.uk/projects/goldfinch-ii/

External links