What is Ted Lasso?
The televised fictional series follows English club, AFC Richmond, and their American coach Ted Lasso. The comedy-drama is filled with inspirational underdog moments, here is a list of the 5 biggest underdog tropes in the series.
1.Lasso head coach
Ted Lasso is hired to manage the struggling Premier League side at the start of the show, even though the American football coach has no experience in ‘soccer’. Lasso is immediately ridiculed and written off by the media and the fans who don’t take him seriously. In his first press conference one of the reporters, Trent Crimm, asks Lasso, “is this a F*ng joke”. The doubt and criticism targeted towards Lasso and his appointment comes from his lack of knowledge, unusual methods, and over the top kindness. Although in his first season in charge Lasso gets relegated with the club, he gets them promoted back to the Premier League the very next year. His constant yearn to get better and push forward with his comedic optimism demonstrates the underdog mentality. He goes through highs and lows both on the field and in his personal life yet he always stays resilient. Lasso is able to use his weaknesses as strengths.
2. Richmond’s promotion
As mentioned, Richmond are promoted back to the Premier League in Season 2 of the show. The teams original relegation comes as a result of a heartbreaking loss to Manchester City, the team which former player Jamie Tartt plays for, during the match Richmond nearly stay up but fall short at the end of 90 minutes. The loss is depicted even harder for the club as it results in the retirement of the legend Roy Kent, who gives Richmond everything he has left during his last match. However, the club bounced back and gained promotion back to the Premier League the very next year. Why is this an underdog moment? Well, their return to the top flight of English football (notoriously a challenging task for most clubs in real life) isn’t particularly due to star power or loads of money being pumped in by the owners, but rather a reflection of the clubs hard work and belief. The club’s promotion also demonstrated the club’s emotional growth, as they push ego’s aside and believe in Ted rather than dismiss him. This is an underdog moment not just because of success, but because of: hard work, dedication and the emotional rollercoaster.
3. Jamie Tartt
Jamie Tartt is introduced as an egotistical, ‘cocky’ footballer who believes he is better than the club. Over the course of the show he learns to become a team player after his selfish playstyle leads him back to Richmond after a failed stint at Manchester City. Tartt goes through his own personal struggles through the form of his abusive father. Tarrt becomes more vulnerable throughout the series, he battles for the team’s acceptance who resent him when he first returns to Richmond. Jamie Tartt’s on the pitch behaviour is a representation of his off the pitch struggles. By the end of the series, Tartt becomes more a team player and showcases he isn’t trying to prove anything to anyone such as his father. Tartt’s underdog story is demonstrated through his change rather than a continuous mindset such as Ted Lasso.
4. Sam Obisanya’s battle with Dubai Air
Sam Obisanya, is a talented young Nigerian player for AFC Richmond. In season two of the show he battles with the club’s sponsor – Dubai Air. Dubai Air’s parent company is harming Nigeria’s environment, an issue which is close to Sam and his family’s heart. Sam decides to stick up for himself, his country and his beliefs, when he tapes over the club’s sponsor on his shirt before a match. This is an impactful moment during the show as the whole team sticks together with Sam and follows his decision. The Dubai Air owner tells Sam he will make sure he never plays for the Nigerian national team ever again. Sam risks his career for what he believes in, showcasing his beliefs and principles, something which makes his parents prouder than anything he does on the field. He earns respect from both his fellow teammates and the club’s owner Rebecca for his decision to stand up against those in more powerful positions.
5. Roy Kent
Roy Kent is a legend of the game who, as mentioned, retires in the first season as a result of his age and recurring injuries. Roy struggles to figure out what he wants to do in life, testing out the role of a pundit for Sky Sports. After realising his passion for being is being on the touchline, the viewers are greeted with a ‘rom-com’ esc run from the centre mid back to the stadium, where he joins Ted Lasso and Coach Beard on the touchline. Although this moment doesn’t seem to hold much weight in this list of ‘underdogs’ it showcases reinvention, just when everyone thought his career was over, he kept batting and overcame his personal struggles through ‘soul-searching’.
