MICHAEL SHEEN - SHEEN URGES CLOUGH FAMILY TO WATCH FILM

SHEEN URGES CLOUGH FAMILY TO WATCH FILM

Actor MICHAEL SHEEN is pleading with the family of English soccer legend BRIAN CLOUGH to watch upcoming movie THE DAMNED UNITED - insisting they will be pleased with his portrayal of the late star.
Sheen plays Clough in the film, which is based on a book chronicling his 44 days spent managing soccer team Leeds United in 1974 before he was sacked.
Clough's family plans to boycott the movie in protest at the way he was portrayed in the novel - but Sheen is adamant the big-screen version adopts a different attitude towards Clough.
He says, "It's a much more affectionate and respectful look at Brian. I hope they get to see it because I can understand their fears. I know they weren't happy with the book but I think the film is a very different animal.
"We felt that any film that was going to be about Brian Clough would have to be something that showed why people had so much affection and admiration for him. I think the film does service to that and I hope that if any of the family get to watch it they can make their minds up after that."
And Sheen has assured Clough's family members that he undertook extensive research to get into the role.
He tells WENN, "I had to get into Brian’s mind. I had to read everything I could read, watch everything, listen to everything, talk to people about him - and just live with that for a few months, make it seep in and then eventually try and make a connection with the person and go from there.
"He’s an amazing character. He’s such a complicated man, he had a lot of different sides to him, so it was quite demanding."
Clough became one of the most respected managers in English soccer in the late 1970s and 1980s, when he led Nottingham Forest to league and European championship successes. He died of cancer in 2004, aged 69.