The comedy of the underdog - from the glories of Dodgeball to Britain's own pitiful Blackball - has proved a fruitful Hollywood staple.

There's always laughs to be had as we watch a bunch of misfits knocked into shape by an inspiring coach and snatch victory in the dying seconds of the big match.

Here, Ferrell finds himself with the job of coach to bottom-of-the-league losers The Tigers, a junior soccer team more Wrexham than Real Madrid.

A mild-mannered and reasonable dad, he finds himself pitted against his own win-at-all-costs pop Buck (Duvall), coach of rival team The Gladiators.

Realising he's not going to win much with his current crop of players, he recruits a couple of Italian ringers and the services of Buck's hated next-door neighbour Mike Ditka (the genuine Super Bowl coach).

Director Jesse Dylan seems so pleased he's got Ferrell in his movie he appears to retire to his trailer and just let the genial funnyman get on with it. A mistake.

OK, so Ferrell's racked up hits including Elf and Anchorman but he struggles here to make anything of a script that even John "Mottie" Motson would reject as lame.

The kiddies are affable enough but the story lurches from one style to another and the action sometimes appears to belong to another film altogether.

For instance, a gross-out scene featuring blood-spattered footie brats fresh from a session in an abattoir soon melts into a misty-eyed speech from Ferrell delivering an "it's not the winning it's the taking part" sentiment.

It's a bit like a half-hearted kickabout in the local park rather than an assured demonstration of the beautiful game.

Kick it into touch.

Tim Evans