WARNING: The following contains spoilers for the Season 2 premiere of Ted Lasso, "Goodbye, Earl," now available on Apple TV+.
As Season 2 of Ted Lasso begins, Coach Ted (Jason Sudeikis) finds himself with a new enemy in the form of sports psychologist, Sharon (Sarah Niles). She can't stand his loopy behavior and how he ranks superstition ahead of properly dealing with mental health, making it clear that she's not at AFC Richmond to be his friend. However, while she starts off as a problem, Sharon could ultimately end up being Ted's savior due to his recent problems.
Sharon's brought in by Higgins to help young Dani Rojas after an on-field incident where his penalty kick killed a dog. Despite Ted's pep talks, Dani's in a dark place, so Sharon wants to address his mental health, playing on a real-world issue with athletes needing therapy to work through the highs and lows in sports.
Her first diss comes when she tells Ted to call her "doctor," not "doc," while remonstrating about the "yips" -- which Ted thinks is a curse that's affecting Dani. Sharon hates that sort of juvenile attitude towards a serious problem -- so much so that even when she cures Dani and he's back in training, as Sharon watches from the stands, she refuses to wave back to an exuberant Ted.
She clearly has an air of disdain for the coaching staff, especially Ted, and he's stunned as the episode ends with more players visiting Sharon for sessions. They feel a connection to her, which becomes personal as she speaks many languages and makes them feel at home, like family, maybe in a way that Ted never could. It's understandable as he's American and an outsider to the game still, so we can see jealousy popping up if he feels threatened.
It's worth noting that he hates therapists following his divorce, as he thinks counseling failed him and his wife. However, Ted might quickly realize that he can learn from her, maturing a bit from the goofball he is, as he has to toughen up in terms of the business side of the game and the media. He wants to be more professional and understand players more, which will make him a better boss as opposed to someone overly dependent on emotions and movie-like speeches.
But the biggest positive may well be speaking to Sharon about his divorce. Ted's secretly depressed over it, especially as his ex and kid are in America, so whether they're rivals or friends, Sharon can offer professional help. Season 1 had Ted getting panic attacks with Rebecca, Richmond's owner, aiding him, so clearly Ted needs an expert like Sharon if he's to move on.
Watch Ted and Doctor Sharon feud in Season 2 of Ted Lasso on Apple TV+. Episode 1, "Goodbye, Earl" is available now, with subsequent episodes debuting weekly.