Being fellow Football fanatics, we figure that you too enjoy your slice of Football simulation content.
When one’s passion and love for the game are so unbridled, it’s impossible to resist the urge of taking the reins yourself and living out your dream scenarios.
Whether you prefer stepping into the shoes of the Gaffers or slipping on the studs of the players, technology’s got you covered.
For those looking for an arcade experience: tricks, flicks, skills and all, there’s EA Sports’ long-running franchise of video games FIFA.
Primed with the latest in motion capture and facial rendering tech, every edition of FIFA presents a fun and enjoyable Footy experience, with the focus being on casual audiences.
But what about the tactical connoisseurs?
If you view the game through an analytical lens and know your zones and channels, FIFA’s uncomplicated approach to tactics simply won’t do.
Serving this fix is Sports Interactive’s Football Management sim, Football Manager.
The game is tailor-made for red-blooded enthusiasts, featuring a meticulously realized managerial experience, and an expertly assembled player database.
Join your Division 1 minnow, sign some Wonderkids, orchestrate tactical solutions and lead your side to glory, this is just one of the many scenarios you can live out in the game.
And somehow, it always manages to be challenging.
The FM experience is so enchanting that players often spend weeks and months stressing about their fictional sides and players.
While this may seem like a reasonable sacrifice to FM regulars, others beg to differ.
These naysayers typically point out that the entire idea is really just playing make-believe on a computer while also being a massive waste of time.
Normally, the FM community shuts these voices out.
But when a member of the Football fraternity itself decided to relay the same opinion, they simply had to respond.
It all started on an edition of ‘talkSPORT breakfast’ featuring former Footballer Ally McCoist and fan-favourite presenter Laura Woods.
Almost 3 hours into their conversation, the pair embarked on a brief discussion about FM and wondered about how it works.
McCoist then asked Woods whether she plays the game herself, and her response was simply brutal: ‘No I don’t, I actually have a life.’
The burn left FM Twitter licking its wounds, and a few days were almost certainly ruined.
However, instead of responding in a brash manner and calling out Woods, FM fans decided to steer into the skid and go along with it, leading to some hilarious responses.
It was self-deprecating humour at its finest, as they pointed to their fictional player-manager relationships and clubs before ultimately realizing that yeah, she’s got a point.
Some fans took a different route and inhaled a big dose of ‘copium’ before doubling down for their beloved pass-time.
Sorry Laura, I will have to fine you a weeks wages and stick you on the transfer list for this!
— FootLikeATractionEngine (@TractionFM) February 7, 2023
Even her co-host Jamie O’Hara came up with a response, as he confessed to his ridiculous treble victory with Spurs and perhaps understood that it’s a game after all.
Fortunately for FM gamers everywhere, Woods issued an apology and stated that it was all in good humour.
While the apology won’t make them forget, at least their faith in the almighty FM is restored.
