FOOTBALL GAMES
It seems no sport is more popular in the world than football. Even in America, where baseball has long been the national past-time, soccer is, according to credible estimates, the number-one youth sport. It follows then that the sports computer games market appears primed, ready to consume the delights proffered by the games-makers. And the designers haven't disappointed. This fact is supported by the sheer number and quality of sim football games available to play on the computer.For example, the game Football Manager offers one the chance to simulate the role of club manager in several of today's top leagues on nearly every real-world level. This means in addition to digesting accurate data concerning players and clubs, sports computer games enthusiasts must learn to deal with streams of information from staff and physios, handle media duties, interact with agents as well as being responsible for selecting the teams from a fairly extensive roster of real-world players. The only thing missing is the travel, though this, too, is probably accounted for in the “dressing room unrest” feature.
People for whom football is an absolute passion must surely revel in the chance to prove that they do, in fact, know how to manage a side better than any run-of-the-mill Premier League manager. However, the learning curve appears steep and the sheer amount of information to collate and decisions to make would make even the most cynical of would-be managers doff their cap in a nod of respect to the people who do it for a living.