It Feels Like A Football Manager Save Has Come To Life

We all get to that point in Football Manager when former professional footballers try their hand at becoming a head coach. Yes, I'm talking about the "It's time to change your underwear" and "This is my life and I'll do what I want with it" addictedness stage of the game. If you know, you know.

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If you're an avid gamer like myself then you could have been fooled into thinking that the game has come to life in recent months.

The likes of Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard have swapped their boots for Chelsea leather after taking over at Derby County and Rangers respectively, but these aren't the only cases of player to manager situations that bring back those nostalgic FM feels.

Thierry Henry had 'reportedly' agreed terms to become the next Aston Villa manager, which was definitely the most Football Manager statement of all time, but that didn't end up happening.

Former Bolton Wanderers midfielder Kevin Nolan was appointed as Notts County's new boss last year, a day after Alan Hardy completed his takeover of the League Two club.

He later registered himself as a player and the club avoided relegation. Now that's how it's done.

Then at the start of 2018, former Manchester United winger Ryan Giggs was confirmed as the new Wales manager on a four-year deal.

"I am so proud to have been given the honour of managing the national team. The challenges that we have ahead of us with the Nations League and qualification for Euro 2020 excite me a great deal." does sound like a very FM press conference thing to say, Ryan, so we'll give you that one.

A few months later, an even bigger shock hit us like a last minute work permit.

Joey Barton was given the job as Fleetwood Town manager in April. with the 36-year-old expected to take over just a day after his ban for betting ends. Well that isn't your typical Football Manager scenario but anyway.

It got us thinking: who next? Could Lionel Messi drop everything and manage Oldham Athletic to Champions League glory in the next few years? Will Freddy Adu prove to be the next big thing in management?

Probably not, but it's 2018 so there is always that slim chance.