Many children and partners around the world have heard the nagging voice of a parent or partner chastising them for playing the much loved Football Manager game for too long.
Now though, we have further evidence that it’s not “just a game” because super gamer Orri Thorisson has landed a real life managerial job off the back of his FM exploits.
Who is Orri Thorisson?
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To suggest Orri Thorisson has just become a household name would be a stretch but his name will certainly be one that attracts a cult following from now. Thorisson only has a very limited history behind him as a coach having spent 16 games in charge of Icelandic amateur side Kría where he oversaw a promotion for the club.
Yet even that move only came about owing to a pre-existing friendship with the club owners with Thorisson operating without any coaching badge to his name.
Beyond that brief stint in the dugout, masonry worker Thorisson is more used to working on tiles than he is grass. The 27-year-old is looking to jumpstart a career in management firstly because of his love of the game, and secondly to support his family from a financial perspective with his girlfriend currently expecting a child.
How Much Football Manager do you need to play to become Pro?
Despite the aforementioned management job, Thorisson’s footballing education has, in the most part, been garnered on Football Manager. He has racked up nearly 14,000 hours of playing time on the game, which is fast approaching two solid years of game play.
In that time Thorisson believes the “intricate mechanics” of the game have sharpened his tactical insight leaving him ready to have a “positive impact” in the real world environment.
It’s not just the time he’s spent playing that has caught the eye though. In addition to playing the game regularly, Thorisson has also proven to be highly successful with his most recent save. Running for 833 games, this latest edition has seen the Reykjavik resident win six Premier League titles on the bounce with Leicester whilst losing just 10% of the matches played in that period. That's pretty bonkers.
So, Who is Orri Thorisson managing?
Finally, we come to the real question. What club has taken a Will Still style punt on Thorisson? The answer is Icelandic fourth tier club Knattspyrnufelag Vesturbæjar. That might not immediately set pulses racing, but the club have dropped down the leagues in the last couple of years. It was only back in 2012 when they were a solitary win away from promotion to the top flight. This is a significant deal for Football Manager fans everywhere.
On the left field appointment, the club Chairman Auðunn Örn Gylfason cited Thorisson’s “deep understanding of the game” an attraction whilst acknowledging that Football Manager success doesn’t just come to anyone with the flick of a “magic wand”.
Thorisson’s first competitive game in charge of his new club will be on May 4th.