Football fans love to
get it right...
Whether it's through
betting, competing in fantasy football leagues, or simply debating
about last night's match with friends, a correct prediction can earn
the football fan some invaluable bragging rights. It doesn't
necessarily prove one's knowledge of the game (although most
supporters like to think it does) but it allows the fan a moment of
self-righteousness – the “I told you so”.
It's what makes
football so exciting (and betting such a lucrative industry) – the
unpredictable nature of 90 minutes of sport.
Most predictions and
bets are educated guesses based on the punter's knowledge of the
subject, alongside a 'gut feeling' and obviously the prize for
getting it right – cash, or the short-lived respect of peers.
I'm a timid gambler;
I'll only place a bet every now and then (someone get me a medal!)
and even then it's just a quid or two. But I do enjoy the rush. I
correctly predicted the first scorer in the Brighton v Watford game
the other week (seriously, where's my medal?) and I was chuffed. For
about half an hour I was the most knowledgeable football fan in the
world. In reality, I picked a name out of a hat. Okay, it was one of
the more likely scorers, but ultimately it was a guess.
When it comes to making
predictions, I think I prefer fantasy football leagues. They offer
fans the chance to prove their knowledge over the course of a season,
and there's less of the 'wild stab in the dark' element that you can
get with betting.
These leagues seem to
have been going for years and years, but the last time I took part
you couldn't do fancy things like transfers, joining private leagues,
and swapping players in your squad on such a regular basis like you
can now.
I'm now addicted, and
my Saturday morning's have become devoted (slight exaggeration, only
slight) to frantically deciding who should be my captain (who get
double points). This decision is influenced by several key factors:
Who will my
captain's opponents be? If Wayne Rooney is in my squad, and
Manchester United are playing Wolves at Old Trafford, Wazza will
almost certainly get the nod.
Who is in top
form? If Fernando Torres scored a hat-trick last week, maybe he'll
be extra confident tomorrow (this is a high-risk strategy – it is
easy to be seduced by last week's points. Torres probably won't
score).
Does the rival in
my private league have that player in their team? My bold decision
going into the final weekend of the season is to purchase
Tottenham's Rafael Van der Vaart and make him my skipper. Very few
of the other players in my private league have the Dutchman in their
team, so if he has a good day (which he probably won't), I'll be one
of the few to benefit from his points.
This new found
addiction adds a new dimension to my weekends. I've always enjoyed
the goals and drama that a Saturday afternoon brings, but now I'm
also keeping tabs on how my selected eleven are getting on.
But I suppose this is
where fantasy football has a down side. My interest in the actual
football has been overshadowed by my obsession with getting it right.
The shock of a Wigan win against Manchester United isn't enough for
me anymore. I need to know if Victor Moses got the winner. If Moses
got the winner, that's four glorious points coming my way. Let it be
Victor! Oh….it was Shaun Maloney.
I'd rather ignore the
frustration or joy that goes along with fantasy football, and
concentrate purely on the drama of the day's football. The twists and
turns of the Premiership make it the best league in the world. Let's
focus on that, rather than all this gambling.
But we all know I'll be
back next year. Fretting over whether Sergio Aguero should be
captain. And if I end top of my private league, then you can ignore
that last paragraph; I am the great all-knowing football genius. I
look forward to receiving my call from the FA.
Ben Holt, Roy Hodgson's
Number Two
