Player Manager 2001

The life of a football manager is a precarious one. The constant demands for dismissal (and in some cases – public beheading) by your supposed fans all take their toll on the sanity of 'The Gaffer'. Modern managers often need to be able to speak a smattering of most European languages, and empathise with foreign players who are paid £60,000 per week to kick a football and get homesick (aah... the poor mites, not! – Roy) So you’re still thinking of becoming a football manager? In short, don’t bother – just get Player Manager 2001 on the Game Boy Color.

I'm Sick As A Parrot, Des

Anyone who’s played footy management games on – for example – a PC, will know that they’re hardly the most graphically intense titles in the world, instead placing the emphasis on two things: tension (there’s lots of it) and stats (they’re everywhere). As you might imagine, the Game Boy is hardly equipped to handle over 300 teams in 15 leagues simultaneously, like a PC, so what we’ve got here is a stripped down management sim with the focus on instant playability and fun.

The main gripes here are that the game loses realism because none of the player names are real, and it’s also a bit easy. Apart from these minor shortcomings, it’s a fun, engaging title, and one that you’ll find oddly addictive. Not as good as O’Leary, but pretty close.