A fourth-division side in Iceland have turned to a Football Manager addict in an unconventional bid to turn around their fortunes.
Knattspyrnufelag Vesturbaejar, based in the capital Reykjavik, have dropped down to the fourth division after suffering successive relegations. Their attendances have dropped from around 2,000 to 400, prompting a dramatic re-think of the club’s strategy.
Enter Orri Thorisson – a 27-year-old with next to no experience in real-life coaching, but a staggering record of 571 days logged on the video game Football Manager. Thorisson has been hired on a one-year contract and will take over for the upcoming season, which starts in May.
“Orri Fannar Porisson is the new coach of KV,” the club said in a statement. “Orri knows KV inside and out and his brother is Einar Mar Porisson is one of the best players in the history of the club. We have high hopes for Orri and look forward to seeing him take the next steps in the coaching box.”
Thorisson has a full-time job in the masonry and tile-laying business and his friends jokingly call him ‘the Icelandic Will Still’ – the Reims manager – because of his lack of coaching qualifications. He was previously in charge of fifth-division side Kria and is convinced his success on Football Manager will translate onto the real-life pitch.
Ligue 1 head coach used Football Manager to hone his skills
"My dream is to achieve promotion this season and make my family proud," Thorisson told SPORTbible. "I want to help my players gain more confidence and more joy from playing this beautiful game.
The club mocked up the announcement on Football Manager (Twitter / @KVfotbolti)HAVE YOUR SAY! What do you make of the appointment? Comment below.
“I genuinely believe it’s had a positive impact on my real-life management abilities. The game's intricate mechanics, strategic decision-making and pressure-filled scenarios have allowed me to hone my analytical thinking and problem-solving skills."
KV chairman Auounn Orn Gylfason is similarly optimistic, having sacked former FC Utrecht and Lillestrom midfielder Viktor Bjarki Arnarsson to appoint Thorisson. He said: "We wanted to take a different route in appointing a manager this time around. Orri is a young, promising lad who not only has huge ambitions with our club, but a different experience and background from other candidates.
Orri Fannar Porisson has logged 571 days on Football Manager (Twitter / @KVfotbolti)"We know success in Football Manager doesn't just happen with the swing of a magic wand. You need to have a deep understanding of the game and now time will tell if he can meet up to our expectations in real life."
Thorisson has promised to use his favoured 4-2-3-1 formation that has served him so well on Football Manager with his new side. His most recent save on the game has brought huge success with Leicester after over 600 hours of game time. The Foxes have lifted six consecutive Premier League titles and lost just 84 times in 833 games.
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