[sbu_large_image] Preamble
12 December 2015 1837 comments
Mark Mark
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Itโ€™s difficult to embarrass yourself as a Fantasy Football manager.

Thereโ€™s no real opportunity to headbutt a player on the touchline, burst into song during a press conference or publicly liken a journalist to an ostrich.

However, itโ€™s far from impossible. Iโ€™ve gone and proved it.

Just 12 hours ago, I demonstrated some simple steps that illustrate just how a Fantasy Football manager can humiliate themselves in the space of a few mouse clicks.

Notebooks out – hereโ€™s how I โ€œmanagedโ€ itโ€ฆ

It was a rare evening out in London, away from the family. Pushed for time and hurried by the prospect of missing an overnight price rise, I quickly flipped open the laptop in a Soho coffee shop to make my Gameweek transfer.

I was meeting a friend (a barely maintained relationship) and a late night beckoned. I couldnโ€™t trust myself to wait: with my brain and fingers likely to be dulled by alcohol, I didnโ€™t fancy fumbling with the mobile to make a midnight transfer. I had to act now.

The steps were simple – Toby Alderwerield was the target, with Jeffrey Schlupp shown the door.

Iโ€™d left it to the last possible moment, patiently waiting on the Belgian to come through Tottenhamโ€™s Europa League tie unscathed. There was no confirmed Friday team news from Pochettino, but I couldnโ€™t wait any longer.

It only took a few seconds. Bang. Done.

Then came the horror.

Two clicks and the screen refreshed. Jeffrey Schlupp was still on my bench. My eyes had been blinded by the blue shirts and Iโ€™d mistakenly swapped out Kurt Zouma.

The next fifteen seconds saw me frantically click the back button in disbelief that Iโ€™d actually confirmed my transfer. My attempts to rescue the situation were, not surprisingly, futile.

There then followed the blind panic. For a moment I actually thought about scribing a pleading email to the Fantasy Premier League to explain my mistake. Like that actually would help reverse the situation.

Ten seconds later, I simply transferred out Schlupp and brought back Zouma. Iโ€™d corrected the error. Or made matters worse.

I hadnโ€™t even entertained the idea that perhaps I should leave Schlupp and ponder the situation and my remaining free transfer further. I just couldnโ€™t stand the prospect of Jeffrey staring at me from my bench.

It was one ridiculous mistake, probably followed by another.

If Toby Alderweireld blanks or gets sent off and Schlupp starts and scores, this chain of events is going to haunt me.

Then again, if you look at my squad in the aftermath, nobody can tell. Iโ€™ve covered my tracks. Only those who bother to delve into my transfer history will realise the true nature of my blunder.

Iโ€™ll have to live with it, but, once Iโ€™d smashed my own face into a wall with frustration a few times, I felt fine. A few pints of overpriced London lager helped me sleep.

This morning, nobody can shame me. Itโ€™s my little stupid secret.

Mark Mark created the beast. He's now looking to tame it.

1,837 Comments Login to Post a Comment
  1. King Kav. QC at law
    10 years, 10 months ago

    Thanks for nothing Eden. Replying to you made me not confirm my bench order properly.

    1. Eden Hazardous
      10 years, 10 months ago

      ๐Ÿ˜›

  2. Hypnos
    10 years, 10 months ago

    fell asleep my captain is Sepp Blatter

  3. Bøwstring The Carp
    10 years, 10 months ago

    Howard, Baines, Funes Mori ,Stones, Coleman, Barry (C), McCarthy, Koné, Barkley, Deulofeu, Lukaku.

    1. Ayew Serious
      10 years, 10 months ago

      Baines

    2. John Nerdelbaum
      10 years, 10 months ago

      Good to see Baines starting

    3. Champione
      10 years, 10 months ago

      Barry (C), I knew I was right captaining him

  4. Dr Dream
    10 years, 10 months ago

    "Sh1t ! I forgot to confirm my transfer"

    1. Slam
      10 years, 10 months ago

      - Machine

  5. Nomar
    10 years, 10 months ago

    2 FT next week and £6m in the bank.

    Sorted!

    1. Davido989
      10 years, 10 months ago

      Similar situation ๐Ÿ™‚

      1. Nomar
        10 years, 10 months ago

        Good work fella.

  6. HP.
    10 years, 10 months ago

    Benched KdB !!!!

    1. JØ
      10 years, 10 months ago

      Well done

    2. El Patron
      10 years, 10 months ago

      OMG genious........ NOT

    3. King Kav. QC at law
      10 years, 10 months ago

      I did that last week, it worked. I didn't this week because he'll get loads of points.

      1. Champione
        10 years, 10 months ago

        Could pay off if he gets some rest

  7. Djerbil
    10 years, 10 months ago

    BAINES

  8. Iceball
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    10 years, 10 months ago

    Ramey (C) Kane (V) no undo now...

  9. Yankee Toffee
    10 years, 10 months ago

    TEAM: Rudd; Wisdom, Martin (c), Bassong, Olsson; Redmond, O'Neil, Tettey, Brady; Hoolahan; Jerome. #ncfc

    1. Yankee Toffee
      10 years, 10 months ago

      1 Change for EVE Galloway>Baines

    2. Manaf
      10 years, 10 months ago

      Where is Bennett

      1. Yankee Toffee
        10 years, 10 months ago

        bench

  10. Forza
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    10 years, 10 months ago

    Here comes Nate.

  11. Les Bleus
    10 years, 10 months ago

    I know everyone always says "my favorite article of the week" for the preamble, but this one is actually very funny (sorry Mark!).

  12. Slartibartfast
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    10 years, 10 months ago

    No time for friendships in love + FPL: http://i.imgur.com/RGRM7LR.jpg

  13. Özilla Firefox
    10 years, 10 months ago

    Stanislas (c)

  14. Rödallegabomb แดฟแดฎ
    10 years, 10 months ago

    Return of Leighton.

  15. Danstoke82
    10 years, 10 months ago

    Captaincy on Kane...typically Newcastle will prob win 0-1 now

  16. El Patron
    10 years, 10 months ago

    NOOO, captaincy on Danny Simpson ๐Ÿ™

    1. For Fuchs Sake
      10 years, 10 months ago

      Me too! Team Simpson!!

  17. Davido989
    10 years, 10 months ago

    The amount of bs

  18. The Red Devil
    10 years, 10 months ago

    its time to rumble! let's get a 3 digit score!

  19. Dr Dream
    10 years, 10 months ago

    Hello Mr Baines...I've been expecting you.

    1. Doosra - โ˜ญBowenOfRiceโ˜ญ
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      10 years, 10 months ago

      Sounds like the clap of doom ... ๐Ÿ˜‰

  20. JaydenLFC87
    10 years, 10 months ago

    Good luck this week Everyone.

    Ive captained KDB hoping rumours are not true

  21. The Chosen One...
    10 years, 10 months ago

    Giroud (c) ๐Ÿ˜Ž

    1. Buck The Trent
      10 years, 10 months ago

      sweet

  22. Siggy in the Middle
    10 years, 10 months ago

    The site crashed for me just as I was gonna bring in Coutinho and bench Ayew

    1. ILOVEBAPS
      10 years, 10 months ago

      Must be an Omen. Steer clear of Cout

  23. Venom Snake
    10 years, 10 months ago

    Silva(c) locked in, Aguero still in my team, FT banked.

    God save me.

  24. Buck The Trent
    10 years, 10 months ago

    UFPL...

    Naughton (vs City) or Grabban (not in starting xii) ?

  25. Fernando Torres 9
    10 years, 10 months ago

    Went Kdb(c) over kane!! Madness??

    1. For Fuchs Sake
      10 years, 10 months ago

      Maybe with all the KDB rest stories

    2. El Patron
      10 years, 10 months ago

      Yep,

      Kane- Hattrick
      KDB-Blank

  26. Studgie G
    10 years, 10 months ago

    Vardy (c) ๐Ÿ˜‰

  27. Alittude
    10 years, 10 months ago

    oops just triple captained my azzhole!

  28. Billy Gilmore
    10 years, 10 months ago

    Nate post incoming

  29. Demí
    10 years, 10 months ago

    Howard; Coleman, Stones, Mori, Baines; Barry, Cleverley, Kone, Deulofeu, Barkley, Lukak

    1. Bøwstring The Carp
      10 years, 10 months ago

      Dial-up? ๐Ÿ˜‰

  30. King Kav. QC at law
    10 years, 10 months ago

    Benched McCarthy. FYI.