Does your wife/girlfriend understand your FM obsession?

The message came through in my inbox last night as I was sat playing FM:

This was the culmination of almost a year of playing FM, of hard work, of nurturing players, of building squads, of tasting sweet success also mixed with the occasional bitter failure.

So, desperate to share this special moment with someone, I turn to my wife.

There I am, looking at her wide-eyed, demanding that she read the message about me becoming a St. Albans City legend and up there with the likes of Steve Clark, Phil Wood and Wilfred Minter. She just doesn't get it though.

I'm saying to her, 'I've spent nearly a year playing this save, working towards this moment. This is the furthest I've ever got on FM. I've never had a career this good before'.

Still the appropriate response is not forthcoming.

'Look,' I wildly gesticulate, 'my addiction rating is "it's not really addictive. I just can't stop playing..." for goodness sake! I've put so much work into this save. Now I'm finally a legend and that's almost as good as having a stadium named after you or getting a son'.

Wife slowly backs away.

'But I've just won a domestic treble', I try feebly.

Nothing.

So, yeah, I don't think my wife appreciates my FM obsession. Does yours?

And yes, I realise this also works as a thinly-veiled boasting thread but I feel that I deserve it for what is the proudest moment of my virtual managerial life! So there.

first off congrats.

And no, mine will play some games and does like football but doesnt really get into FM at all

She hasn't uninstalled it yet as she promised she would once, so I guess she is tolerant at least.

Mine is pretty good about it actually. It helps that my obsession with FM started LONG before I met her, so it came as part of the package.

I find it also helps playing it on a laptop while sat next to her on the sofa, while "Strictly Come Celebrity Ice-Dancing in the Jungle" is on. That way, we're spending time together, and yet my mind couldn't be further from the prime-time tripe being served up on the TV.

"Don't you get bored playing that all day?" she asked me yesterday evening. Bless.

Actually, she does ask how it's going sometimes, but her eyes quickly glaze over when I start to explain the intricacies of my latest tactical innovation, or my youth development programme. I think she's more looking for a "Yeah, good thanks" kind of answer!

well done on your achievement,

i remember i think it was with my first son, my wife had just came and told me she was pregnant, i was playing football manager at the time, she didnt get much of a reaction, tho she didnt know that it had nothing to do with footy manager, it was because she had so many miscarriages before and i wanted to wait till the baby was actualyy in my arms, 9 months later and i my first son was born, so amazing, lol but my wife always takes the **** out of me saying that time she told me she was pregnant and i didnt react because i was playing footy manager, so the poor game has even been falsely accused..

my gf understands my obsession with but she does ask why FM, FIFA and actual Football consume my life when i'm not with her (which is rarely)

Grudging acceptance would be the term I would use for mine!

I love this thread and feel your pain Crouchaldinho! On FM10 I have had my longest and most succesful save ever, and have been playing for a total of 66 days.... and after finally winning every competition I entered one season (a feat I've only ever achieved once - with Chelsea - so to do it with Southampton was amazing - beyond belief!) I turned to my girlfriend and informed her that I had just won the Premier League, The Champions League, The FA Cup, The Carling Cup, The World Club Cup, The UEFA Super Cup and the Community Shield.... in one, long, brilliant season. She raised her eyebrows, paused for a moment and said "...what's for tea tonight then?" In desperation I turned to the only other person in the room who might understand... but the cat just stared at me blankly.

This is partly why I love you guys on this forum - you all UNDERSTAND!

Oh and also...

Mine is pretty good about it actually. It helps that my obsession with FM started LONG before I met her, so it came as part of the package.

...me too! I'm sure she'd be a lot less tolerant of it otherwise.

Mine lets me play sometimes.

my wife accepts that i'd rather spend 5 hours in front of the laptop than 5 hours in front of the telly, although i can multitask and do both which makes me amazing.

she doesn't care much for my achievements though, even when i got knockbreda back to back promotiond from the second to the first to the premier division

I had been getting the raised eyebrows and the rolled eyes regarding how much time I'd spent playing FM11 since it arrived, along with comments along the lines of "How can you play the one game for 6 hours straight?"

So I bought her Civilization V.

Problem solved.

My wife got me and FM as a package. She even used to play a bit herself. I know, because she's told me, that she'd rather I was spending hours at a time in front of my PC than hours down the pub every night. Although she phrased it as 'At least I always know where you are.' She also doesn't like being at home with our 3 year old at night unless I'm there and the price of that is FM and Total War.

I had been getting the raised eyebrows and the rolled eyes regarding how much time I'd spent playing FM11 since it arrived, along with comments along the lines of "How can you play the one game for 6 hours straight?"

So I bought her Civilization V.

Problem solved.

class move

I'm sure i read at some point in the recent past that FM/the previous champ manager incarnation held the record for the game most cited for divorce ever in history.(FM freaks get married?)

But I digress.All i can say is GOD LOVE SOAPS!

I can n'er get a minute on Fm at anytime ever without the accompanying huff puff of disapprovement.But hallelujah amen for the weekly soaps

For a few golden hours a week I have the freedom to play without judgement whilst she is busy with emmerstreet or coronationenders.

The rest of the hours freedom I become embroiled in "quality time"

FM addicts are a dying breed.this forum gives me hope for the future.Like living in an ape society and finding the statue of liberty in the sand.

no one but FM addicts understand. That's why I have no friends!

My girlfriend doesn't mind too much.. As long as I acknowledge her existence.

I had been getting the raised eyebrows and the rolled eyes regarding how much time I'd spent playing FM11 since it arrived, along with comments along the lines of "How can you play the one game for 6 hours straight?"

So I bought her Civilization V.

Problem solved.

Smart man.

And congrats crouchaldinho on a great managerial legacy!

Since I average about 20 pints across the year, don't smoke and don't have any really expensive hobbies she doesn't mind FM and gaming too much. Helps that she's into games too and has kids (not mine I'd have to consider toning it down a bit if they were lol) it means I get a lot of free time to myself during the evenings which suits me perfectly.

My ex-wife never understood my love of real football or FM.

Now I'm "free", I play FM as often as I like without "that look", I go to matches (season ticket at Granada CF) without it being a "waste of money", I watch lots of live games with friends.

As an added bonus, there's much nicer señoritas here in Spain than my ex-wife, who love football as much as I do too.

Heaven.

I'm a woman so I am sure I am an oddity on here. My Husband knows I love FM, knows when it comes out each year I get it. He doesn't get FM per say but has no issue with me playing it. He will mock me if he is around when I am playing it but that has to do more with me being a Derby County fan then the actual game.

My wife doesn't even notice since she discovered Facebook and is immersed yapping to all and sundry across the world.

Prior to that my solution was to get her on board by making her my club chairman . She still reminds me of the day I phoned her up to rage that she sold David Silva behind my back!

well, I am another gal from the US here. I am originally from Europe and miss EVERYTHING that has to do with my beloved football (or soccer, as they call it here, YUCK!!). I play FM, I am subscribed to all sports channels with European football, like GolTV and FSN. But the problem is, my hubby is 100% American and he only recognizes his American football. He doesn't understand soccer, just like I don't understand American football and especially cheerleaders (those girls really **** me off LOL!). So, I am playing it when he watches his NFL, and everybody is happy as long as we are in the different rooms and keep the volume down. LOL

My wife doesn't even notice since she discovered Facebook and is immersed yapping to all and sundry across the world.

My girlfriend is exactly like this. Before Facebook I would sometimes hear complaints about spending too much time on the computer, but now she can't say anything, 'cos she spends a lot more time in Facebook than I do playing FM She does however watch real matches with me and likes to come watch local games too.

Oh and congrats crouchaldinho!

When me and my brother were playing a network game recently my wife said "how doesn't it get boring its so repetitive" Me and my brother just looked at each other and ignored her. She doesn't get FM or football in general but they were both around along time before her!!!

But its easier now she spend her life socialising networks.

She went out and bought it for me on the release date

She doesn't really get the game but she loves football.

had been getting the raised eyebrows and the rolled eyes regarding how much time I'd spent playing FM11 since it arrived, along with comments along the lines of "How can you play the one game for 6 hours straight?"

So I bought her Civilization V.

Problem solved

A combination of Need for Speed Hot Pursuit and an XBOX live connection has solved the problem for me. I barely get a peep out of the wife apart from the occasional swearword when she crashes !!!

She stares at me with the most uninterested look you could ever witness if I tell her about my achievements tho. I dream of the day she says "thats an incredible achievement on such limited resources, just how did you do it??" ..................... maybe one day lol

I need to learn how to use quotes lol

Haven't got a girlfriend or wife to worry about

I should add to my earlier post that I bought my girlfriend a Nintendo DSI XL for Christmas; this is crucial for when there's nothing on the TV to distract her from my FM addiction.

They generally do what they're told

I need to learn how to use quotes lol

Use reply with quote........that might help

You'd wish your wife/gf would ccompletely understand and leave you to it with FM, but that would also mean she doesn't care at all about you.

she seats on the sofa by me, sometimes she even has the chance to choose what to "watch" on the telly (men can be multitasking, you know) while i drive southampton back to the premier after a 1st season as runners up in the league 1. i tried to involve her as my assistant but she never took it seriously, even if she can get quite impressed by some goals of what we call "omini" ("nice little men in italian)...

My ex-wife never understood my love of real football or FM.

Now I'm "free", I play FM as often as I like without "that look", I go to matches (season ticket at Granada CF) without it being a "waste of money", I watch lots of live games with friends.

As an added bonus, there's much nicer señoritas here in Spain than my ex-wife, who love football as much as I do too.

Heaven.

Granada is home to the most beautiful women on the planet. Fact. I went on holiday a couple of years ago and my mouth was hanging open the whole time.

I find it also helps playing it on a laptop while sat next to her on the sofa, while "Strictly Come Celebrity Ice-Dancing in the Jungle" is on. That way, we're spending time together, and yet my mind couldn't be further from the prime-time tripe being served up on the TV.

Same here, and it's tolerated while reallife soaps are on the tele, which luckily is quite often, every weeknight and often the entire evening. Only problem is she wants to use my netbook every once in a while also. Then I go "but what should I do in the meantime then? There's no football on tv, so that's no option..". She goes: "read a book"... So I every once in a while I read "A year with Verona", "Pointless, a season at britains worst football club", "Fever Pitch" and such. Good fun, but not FM.

Isnt it funny how you do feel the urge to tell her about your achievements though? To share it with someone. Its like going on holiday by yourself: "Gee, look at that beautifull mountain, me. Hey me, thats a cool building!"

It seems more fun to share it with someone: "I've just beaten Kidderminster Harriers of the blue square premier with my Thatcham Town team of the Isthmian first division southwest in the FA-Cup! And the new guy I just bought scored a hattrick!" Girlfriend goes completely blank... Well, maybe better this way, imagine her getting addicted to FM... Aarghh!

Only problem is she wants to use my netbook every once in a while also.

I solved that one by buying a new laptop (which I'd intended to anyway) and giving her my old one. Now she can send emails and browse online shops without interupting my FM time.

Isnt it funny how you do feel the urge to tell her about your achievements though? To share it with someone. Its like going on holiday by yourself: "Gee, look at that beautifull mountain, me. Hey me, thats a cool building!"

It seems more fun to share it with someone: "I've just beaten Kidderminster Harriers of the blue square premier with my Thatcham Town team of the Isthmian first division southwest in the FA-Cup! And the new guy I just bought scored a hattrick!" Girlfriend goes completely blank... Well, maybe better this way, imagine her getting addicted to FM... Aarghh!

YES!!! but i often get a comment like "is that good?" after i tell her i've tell her i won the A-league with perth, which then i'm the one left with the blank face.

But she's starting to understand more and more about the game which is good

You'd wish your wife/gf would ccompletely understand and leave you to it with FM, but that would also mean she doesn't care at all about you.

Deeeep stuff here

Congrats Crouchy!

I had a similar experience when I first won the title with Reading. She seemed to think it was fixed for the player to win. I should have showed her this place

Mine doesnt understand at all - she thinks its stupid and cant understan how i can play it (mostly because i dont follow football too much so she finds it odd that i play a Football game).

My ex cited it about me when we went though our divorce untill I reminded her of her affairs that she had then she forgot about it and went nice just to get the divorce though. Now I play as much as I want without having anyone to nag me,who wants to watch soaps anyway.

If I had a girlfriend/wife I'm sure she wouldn't understand.....sigh

My missus understands and takes an interest and she also plays the game as well. On FM10 she had a career spanning 12 seasons and on FM09 she played a long save as Arsenal and a bit of a journeymen type game. She has yet to play FM11 although judging by most of the threads started on this forum that can only be a good thing. I am sure she will start a game soon probably when the last patch is out which will give me loads of time to play Fallout and other non-football games on the 360 or ps3.

The one thing she doesn't understand is the swearing and shouting when I lose for some reason she is the calmest player of FM I have ever known, I wish I could just ignore losing to the bottom club 3 nil at home anything like that doesn't bother her.

Mine always bugs me about managing Iran, or at least buying someone from Iran for my club. Or sits next to me while I'm playing and says "you're going to lose this match, and you know why? Because you're not managing Iran". She has no ties to Iran whatsoever, so I guess she's just trolling me.

Hi, bit off the point, but does anyone know how to get that type of face as ur managers, looks a like a regen one in the photo. Thanks

Hi, bit off the point, but does anyone know how to get that type of face as ur managers, looks a like a regen one in the photo. Thanks

That's actually a real photo of Crouchaldinho. Plastic surgery.

Also, if you were to look directly down on him, you'll find he looks just like one of the circular blobs from the 2D match engine too.

That's actually a real photo of Crouchaldinho. Plastic surgery.

Also, if you were to look directly down on him, you'll find he looks just like one of the circular blobs from the 2D match engine too.

It's all true. :o

Also, if you were to look directly down on him, you'll find he looks just like one of the circular blobs from the 2D match engine too.

It sounds like Mrs Crouchaldinho doesn't have much taste in looks in men, blob-man, but is certainly a "saint" of a woman for putting up with such a man obsessed.

It's all true. :o

So basically u dont want to tell me then....

LOL Crouchy. Well even if she doesn't understand, we do. CONGRATS, MATE!

Anyway to answer your question, my girlfriend doesn't really understand. Luckily my wife does!

Just kidding!