Fantasy leagues are now part and parcel of sporting fandom, but are they ruining everyone's idea of what it means to support a team?
While Fantasy NFL Leagues are seeping their way into Irish consciousness, they dominate the other side of the Atlantic. In Ireland, the Fantasy Premier League game is king.
There is something enjoyable about trying to create a super-team with a limited budget,but when matchday arrives, fan's loyalties are being torn asunder.
The fear on a Saturday morning of changing the team before the 11.30am deadline is real for many. Who cares? Does it really matter if you forgot to add in a Huddersfield Town defender after last week's clean-sheet? Of course it doesn't.
After his 20-point haul in Gameweek 5, Sergio Aguero breaks into the top 2 selected #FPL captains for the first time this season...#FPL pic.twitter.com/cDuy5TDsRM
— Fantasy Premier League (@OfficialFPL) September 23, 2017
Is wouldn't take much for a Liverpool or Chelsea fan to cheer a Romelu Lukaku last-minute goal either. Imagine that happening ten-years ago?
I had Lukaku as captain this week. Delighted!
The plague of the assist has also been a scourge in recent years. When watching iconic goals, how many people remember who set up the goal? Very rarely.
Think of some of your favourite goals? Can you remember who set them up? If you cant your memory is better than most.
Did Azpilicueta get the assist?
No, it was Willian.
And captains. What about the captains. The most ridiculous aspect of the game, it must be said.
You remove the virtual armband from one player to give it to another, but when the former holder of the distinguished title scores it's the end of the world for Men Behaving Chadli.
It really isn't.
Saturday afternoons just aren't the same anymore. You should care if your team wins or loses each week. Does it matter that a rival player from a top team scores twice? It shouldn't.
But because of the game, it does.
