BAKU: Virtual reality has turned into ‘real’ reality in Azerbaijan now FC Baku have appointed a 21-year-old youngster as reserve team manager because of his brilliance at football computer games writes CHRISTIAN RADNEDGE.

The Azeri club have confirmed Vugar Guloglan oglu Huseynzade in the role after the sacking of the former Olympiacos defender Bozdar Bandovic.

Huseynzade has some experience at the club having been a behind-the-scenes advisor since February. But it was his 10 years’ worth of experience with computer game Football Manager that helped him beat off competition from former France striker Jean-Pierre Papin – a man who has previous managerial experience with Strasbourg, Lens and Chateauroux.

The young Azeri now has the spotlight firmly on him, but he says that he is not fazed by the size of the challenge.

Speaking to a Swedish newspaper after his appointment, he said “I’ve always wanted to work in football and have played Football Manager since 2002.”

Huseynzade has already started working on the long term aims of the club with a goal set of getting Baku into the UEFA Europa League within three years.

However in the immediate future the young prospect will have to address the reality that Baku face being relegated as they are currently in 10th position, just four points off the bottom of the table.

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