Even if the severe flu outbreak that forced West Ham to call off its WSL game against Everton doesn’t spread into the first-team squad, there will still be a sizeable amount of time where the Irons aren’t gracing your screens.
Sure, you can follow Moyes’ every press conference, keep up with the youth and WSL squads as well, but that will still leave you with the existential question of what to do in the time that West Ham simply can’t occupy. Here are some ideas.
Brush up on your Books
Reading isn’t for everybody, but if you’re a die-hard football fan there are plenty of titles that can occupy that football bit of your brain in the evenings. Crouch has a couple of well-regarded books (including the hilariously titled ‘I, Robot’), but a read like Elmar Neveling’s biography on Klopp will definitely open up your understanding of the beautiful game, which will allow you to enjoy it even more.
There’s nothing more satisfying than watching a game with your mates and getting that unanimous grunt of impressed approval when you point out some strategy in formation that nobody else could have thought of. Who knows, depending on your job a good football book could improve your life in other areas as well.
It’s highly likely that Professor Damian Hughes’ book on how Pep created such a high-performance culture at Barca won’t give you some ideas about how to improve your working life if you hold a management role of some kind.
Test your Ability
Gaming is a pretty fun way of testing your football abilities. Whether its fantasy football, football manager or FIFA, you can test your football knowledge and strategy in the virtual plane.
These games can be mastered with time though and might become boring in the long term. Lots of people like to test their football skills with betting as well, which can be fun as long as you’re on top. If you are not too familiar with how to bet on football, then you should take a look at the premier league odds beforehand.
This will display the current odds of the different upcoming matches, such as what the chances of a team winning a match is and will help you in your decision-making process of placing a bet. However, if you think it’s becoming a problem always remember that there are some very good resources to help you.
Find a New Hobby
Very few things will fill you with the thrill that Mark Noble is capable of producing when he comes in off an injury to score a penalty in the third minute, but some things might come close. Have you ever liked art? Painting classes might be for you! Do you like computers? Maybe learn how to code!
There are loads of skills that you can pick up that can improve your life beyond occupying your time. Picking a new hobby can be a bit tricky, but if you think about what you actually like to do there’s bound to be something that requires a bit of skill in that department.
Even if you love something as rudimentary as eating or drinking you can try your hand at cooking or micro-brewing.
