Watch José Mourinho prank football manager game players in VR press conference

There’s more to being a top-class football manager than getting results on the pitch.

How would you handle being bombarded with questions from ruthless journalists in a high-pressure press conference after a poor performance?

In a bid to see how some of its super-users would cope, online football management game Top Eleven hosted one of the first immersive virtual reality press conferences to give them the opportunity to step into the shoes of a top football manager.

In an intense VR experience, participants were quizzed on typical football situations that top managers like José Mourinho experience whenever they are grilled by the media.

To ensure they didn’t crumble under pressure, they were given training on everything from body language to tips and advice on tone, and how best to combat an barrage of loaded questions.

They then faced a barrage of questions on subjects ranging from team selection and management style to reputation and recent wayward behaviour of star players.

And there was a big surprise for them at the end of their ordeal. Unbeknown to them, José was watching as the aspiring managers got hot under the collar – eventually surprising them with feedback, face-to-face.

Speaking about the experience, one super-user said: “I was immersed in a virtual world, which I knew wasn’t real, but still felt the pressure as if I was in a real press conference scenario. I have a newfound respect for managers like José.”

Marko Jevtic from creators Nordeus said that, although the VR element isn’t yet planned as an update, they wanted to experiment with it to add a new dimension to the skills they test through the community-led game.

“So far, feedback has been positive, as we continue to look for ways to push the boundaries of the football management genre.”