The Kid notices The Tiger waving into the crowd during a match and jokingly wonders whether friends or family have come to visit. Instead, the conversation turns to football tactics, fantasy football frustration and one famously cursed shirt number.
What begins as an innocent phone call quickly becomes another discussion about managers playing footballers out of position and how one clever fantasy football gamble failed in spectacular fashion.
Time to Say Goodbye
The Kid notices The Tiger acknowledging supporters during a match and assumes someone close to him must be in the crowd.
He phones afterwards to ask whether family or friends had travelled to watch.
The Tiger laughs.
He has something completely different on his mind.
Football Before Family
The conversation quickly drifts away from personal matters.
The Tiger explains that the real talking point is the manager’s latest tactical experiment.
Players are once again being asked to perform unfamiliar roles.
It leaves everyone wondering exactly where they are supposed to be playing.
The Out-of-Position Gamble
For The Kid, this immediately sounds like a fantasy football opportunity.
He spots the Old Lady’s number four starting in midfield rather than defence.
An out-of-position player can often be fantasy football gold.
Extra attacking involvement combined with defensive scoring is usually a recipe for success.
This time, however, things do not quite go according to plan.
The Curse of Number Four
The gamble lasts only until reality intervenes.
The player suffers another setback and The Kid’s carefully planned fantasy selection falls apart.
He jokingly concludes that the number four shirt itself must be cursed.
Sometimes even the smartest fantasy football strategy cannot overcome football’s unpredictability.
Fantasy Football Lessons
Experienced fantasy managers constantly look for players operating out of position.
When defenders become midfielders or midfielders move into attacking roles, their fantasy potential often increases dramatically.
But extra opportunity always comes with extra risk.
Selection, injuries and tactical changes can quickly undo even the best research.
The Football Inspiration Behind the Comic
This episode was inspired by Louis van Gaal’s reputation for tactical experimentation at Manchester United and the growing popularity of identifying out-of-position players in fantasy football.
It also references Juventus’ defensive players occasionally being used in more advanced roles, creating excitement among fantasy managers searching for hidden value.
Storybook blends those real tactical developments into another fantasy football lesson delivered through humour.
Characters Featured
The Kid
Always thinking like a fantasy football manager, The Kid immediately spots a potential opportunity when a defender appears in midfield.
The Tiger
The Tiger finds humour in The Kid’s fantasy obsession, knowing that football rarely rewards clever ideas as often as fantasy managers hope.
The Boss
The manager continues experimenting with tactical systems, regularly deploying players in unfamiliar positions.
The Old Lady’s Number Four
The unexpected tactical deployment makes him an attractive fantasy football selection before bad luck quickly changes the story.
Behind the Gag
The comic begins with what sounds like a question about family.
Instead, it becomes another fantasy football conversation.
The Kid is far more interested in tactical positioning than weekend visitors.
Unfortunately, football once again reminds him that clever ideas and fantasy points are not always the same thing.
Looking Back
Originally published in 2015, Time to Say Goodbye reflected the increasing tactical flexibility seen across European football.
Managers were asking players to perform multiple roles, while fantasy football managers searched tirelessly for out-of-position bargains that could provide a competitive edge.
Storybook turned that genuine fantasy football strategy into another light-hearted dressing-room conversation.
