Who’s Top of the Tree?
As we enter the Festive Period and the Premier League title race is beginning to hot up, ‘KillarneyParkRangers’ look set to top the Kew Park Rangers Fantasy Football Tree come Christmas Day, with a healthy twenty nine point buffer to boot. The key to their success seems to be having Liverpool’s man of the moment, Luis Suarez, leading the line as captain, amongst a hoard of other formidable stars. ‘KillarneyParkRangers’ have definitely set the benchmark for other managers to reach and attempt to chase down as we head into the back end of this campaign.
A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all those that are participating in the Fantasy Football this year!
Onto the results of our most recent Quiz and Oisín McEvoy has only gone and done the Double! Can anybody put a stop to his dominant reign? Be sure to look out for the next Quiz soon and attempt to put your name into the Quiz’s Hall of Fame.
Kew Park Rangers Quiz Hall of Fame:
- Oisín McEvoy
- Oisín McEvoy
For last quiz’s questions and answers please find them directly below.
Amateur:
1. What year was Arsenal’s Invincibles season? (1) 03/04
2. Which team has the nickname ‘The Toffees’? (1) Everton
3. Who is number 26 for Chelsea? (1) John Terry
4. Who is England’s all-time top goalscorer? (1) Sir Bobby Charlton
5. Who plays at the Hawthorns? (1) West Bromwich Albion
Semi-Pro:
6. Who is Sunderland’s manager? (1) Gustavo Poyet
7. Who plays at the San Siro? (2) Internazionale/AC Milan
8. Who is the Premier League’s top goalscoring midfielder ever? (1) Frank Lampard
9. Which team won the inaugural Premier League?(1) Manchester United
10. Which Premier League team trialled a singing session in this week’s Champions League fixture (23.10.13)? (1) Manchester United
Professional:
11. Who is England’s most capped footballer? (1) Rachel Yankey
12. At which ground were the most Premier League goals scored at last season (2012/13)? (1) Emirates Stadium
13. Which 6 countries can Manchester United’s winger Adnan Januzaj legally play for at a senior level? (6) England, Belgium, Albania, Kosovo, Serbia, Turkey
14. Which Premier League side has conceded the least amount of goals at home this season (at the time of writing, 26th October)? (1) Hull City Tigers
15. Which club did cricketer Ian Botham, once have a stint at? (1) Scunthorpe United
World Class:
16. What is the only minute that Cristiano Ronaldo hasn’t scored in, in a competitive game? (1) 47th
17. Which teams in Europe’s top 5 leagues (English, French, German, Spanish, and Italian) are yet to win a league game (at the time of writing 26th October)? (5) Bologna, Sunderland, Almeria, Freiburg, Nurnberg
18. Which teams in Europe’s top 5 leagues (English, French, German, Spanish, and Italian) are yet to lose a league game (at the time of writing 26th October)? (5) Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Paris Saint Germain, Monaco, Roma
19. What is the highest scoring European Cup Final (club)? What teams were involved and in what year did it take place? (3) 7-2 Real Madrid vs Frankfurt 1961
20. Who was the manager of Sunderland in the 1973 FA Cup final, when they famously beat Don Revie’s Leeds team 1-0? (1) Bob Stokoe
Testing Times – A Football Quiz
Hello and welcome to the second monthly quiz.
The quiz consists of 20 questions, split into 4 sections of varying difficulty, from the slightly less challenging Amateur ones to the brain numbing World Class ones.
Here’s how to enter:
1. Try out the quiz
2. Send your answers via e:mail to: coryscorner100@aol.com
3. Answers will be posted at a later stage.
The winner will be announced at a later date and be put into the quiz’s Hall of Fame alongside our first member, Oisín McEvoy.
Entrants can be of all ages. Are you up for the challenge?
Amateur:
1. What season was Arsenal’s Invincibles season?
2. Which team has the nickname ‘The Toffees’?
3. Who is number 26 for Chelsea?
4. Who is England’s all-time top goalscorer?
5. Who plays at the Hawthorns?
Semi-Pro:
6. Who is Sunderland’s manager?
7. Who plays at the San Siro?
8. Who is the Premier League’s top goal scoring midfielder ever?
9. Which team won the inaugural Premier League?
10. Which Premier League team trialled a singing session in this week’s Champions League fixture (week commencing 21st October)?
Professional:
11. Who is England’s most capped footballer?
12. At which ground were the most Premier League goals scored at last season (2012/13)?
13. Which 6 countries can Manchester United’s winger Adnan Januzaj legally play for at a senior level?
14. Which Premier League side has conceded the least amount of goals at home this season (at the time of writing, 26th October)?
15. Which club did cricketer Ian Botham, once has a stint at?
World Class:
16. What is the only minute that Cristiano Ronaldo hasn’t scored in, in a competitive game?
17. Which teams in Europe’s top 5 leagues (English, French, German, Spanish, and Italian) are yet to win a league game (at the time of writing 26th October)?
18. Which teams in Europe’s top 5 leagues (English, French, German, Spanish, and Italian) are yet to lose a league game (at the time of writing 26th October)?
19. What is the highest scoring European Cup Final (club)? What teams were involved and in what year did it take place?
20. Who was the manager of Sunderland in the 1973 FA Cup final, when they famously beat Don Revie’s Leeds team 1-0?
Good luck!
Early Pointers
Hello there and welcome to a new post on Cory’s Corner. The post will be focused on the Fantasy Football League we’ve been running this season, which hopefully many of you are involved in already. In addition, we will have the answers for the Quiz that was posted earlier this summer and the first member to be inducted into the quiz’s prestigious Hall of Fame!
There have been a staggering 59 entrants into the Fantasy Football League this season and this should hopefully also serve as a reminder to certain entrants, not to give up, or more likely forget about your Fantasy Football Team just yet! If you have, I can only presume that you are a Man United fan, who has turned off all electrical equipment in a bid to get away from the constant reminder of The Moyes Effect.
As we enter Gameweek 7, Jubi Evangelista has the bragging rights and currently sits pretty at the top of the table, having guided the side, Jubinho’s Feet to a stellar 369 points in total. Jubi holds a slim, yet decisive 3 point margin over John & Jackson O’Mahony’s, Killarney Park Rangers, with the chasing pack not too far behind. Scott Fielding’s, Barky’s Boys and Sam van der Poel’s D.O.S.R make up 3rd and 4th place respectively and will need some high scoring game weeks to maintain their Champions League places!
If you find yourself towards the other end of the table, don’t give up, there are still plenty of Gameweeks left, many points to fight for and remember it’s a marathon not a sprint. However, if I were to give you some advice, you might want to take some of the injured players out of your teams!
Sensible buys:
Goalkeepers – Simon Mignolet has been statistically the best goalkeeper for Fantasy Football this season and if you back Liverpool to carry on in the same rich form, then pay up £5.8m and he’s your man. If you are looking for cheaper alternatives, Southampton’s Artur Boruc and Cardiff’s Allan McGregor are more than adequate in sorting out any problem you may have between the sticks.
Defenders – Leighton Baines’ performances and in particular his free kicks have caught the eye of many this season. Hiis goals have made him a valuable asset to not only Everton’s unbeaten side, but many Fantasy Football teams as well. He does come with a pretty expensive tag though, but in his current form he’s more than worth it.
Midfielders – With Aaron Ramsey lighting up the stage this season, not only with his wondrous displays, but his more clinical finishing, he has to be a must in all Fantasy Football sides, which want to be serious contenders this season! His £6.4m price tag, makes him an irresistible proposition.
Strikers – These are the players that can get you the big scores, so it’s key you have the best in the business. Sturridge and Giroud have not only scored an array of goals this season, but they have both returned the favour to their teammates on many an occasion, something that is imperative to do well in Fantasy Football.
The Answers to the Quiz can be found below. How did you fare? If you didn’t enter last time, be sure to do so next time and stand the chance of being inaugurated into the Hall of Fame!
Amateur:
1. Which club play at the Stadium of Light? Sunderland/Bonus point for the person who said Benfica!
2. Who replaced Sir Alex Ferguson as manager of Manchester United? David Moyes
3. Who were the runners up in the 2013 Champions League final? Dortmund
4. Name 2 clubs that Jose Mourinho has managed? Any 2 of Benfica, União de Leiria, Porto, Chelsea, Inter Milan, Real Madrid
5. Which club are nicknamed ‘the Hammers’? West Ham United
Semi – Pro:
6. Which stadium was the 2012 Champions League final played in? Allianz Arena
7. Who was England’s World Cup captain for the 1966 World Cup? Bobby Moore
8. Who is the Queen’s Park Rangers manager? Harry Redknapp
9. How many Premier League titles have Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool won together combined? 0
10. Who wears Number 20 shirt for Manchester United? Robin Van Persie
Professional:
11. Which club has won the Champions League the most times? Real Madrid
12. How many times have Uruguay won the World Cup? 2
13. Which clubs has Frank Lampard played for? West Ham, Swansea (loan), Chelsea
14. Who was manager of the Republic of Ireland during 1994 World Cup final? Jack Charlton
15. Out of his 50 penalties, how many did Matt Le Tissier score? 49
World Class:
16. Which two men have won the World Cup as both a player and as a manager? Franz Beckenbauer and Mario Zargallo
17. Which club did Pele and Franz Beckenbaur both play for? New York Cosmos
18. Which was the first game to be played at the New Wembley? England U21 vs Italy U21
19. Name the 3 player who have won the Champions League 2 years in a row with 2 different clubs Marcel Desailly, Samuel Eto’o and Gerard Pique.
20. Name 2 non-Brits to have won the F.A Cup as both a player and a manager. Roberto Di Matteo and Gianluca Vialli.
Well done to Oisín McEvoy, who is our first member in the Hall of Fame, scoring a very respectable 22/27. Can you beat him next time?
Testing Times – A Football Quiz
Hello and welcome to the first monthly quiz, a new feature on my blog.
There will be 20 questions each month, split into 4 sections of varying difficulty, from the slightly less challenging Amateur ones to the brain numbing World Class ones.
Here’s how to enter:
1. Try out the quiz
2. Send your answers via e:mail to: coryscorner100@aol.com
3. Answers will be posted at a later stage.
Entrants can be of all ages. Are you up for the challenge?
Amateur:
1. Which club play at the Stadium of Light?
2. Who replaced Sir Alex Ferguson as manager of Manchester United?
3. Who were the runners up in the 2013 Champions League final?
4. Name 2 clubs that Jose Mourinho has managed?
5. Which club are nicknamed ‘the Hammers’?
Semi – Pro:
6. Which stadium was the 2012 Champions League final played in?
7. Who was England’s World Cup captain for the 1966 World Cup?
8. Who is the Queen’s Park Rangers manager?
9. How many Premier League titles have Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool won together combined?
10. Who wears Number 20 shirt for Manchester United?
Professional:
11. Which club has won the Champions League the most times?
12. How many times have Uruguay won the World Cup?
13. Which clubs has Frank Lampard played for?
14. Who was manager of the Republic of Ireland during 1994 World Cup final?
15. Out of his 50 penalties, how many did Matt Le Tissier score?
World Class:
16. Which two men have won the World Cup as both a player and as a manager?
17. Which club did Pele and Franz Beckenbaur both play for?
18. Which was the first game to be played at the New Wembley?
19. Name the 3 player who have won the Champions League 2 years in a row with 2 different clubs
20. Name 2 non-Brits to have won the F.A Cup as both a player and a manager.
Good luck!
P.S Don’t forget to sign up for this seasons Fantasy Football League. Details below, in the previous blog.
Fancy some football?
As the end of the last season’s two month anniversary came up, a week or so ago, and the new team kits have been unveiled, many of you football fanatics (like me) might be struggling to find something to satisfy your footballing needs. However, I believe I have a solution..
This comes in the form of Fantasy Football. Some of you may be familiar with the concept and for those of you who are, this can be a reminder for you to select your new team before 17th August (the start of the 2013/14 Premier League season).
For those of you new to Fantasy Football, it’s an opportunity to choose your dream team to the tune of £100m, manage your team’s season and make games like Stoke vs Hull more interesting!
I believe over the past two seasons, the KPR Fantasy Football League has been organised by Gary Marshall. This year he is kindly allowing me to commentate on it, talking about the high flyers and possible dark horses, via a regular blog.
This being my 8th year of entering a Fantasy football team, I’m a self-proclaimed veteran and can certainly say it’s great fun, easy to use and suitable for all ages. I selected my first team when I was eight!
This year we will once again be using the official Barclays Premier league site: www.fantasy.premierleague.com
The instructions to enter the League are as follows:
1. Go to www.fantasy.premierleague.com
2. Register as a user
3. Select your team
4. On the Fantasy League home page, follow –
LEAGUES – JOIN A LEAGUE – PRIVATE LEAGUE – Enter Code – 81381 39679
I hope you found it easy enough to join the league and please follow this blog for regular updates and football themed articles.
Have a great 2013/14 season!
Cory
Hi, Cory here,
Over the last few months I have been helping out with coaching the Under 10s teams. I’ve really enjoyed it and I have tried to pass on some of the knowledge that I’veacquired, when taking the same steps that the boys are currently. I am glad to say, they are keen to take everything on board and with the great commitment of the coaching staff,they are all improving every week.
With the season drawing to a close, and lots of spare time over the summer, here’s one of the training exercises, which we have worked on recently. The boys might like to get a few friends together and try this one at home, or as it needs 8 players, parents may prefer them to practise at the rec!
Target
Using one ball, Target is a game played in a small sided rectangle – the smaller the rectangle, the more it works on technique.
There are 2 teams of 2 (shown in blue and red below),with one player in an “end zone” at each end of the rectangle and one player on each of the length sides of the rectangle, who act as “wall men”. These 4 players, shown in black and white below, can pass the ball to either the blue or red teams.
The game aims to work on the players’ touch, movement andspatial awareness.
At first the boys struggled to get to grips with the game and the point scoring was low, but the level really picked up as they started to move the ball quicker, taking less touches and doing one-twos with each other.
More frequent communication enhanced the standard of play even further.
When the boys realised that having an ‘open body face’ when receiving the ball, allows them to see more of the pitch and gives them the opportunity to play the ball a split second quicker, the quality increased again.
When they started to use the wall men, they found it much easier to score points and play started to move freely, with teams scoring 3 or 4 points uninterrupted.
It was very pleasing to see the boys, both having fun and theirskills progressing as the session went on.
I am looking forward to the final few training session of the season.
More from me soon..
Cory