The Open – Quiz

Posted on | July 12, 2018 | No Comments

Do you know the Open?

Carnoustie is set to host the 147th Open in 2018. It is renowned as an extremely challenging course for players in what looks to be one of the most competitive majors in recent times. The historic course was established in 1842 with the first senior championship taking place there in 2010. The American Jordan Spieth is starting as the defending champion following his incredible performance last year in carding a 12 under par and finishing 3 shots clear of his nearest challenger. The Open championship odds make him 14/1 to defend his title.

The favourite going in is world number 1 Dustin Johnson who has been in imperious form recently that included a 2018 Sentry tournament of champions victory. He previously finished in a tie for second at the 2011 Open championship so has had previous success in this competition. Johnson is now just the third player in history to win a tour title in each of his first 11 seasons joining greats in Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods. So how well do you think you know your golf? Test your knowledge on this open quiz below.

Do or Die Time for Jose Mourinho at Manchester United?

Posted on | July 5, 2018 | No Comments

After an impressive 2016/17 season, Manchester United took a step backwards under Jose Mourinho last campaign. The Red Devils fell short in their pursuit of silverware and fans were critical of Mourinho’s style of play. United started the season like a house on fire but their form tailed off midway through the campaign and Mourinho is now under pressure to deliver ahead of the 2018/19 Premier League season.

On paper, it was an ‘almost’ kind of year for United. Second to an unstoppable Manchester City side in the Premier League title race, the Red Devils secured their highest finish since lifting the title in 2013. In terms of results, there was progression but Mourinho’s decision to opt for substance over style did not sit well with the Old Trafford faithful. Supporters pay good money to be entertained and United were underwhelming on the whole.

Even @neymarjr wouldn’t turn this @manutd team around unless Jose Mourinho changes his strategy – My view and the opinions of @MirrorFootball writers as we discuss whether Mourinho is the right man to take United forward https://t.co/NCj191h1lo

— Steve Bates (@sbates_people) May 21, 2018

United fans were angry at the manner of their Champions League last-16 defeat to Sevilla; the Red Devils were in the ascendency at Old Trafford before Mourinho attempted to shut up shop and defend a slender lead. That decision backfired as the Spanish outfit scored two quickfire goals – United suffered yet another embarrassing result on home soil. We’re not even going to talk about that FA Cup final defeat to Chelsea either…

Those failures have only heightened the expectations at Old Trafford ahead of 2018/19. Mourinho knows that silverware is an absolute must and the Premier League title will be United’s primary target next season – as is the case at the start of every season. As of July 2nd, the Red Devils are 6/1 in Premier League betting odds and plenty of punters will be piling on United ahead of what could be a memorable year for the club.

Acting quickly in the transfer window can be the difference between success and failure – and United moved effectively to acquire Brazil midfielder Fred prior to the World Cup 2018. The former Shakhtar Donetsk star is a naturally gifted, box-to-box midfielder and his impact and influence will open up space for Paul Pogba. Fred looks destined to shine at Old Trafford and fans will be expecting big things ahead of his debut in August.

Mourinho’s treatment of Anthony Martial angered supporters and fans will be hoping that the Frenchman is given a fair chance this year. According to WhoScored, Martial appeared in 30 Premier League matches last season; although 12 of those were from the substitute’s bench. In those games, the Frenchman scored nine goals whilst assisting five for his peers – some ratio considering his lack of regular time on the pitch.

Jose Mourinho needs to win over his critics and a Premier League title triumph is the best way to do that. Overturning the 19-point deficit to arch rivals Manchester City will be tough but United have the tools to lay down a serious challenge to Pep Guardiola’s side. With a couple of new signings before the end of the transfer window, United could be primed to regain their place at the summit of English football.

Joachim Low to remain as Germany’s manager

Posted on | July 5, 2018 | No Comments

Following a disappointing exit at the 2018 World Cup held in Russia, Joachim Low will still be retaining his post as Germany’s manager despite his team eviction at the group stage.

With strong rumours linking the Die Mannschaft’s manager to the Premier League also claiming Low is on the verge of being replaced this summer.

However, with latest media conference the German FA (DFB) will be keeping their manager who helped them to World Cup victory four years ago, after seeing him as the current best manager to reform the Die Mannschaft team for another World Cup to qualify for.

The German FA releases a statement via their Twitter account: “Joachim #Löw will continue as #DieMannschaft head coach”

The statement confirms that the German manager will be managing the Die Mannschaft till the end of newly signed contract which is set to expire in the summer of 2022 – when Qatar will be hosting the next World Cup.

Low said: “I feel, in spite of the legitimate criticism of our departure, generally much support and encouragement.
zz
“But now I want to design the rebuilding with full commitment. It all takes time, but everything will happen in time for the start of the new international season in September.”

With that being said, National team director Oliver Bierhoff also added his, saying via Sky Sports: “I am very pleased that Jogi Löw is at the helm of our national team and we sat together for a long time yesterday and I felt the full energy to continue.

“After 14 years of successful work, we now have to rebuild and we will now be thinking about it and about further structural changes.”

The Germany national team suffered their first catastrophic eviction away from the biggest football tournament in Russia, being eliminated from the group stage for the first time since 1938. Experts in the field of football predictions didn’t expect Germany to fail this hard: They ended their World Cup campaign at the bottom of the Group F.

Succumbing to their first defeat of the tournament to Mexico in a 1-0 win to the El Tri, but immediately found their feet in their next game against Sweden which they won 2-1 and a 2-0 loss to South Korea all but secured their return to Germany.

With some spectator claiming the Die Mannschaft return to Germany was not the Joachim Low’s failing tactics fault. Low has guided his National side to the semi-finals of every major tournament since his appointment as manager in 2006, which result to 2014 World Cup and 2017 European Championship glory.

Learn about the details of Kalinic’s unexpected return home.

Posted on | June 21, 2018 | No Comments

Kalinic is Out of the World Cup

Croatia has decided to send Nikola Kalinic, who may from here on out be ever known as the Reluctant Substitute, back home, ending what turned out to be a very short stint at the World Cup in Russia rather disgracefully.

The striker refused to leave the bench during the game against Nigeria, and this was the straw that broke the camel’s back, since he had done the exact same thing in a friendly against Brazil.

Dalic Confirms the Decision to Play Without Kalinic

Zlatko Dalic, the manager for the Croatian team, confirmed in a statement on Monday that the forward was no longer a part of the team. Dalic said that Kalinic had claimed he wasn’t fit enough to head on to the field during the Group D match, which Croatia managed to win without the sickly striker, with a final score of 2 – 0.

Dalic Gives Some Details as to Why He’s Booted Kalinic

Dalic said that Kalinic was warming up for the encounter with the Nigerians, and was scheduled to play during the second half. Apparently he then said that he wasn’t able to, due to a vague issue with his back.

Dalic then stated that the same thing had happened during the Brazil friendly which took place previously in England, and had once again come up before the practice session prior to the game against Nigeria.

Dalic confirmed that he accepts Kalinic’s self-diagnosis, but said that he needed players who were fit and ready to play, and that this is why he has chosen to relieve Kalinic of his position with the national team.

Dalic Didn’t Make the Decision Alone

The Croatian Football Association has stated that Dalic consulted with his coaching staff before removing Kalinic. The decision was confirmed a few hours after rumours of the player’s dismissal started circling in the press in Croatia.

After the match Dalic had alluded to a problem in the camp, but would not elaborate. He also would not initially respond to any questions regarding Kalinic.

A Disappointing Year for Kalinic

As punters who enjoy football thanks to the online betting NZ offers will know, Kalinic has played for Croatia 41 times, and has scored 15 goals for the team. But he last started for them in 2017.

Dalic has chosen to play Mario Mandzukic, from Juventus, as his main World Cup striker, and has put Andrej Kramaric from Hoffenheim in the support position.

This disgrace bookmarks what has been an anticlimactic year for Kalinic. The 30-year old player had a very underwhelming season when he was at Milan, on loan, scoring only six goals in the 31 games he appeared in.

Reports are suggesting that the player, formerly of Blackburn Rovers, may well be sold by his parent club, Fiorentina. There are apparently a number of Turkish clubs who have expressed interest.

As far as the Croats are concerned, they are going to have to see the rest of the tournament through with only 22 players, since no replacements are permitted at this stage.

Kill some time between matches with entertaining trivia!

Posted on | June 21, 2018 | No Comments

Interesting Facts About Football

As the World Cup unfolds in Russia, there are many people around the world who have started carefully planning their days around the various match timetables. Football is, as well all know, the single most popular sport on earth, so this should come as no surprise.

While the players thrill you with goals, kicks, upsets, and more, this article will help you pass the time between games, and fill you in on some lesser-known facts about The Beautiful Game.

● Football is a very old game. It originated in China, around 476 B.C.

● It the most played, and the most watched, sport on the planet.

● It is the world’s most popular sport, with more than a billion people tuning in to view the matches on TV.

Quite a few of these will be punters enjoying a little added action thanks to the
markets that sports betting NZ and many other countries are providing.

● The largest football tournament ever saw a grand total of 5 098 teams take place. They all competed in 1999, in the second Bangkok League Seven-a-Side Contest. There were over 35 000 players on the field at one point or another!

● The most goals ever scored by a single player in one game was 16. Stephan Stanis, of France, was the man responsible, and he accomplished this feat in December of 1942, when he appeared for Racing Club de Lens.

● Video evidence has proven that the fastest-ever goal scored was a 2.8 second shot by Uruguay’s Ricardo Olivera, in a game in December of 1998.

● Goalkeepers did not have to wear shirts coloured differently to that of their teammates until 1913.

● The average distance players cover during a game is 9.65 kilometers, or 5.9 miles.

● The first basketball game to ever be played used a soccer ball!

● The first Football Club in the World was the English Sheffield Football Club. It was established in 1857 by Colonel Nathaniel Creswick and Major William Priest, two officers in the British Army.

● Teams from Europe have managed to reach every World Cup Final, with the exception of those which took place in 1930 and 1950.

● The highest-ever scoring game was clocked in at 149 – 0. Stade Olympique de L’emyrne, a Malagasy squad, were scoring own goals as protest for an unfair decision that a ref had made in the game preceding it.

● Nigerian-born Chelsea player Celestine Babayaro injured his legs as he celebrated his first goal in a pre-season game, and Luigi Riva, of Italy, made a shot so powerful that he actually broke a spectator’s arm.

● The first-ever black football player was a Mr Arthur Wharton, back in the 1800s.

● Pele coined the the phrase The Beautiful Game.

● Only Canadians and Americans call it soccer, and football is a different form of the game.

● England came up with the word soccer. It is a shortening of the phrase Association Football, which became Assoc Football, and then, finally Soccer. In the England of the 19th century it was common to add an -er sound to words that were shortened, Assoc became Assoc-er.

« go back — keep looking »