Interview
19 August 2021 382 comments
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Veteran Fantasy Premier League (FPL) manager Shivanand Atre (@ShivaFPL) has shown remarkable consistency across his 14-year career, with only two finishes outside of the top 100,000 over that time.

He has been particularly good in recent years, showing he has been able to adapt well to the proliferation of content and opinions on social media: he has achieved five top 25,000 finishes in as many years, including a top 3,000 overall rank and another in the top 10k.

He also has a previous top 2,000 season-ending rank under his belt.

In this latest Meet the Manager episode, Joe quizzes Shiva on how he has managed to filter out the growing FPL ‘noise’ to perform well in each campaign.

His focus on anchoring a view at the start of the week and ensuring he can be flexible enough to react to emerging trends and news before a deadline has been a key tactic for success. Joe also finds out why a pen and paper has been Shiva’s secret weapon over this time.

The eye test has helped, too, as he focuses on the importance of watching matches over reading statistics. The ability to make rare, but calculated risks is also key.

To give a snapshot of his thinking, Shiva reveals his Gameweek 2 team and how he is putting his strategies into action.

Joe also wanted to catch up with Shiva to discuss how the game has developed in popularity in India, where he first started playing more than a decade ago, as well as in the US, where he now lives.

He recounts the struggle to make family commitments on a Saturday in India, when so many of his friends and relations had no idea how important ‘wildcarding’ and ‘making a transfer’ was to him.

The Meet the Manager series is where Joe chats to FPL managers with a strong record of success, an interesting view of the game and/or who are offering the community a unique insight into Fantasy management.

Joe’s interview with Shiva can be viewed below.

382 Comments Login to Post a Comment
  1. leo_messi
    • 14 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Who to start?

    A) Digne (Lee)
    B) Targett (NEW)

    1. MJF
      5 years, 1 month ago

      As Morrissey sang,

      “Neither one particularly appeals to me”

      1. Nuka Girl
        • 10 Years
        5 years, 1 month ago

        That Neil Morrissey song?

    2. I Member
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      A

    3. Simon69
      • 14 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      A

    4. Defcons are for Kinnear
      • 13 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Sword and shield

      1. el polako
        • 9 Years
        5 years, 1 month ago

        Might & magic.

        1. Piggs Boson
          • 15 Years
          5 years, 1 month ago

          VI: The Mandate of Heaven

          1. el polako
            • 9 Years
            5 years, 1 month ago

            HOMM 3 - I'm old.

            1. Zalk
              • 15 Years
              5 years, 1 month ago

              The only right answer though

            2. Piggs Boson
              • 15 Years
              5 years, 1 month ago

              Never played the Heroes series but MM6 is one of my favourite games. Huge open-world RPG.

  2. Sergeant Slaughter
    • 15 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Cancelo regret. Serious doubts about his starting. Stones was the play, if any. A transfer seems silly, but I can’t get it out of my head. Want to save my moves. I can’t be trusted.

    1. Defcons are for Kinnear
      • 13 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      With TAA, Shaw and Digne what made you consider Cancelo? Especially as Walker had a good Euros and both LBs are available

      1. Sergeant Slaughter
        • 15 Years
        5 years, 1 month ago

        Thought he would bring returns beyond CS. Lots of early door attacking questions with City. He could fill the gap. He seemed a clever selection. He wasn’t.

        1. Defcons are for Kinnear
          • 13 Years
          5 years, 1 month ago

          No. He wasn't. Too risky for GW1

    2. I Member
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Got to keep and hope he plays.

      1. Sergeant Slaughter
        • 15 Years
        5 years, 1 month ago

        Agreed

  3. Lord of Ings
    • 10 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Start 1 out of:-
    A) Ayling
    B) Coufal
    C) Targett

    1. Defcons are for Kinnear
      • 13 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      A

    2. Snooze ya lose
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 17 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      B

  4. Defcons are for Kinnear
    • 13 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Just imagining people's disappointment at clicking on the Hot Topic

    1. Camzy
      • 16 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      lmao. Had me curious. How stupid.

      It's resolution dependent. I can see my whole team no problem on a 1440p screen.

  5. have you seen cyan
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Triple captain Toney seems like the obvious choice this week, doesnt it? Hatti inbound, may as well count the points now

    1. KadMan
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      I'd zoom in again, mate. Not worth fitting it into the screen if you're mixing up players.

      1. Defcons are for Kinnear
        • 13 Years
        5 years, 1 month ago

        😆

      2. have you seen cyan
        • 7 Years
        5 years, 1 month ago

        its 110% zoomed in on (((T)))oney

    2. Botman and Robben
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Gilmour more promising. They have a way with City.

  6. Stupendous
    • 14 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Hold Veltman or move on?

    Out another week at least. Ugh

    1. KadMan
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      If you don't have any reinforcements that can come off your bench, it's a no brainer. Otherwise, keep.

      1. Stupendous
        • 14 Years
        5 years, 1 month ago

        ESR and Balogun

        That's basically one sub and have the likes of Torres who could be benched

    2. Disco Stu
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      I'm just putting him on the bench again. There's nothing else out there in the 4.0 - 4.5 price range worth wasting a move on. White looked terrible, and it's too soon to bring Ayling in.

      1. Stupendous
        • 14 Years
        5 years, 1 month ago

        I WAS thinking Ayling tbh

        White hell no

        Ta

        1. Disco Stu
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 14 Years
          5 years, 1 month ago

          I'm not bringing Ayling in until GW 5

          1. Stupendous
            • 14 Years
            5 years, 1 month ago

            At least if Brighton lose again you have to fancy Veltman to be nailed

          2. Stupendous
            • 14 Years
            5 years, 1 month ago

            Livramento and use the .5m elsewhere?

            I know they're awful

            Pointless for Amartey or even more for Duffy

            Starting to agree with you

            1. Disco Stu
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • 14 Years
              5 years, 1 month ago

              Save the transfer and have two to play around with next week. Also, Veltman in for sure next week

  7. Deulofail
    • 10 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    What's the relevance of a Hot Topic in FPL?

    1. Defcons are for Kinnear
      • 13 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Click bait on Google

    2. el polako
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      This made me chuckle a bit, first time I smiled today.
      Or was it just wind ?

      Thank you.

      1. Deulofail
        • 10 Years
        5 years, 1 month ago

        Hot air for sure

  8. HollywoodXI
    • 12 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Bruno non owner. Any news of a slight injury meaning he’ll miss the Saints game? Anything? At all? No?! 🙂

    1. el polako
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Stay strong.

    2. TheBiffas
      • 5 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Chin up mate

    3. Forever In Our Shadow
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Right your wrong.

  9. chaser123
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Who to start?
    1) Coufal
    2) Amartey

    1. have you seen cyan
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Amartey wont start will he?

    2. amitmishr
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Can start anyone, coufal will be auto sub

    3. Forever In Our Shadow
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Right your wrong.

      1. Forever In Our Shadow
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 12 Years
        5 years, 1 month ago

        Sorry. 1

  10. el polako
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Recently finished watching The Wire for 2nd time and not quite ready to re-watch Line of Duty but really want to get into another police drama.
    Is The Shield any good ?

    1. Eleven Hag
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Thought FPL wire for a moment

      1. el polako
        • 9 Years
        5 years, 1 month ago

        Shiiiittttt...

    2. Disco Stu
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Yes

    3. Uncle Baby Billy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Think of The Wire as Salah at home to Burnley. The Shield is a triple captained 4.0m Newcastle defender away to Man City.

      1. Pacer.
        • 12 Years
        5 years, 1 month ago

        If Salah scored an own goal and got sent of on 80 and the Newcastle defender scored a perfect hattrick in injury time

    4. Bartowski
      • 16 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Signal. Korean show on Netflix.

      1. el polako
        • 9 Years
        5 years, 1 month ago

        See don't mind off mainstream picks, absolutely loved German "Dark".

        1. Bartowski
          • 16 Years
          5 years, 1 month ago

          It's widely revered.

    5. Sergeant Slaughter
      • 15 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Fauda

      1. el polako
        • 9 Years
        5 years, 1 month ago

        See above, never heard of it but it looks promising.

    6. Lazaretti
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Hill Street Blues.

      1. el polako
        • 9 Years
        5 years, 1 month ago

        Just checked it on YouTube, Real old school stuff.

        1. Pacer.
          • 12 Years
          5 years, 1 month ago

          It's kind of the recognisable genesis of modern drama along with stuff like st elsewhere and so on. But it is OLD

    7. Pacer.
      • 12 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      The Shield is great, I would also recommend Southland. Justified is up there with The Wire imo. Very different shows to compare, but it is flawless

      1. Andy_Social
        • 14 Years
        5 years, 1 month ago

        Z-Cars and Dixon of Dock Green and not reference enough these days.

        1. Pacer.
          • 12 Years
          5 years, 1 month ago

          Drama started in the late 90s, like football started in 1992

    8. Je suis le chat
      • 12 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Check out Bosch, absolutely love it. Has lots of actors from The Wire.

      1. el polako
        • 9 Years
        5 years, 1 month ago

        That's the show with the guy that got capped in SoA, isn't it ?

        1. Je suis le chat
          • 12 Years
          5 years, 1 month ago

          Haven't seen SoA, but yes Titus Welliver is great as the lead in Bosch. I empathise with his extreme competency in his work yet not giving a damn about social niceties!

    9. asdf_1
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      True Detective, Manhunt, Mindhunter

      1. Pacer.
        • 12 Years
        5 years, 1 month ago

        true detective is just a load of old mumbling

      2. asdf_1
        • 8 Years
        5 years, 1 month ago

        And to answer your question, the shield is good but it has an episodic nature which made me dislike it a bit. Nevertheless, it has one of the most perfect endings.

        1. Pacer.
          • 12 Years
          5 years, 1 month ago

          I haven't watched it for a long time but I don't remember it being THAT episodic. I'm fairly certain that each individual season and the show has a clear arc

          1. asdf_1
            • 8 Years
            5 years, 1 month ago

            By episodic, i mean that each episode has a different police case. The major arc keeps moving forward though on a slower basis.

    10. @Gemmill78
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Excellent - my mrs still uses it as her baseline - very bingeable

    11. S.Kuqi
      • 13 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Shield is better than the Wire

      1. el polako
        • 9 Years
        5 years, 1 month ago

        Wow, that's some statement.
        I've The Wire twice and whilst watching second time picked up on all little thing I've missed initially.

        For me this show is genius, characters and their development is like nowhere else, plot, roughness and sense humor- watched all major series but to me nothing comes close to stories from Baltimore

        1. S.Kuqi
          • 13 Years
          5 years, 1 month ago

          Agreed. Wire is excellent but prefer Shield. Out of police series my rank would be :

          True Detective season 1
          Shield
          Wire

          1. Rassi
            • 12 Years
            5 years, 1 month ago

            Shield should never be mentioned with those two masterpieces.

            1. Pacer.
              • 12 Years
              5 years, 1 month ago

              On the contrary, the shield is really great. True Detective on the other hand is a load of old cobblers

              1. Rassi
                • 12 Years
                5 years, 1 month ago

                Oh, the depravity.

    12. Lord.
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      You need to watch Breaking Bad if you want to maintain the standards of The Wire.

      1. Pacer.
        • 12 Years
        5 years, 1 month ago

        Justified is also their equal

    13. Zimo
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Mindhunter

      1. Je suis le chat
        • 12 Years
        5 years, 1 month ago

        Great show, shame they only made 3 series.

    14. el polako
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Thank you All !
      Looks like my winter season is sorted.

    15. Zalk
      • 15 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Ah damn, Line of duty is a 10/10 for me, what a series!
      Just finished watching Bosch on HBO, 9/10 for me.

  11. Stupendous
    • 14 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Balogun to Dennis?

    Only other subs are ESR Veltman*

    1. Stupendous
      • 14 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Anyone?

    2. Je suis le chat
      • 12 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Save the transfer.

      1. Stupendous
        • 14 Years
        5 years, 1 month ago

        Ta. Balo could get SOME time but they are about to get spanked

    3. Wrong Captain Choice - Ag i…
      • 17 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Go for his mate Cucho since Dennis is a doubt?

      1. Stupendous
        • 14 Years
        5 years, 1 month ago

        Fair point but I would want Dennis over Cucho long term I think

  12. Edgar
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 15 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Draft League...transfer out Pukki for A.Armstrong?

    1. Dynamic Duos
      • 13 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Armstrong

    2. Wrong Captain Choice - Ag i…
      • 17 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Can you get on of the Watford lads?

  13. DA Minnion (Former great)
    • 14 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Am I the only one with Wilfried Zaha this week?

    1. Bartowski
      • 16 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Just you and Palace.

    2. FPL Theorist
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      It's an interesting pick. I think Palace will win and surprise all the new Brentford fans around here.

    3. Forever In Our Shadow
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      You hit biiiig gahooners.

  14. Andy_Social
    • 14 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Nuno's line-up for the Sucky Conference Pot signalling his Starting XI for Sunday, there.

  15. Lord of Ings
    • 10 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Predicting the following games?

    Everton v leeds
    Leicester v West ham

    1. Lord of Ings
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Leeds and Ham at are (H) teams.

  16. Here is Cash, give McGinn
    • 6 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Start 1
    A) Digne
    B) Toney

    1. Dynamic Duos
      • 13 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Toney

  17. THL33
    • 5 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    What player you don't own scares you the most going into this GW, for me it has to be Greenwood or Antonio.

    1. Deulofail
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Salah or Fernandes

      1. THL33
        • 5 Years
        5 years, 1 month ago

        You own neither? That takes cojones!

        1. Deulofail
          • 10 Years
          5 years, 1 month ago

          Cojones and severe underthinking maybe

    2. Stupendous
      • 14 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Lukaku!!!

      Haha at least not many will have him but I am scared my rival will already

      1. Stupendous
        • 14 Years
        5 years, 1 month ago

        Hat trick incoming

    3. Piggs Boson
      • 15 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Ings. More jam incoming.

      1. THL33
        • 5 Years
        5 years, 1 month ago

        I hope so

    4. Jordan.
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 16 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      DCL

      1. THL33
        • 5 Years
        5 years, 1 month ago

        Good to know, I am an owner 😉

  18. Champions League Varane
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Barnes -> Greenwood for free?.

    1. Dynamic Duos
      • 13 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Yeah get Greenwood

    2. Forever In Our Shadow
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      I’d stick with Barnes. Give the guy a chance.

  19. Aaa
    • 12 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Roll the transfer here?

    Sanchez
    TAA/Shaw/Tsim
    Salah(c)/Bruno/Barnes/Greenwood/Mbeumo
    Ings/Antonio
    (Steele/Digne/White/Scarlett)

    1. Forever In Our Shadow
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Yup

  20. Sam feasts
    • 10 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    What would a good WC team look like at this point? Asking for a friend.............

    1. Forever In Our Shadow
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Cheap defence. 2 mid big hitters and room for a Lukaku or Kane up front.

    2. Tony Two Tone
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Forster/McGovern
      Zimmerman, Valery, Collins, Sorensen, Nathan Ferguson
      Marvelous, Brownhill, Oriol Romeu Vidal, Alexis Mac Allister, Fred
      Scarlett, Zequiri, Street

      No need to thank me ; - )

  21. have you seen cyan
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 11 months ago

    Ole needs time, he has done good at ManU. Let him build a dynasty

    People said the same about Fergie

  22. have you seen cyan
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 10 months ago

    Kane turgid as usual

  23. have you seen cyan
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 9 months ago

    my bench is a carehome:
    James, Normann, Bornwhill. ImAgine how bad that christmas would be, ur eating the last cold mince pie

  24. have you seen cyan
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    Such a waste Ings going to Villa. Such a strange move to begin with tbh

  25. have you seen cyan
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    why doesnt this website auto refresh instead of you havign to refresh it every 5 minutes. pffftt, a website as old as time itself

  26. have you seen cyan
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    I see casuals have been rewarded with a goal. This is good, it will make them think he is good for the next 8 weeks (they probably have Gray as well, and Antonio).