Podcast

Meet the Manager #16 – Tarek Balbaa

The Meet the Manager series, where Joe interviews a Fantasy manager with a more than enviable track record, is back for 2019/20.

This campaign’s series of interviews starts with a chat with Tarek Balbaa, who explains why being based in Egypt has helped ensure he puts the eye test to good use in his Fantasy decisions.

Over his illustrious career, Tarek has eight top 10,000 finishes, including two in the top 1,000.

With all Premier League matches broadcast in Egypt, he is able to watch four to five televised games a week.

This has ensured he was quick to acquire Manchester City star Kevin De Bruyne this season and is still reticent to invest heavily in Manchester United.

Underlying statistics are still important to Tarek but he likes to go back to basics with such research, preferring shots in the box statistics than the phenomena of expected statistics.

Tarek also talks about his poor seasons and the lessons he’s learned from mistakes made. Chief of these for him has been to focus heavily on what mini-league rivals are up to.

The chat with Tarek is available to view on Youtube here and in the embedded video below.

It is also available on Soundcloud and as a podcast. Embedded versions of these are also available below.

All 15 previous episodes can be viewed via our Youtube channel or heard via our Soundcloud channel.

Lessons learned from Gameweek 4

J0E Podcaster and writer. Tweets stats and stuff via @FFScout_Joe Follow them on Twitter

985 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Ask Yourself
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    I am getting Schär in my WC team and you can’t stop me

    1. FOO FIGHTER
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Sounds like you are fitting in Salah 🙂

      1. Ask Yourself
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 6 months ago

        No chance mate Bobby matches him until GW9 then Vardy ourcsores him for the next few until stelring becomes salah himself x

    2. Amey
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      RC

      1. Ask Yourself
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 6 months ago

        Goal

        1. Amey
          • 5 Years
          4 years, 6 months ago

          Straight RC !!
          5 match ban
          😛
          Kidding. GL

    3. Murder On Zidanesfloor
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Looks great in attack

  2. Pukkifiesta
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Hi mates, I'm looking for some tips for the next move. Tempted to get rid of Man Utd players at first. Maybe Barnes in, Rashford out ?

    Team at the moment:

    Ederson
    VVD - Dunk- M-Niles
    Pereira - Sterling - KDB - Salah
    Pukki - Abraham - Rasford

    (Button, Kelly, Dendoncker, Rico)

    1. FOO FIGHTER
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      If for a free transfer then I would do Rash to Barnes considering his fixtures.

      1. Pukkifiesta
        • 4 Years
        4 years, 6 months ago

        Yeah, The very next move right after this, with given bank surplus, would be replacing Pereira with Mount

    2. Murder On Zidanesfloor
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      I'd be tempted to upgrade Pereira first

      1. FOO FIGHTER
        • 4 Years
        4 years, 6 months ago

        Too many hits

        1. Murder On Zidanesfloor
          • 5 Years
          4 years, 6 months ago

          Do you know if he has anything ITB? Or how many FTs he has? Mate get a grip

          1. FOO FIGHTER
            • 4 Years
            4 years, 6 months ago

            I looked at KDB, Salah and Sterling plus his frontline, so did not expect him to have that much left.

            1. Murder On Zidanesfloor
              • 5 Years
              4 years, 6 months ago

              Either way I can see ways to do it with one hit if 1Ft and no hit with 2Fts

          2. Pukkifiesta
            • 4 Years
            4 years, 6 months ago

            Actually nothing left in the bank, and only 1 free transfer in the wallet, so replacing pereira, unfortunately, looks bit hard. At least with a proper alternative...

            1. Murder On Zidanesfloor
              • 5 Years
              4 years, 6 months ago

              Save this week then. Rash can easily do well vs LEI
              Use 2fts to swap both next week

              1. Pukkifiesta
                • 4 Years
                4 years, 6 months ago

                Yeah, might as well give rasford a chance, given the fact I can't get Mount in the team without a hit.

            2. FOO FIGHTER
              • 4 Years
              4 years, 6 months ago

              Go Rash out, Barnes in for now. Then the only other option I see with another FT is downgrading Abraham to Greenwood to upgrade Pereira.

              1. Pukkifiesta
                • 4 Years
                4 years, 6 months ago

                So you reckon having pukki&barnes in front, and allocate the money on midfielders? No trust in abraham?

                1. FOO FIGHTER
                  • 4 Years
                  4 years, 6 months ago

                  I think Greenwood will come in handy later on in the season.

                  1. Pukkifiesta
                    • 4 Years
                    4 years, 6 months ago

                    Could be, anyway, cheers for the tips

                    1. FOO FIGHTER
                      • 4 Years
                      4 years, 6 months ago

                      No probs.

  3. TorresMagic™
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • Has Moderation Rights
    • 14 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Australia retain the Ashes 🏆

    1. FOO FIGHTER
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      I take it you are from a land called down under?

    2. George Sillett
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Deserved . The better team with the best batsman in the world and also the best bowler.

      1. Christina.
        • 14 Years
        4 years, 6 months ago

        pity best batsman in world is a cheat.

        😕

        1. George Sillett
          • 8 Years
          4 years, 6 months ago

          At least that despicable individual Warner has had a miserable series.

        2. Amey
          • 5 Years
          4 years, 6 months ago

          Well, Kohli isn't a cheat 😉

    3. el polako
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Big whoop.
      Its not like their is a lot of competition for it.

      1. Murder On Zidanesfloor
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 6 months ago

        Its just an overhyped bilateral series between the 4th and 5th ranked test teams

        1. Amey
          • 5 Years
          4 years, 6 months ago

          😀

          1. Murder On Zidanesfloor
            • 5 Years
            4 years, 6 months ago

            You know its true

            1. Amey
              • 5 Years
              4 years, 6 months ago

              Ha ha

    4. panda07
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Congrats!

  4. Mini Mahouse
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    On wildcard, too imbalanced?

    Pope
    Digne TAA Lund
    KDB Sterling Salah Cantwell Dendocker
    Aguero Pukki

    Button Greenwood Kelly Rico

  5. Corgz Dark side of the Loon
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Guys...i need your help...it comes down to this for me .....
    TAA & Firmino.....or
    Matip & Mane......I have Salah.

    1. FOO FIGHTER
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      T to the A to the A and Firminho.

  6. New Post
  7. KDB4PREZ
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    What price would Denis Irwin be in FPL nowadays lol surely more than any defender with everything that came with him?

  8. Colgz
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Would you choose:

    A;Ceballos and Greenwood

    or

    B: J Ayew and Cantwell

    Many thanks

    1. HurriKane
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      B

  9. HurriKane
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Who would you start?

    A) Dunk (BUR)

    B) Pukki (MCI)

    1. Flaming Flamingo
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      B