JEAN-Alain Boumsong will be the figurehead of London’s leading pub-based Euro 2016 fantasy football competition, it was announced today.
The tournament, already known as ‘The Boumsong’, will see up to 20 managers battling it out to buy their eleven players at auction on Friday 10 June at 7pm, just one hour before France v Romania kicks off.
The format of holding a fantasy auction while the opening match is being played was successfully trialled for the 2014 Emerson World Cup.
Boumsong was chosen as figurehead both as a representative of the host nation and for his crucial role in the history of the Kenna League, according to organisers.
In a press conference this morning, the Kenna chairman explained: “Jean-Alain Boumsong is the perfect fit for next summer’s tournament. Yes, his Frenchness plays a part, but he was also one half of the Premier League’s most notorious centre back partnerships with Titus Bramble. This is at the centre of the values of the league.
“Titus Bramble is an important cultural figure in the Kenna, and his career is closely interwoven into the league’s history. But it all started with Boumsong.”
The Chroncile of the Bungle Brothers
Born in Cameroon, Jean-Alain Boumsong made an impressive impact with Le Havre, Auxerre and Rangers before coming to England in January 2005, eight months before the Kenna was founded.
In his first few matches, Boumsong appeared to warrant his £8m transfer fee, but things quickly unravelled…
At the inaugural Kenna auction in August 2005, none of the eight founding managers deemed the defender worthy of signing.
The Frenchman went on to collect 73 points that season, or at least enough for the Vazmanian Devils manager – the first ever female Kenna manager – to fork out £0.5m for his services at the August 2006 auction.
His Kenna career was short lived. Just two weeks into the campaign, having scored no points, he was sold to Juventus.
In an act of clemency never seen since, special dispensation from the league administration allowed the Vazmanian Devils manager to fill the gap in her defence with another player…
Vazmanian Devils – August 2006
R Green – WHU – £0.5m
R Ferdinand – MUN £19.5m
U De La Cruz – REA £0.5m
T Bramble – NEW – £0.5m (replaces Boumsong, week 3)
R Nelson – BLA – £0.5m
A Lennon – TOT – £21.5m
X Alonso – LIV – £13m
T Rosicky – ARS – £25m
M Ballack – CHE – £13m
R Vaz Te – BOL – £0.5m
JF Hasselbaink – CHA – £3m
Total £97.5m
In the November transfer window Bramble was released by Devils as part of a defensive clear out. It wasn’t enough to stop her finishing bottom of the league.
Titus Bramble went on to become the Kenna’s official forfeit player the following summer. His first posting was to the defence of Titus’ Titans.
The Titans manager is now in charge of Young Boys of Vauxhall, who extended their lead at the top of the Kenna this week with goals from Romelu Lukaku and Riyad Mahrez.
Kenna table – week 16
Full scores and table available from The Rub
Weekly scores
| Manager | Points | Goals | ||
| 1 | FC Tescticuladew | James N | 41 | 2 |
| 2 | Young Boys | Andrew D | 35 | 3 |
| 3 | Lokomotiv Leeds | Ben S | 34 | 0 |
| 4 | Wandsworth Network Solutions | Will | 31 | 1 |
| 5 | Team Panda | George | 29 | 1 |
| 6 | Cowley Casuals | Stu | 29 | 1 |
| 7 | Dynamo Charlton | Alex | 28 | 0 |
| 8 | Newington Reds | Ben D | 27 | 0 |
| 9 | Hairy Fadjeetas | Aiden | 26 | 2 |
| 10 | Thieving Magpies | Phil | 25 | 0 |
| 11 | Bala Rinas | Lewis | 24 | 2 |
| 12 | Pikey Scum | Jack | 24 | 1 |
| 13 | Carles | Carles | 22 | 0 |
| 14 | KS West Green | Stix | 20 | 1 |
| 15 | Judean People’s Front | Sholto | 19 | 0 |
| 16 | Uncertain | Pete B | 16 | 1 |
| 17 | Northern Monkeys | Hugo | 16 | 0 |
| 18 | Headless Chickens | John N | 16 | 0 |
| 19 | ISIL | Abdi | 13 | 1 |
| Points | Player | |||
| Player of the week | 10 | Mahrez, R – LEI – MID | ||
| Club | Young Boys |
