R8 Cup Intervew

Some of the old hands, and HT-social regulars know Gove, or PGHG1 as he is now. This week PG's new team is facing Malk77 in the cup, and he's taken some time out to answer a few questions....

1 Your team, Hacked off, is facing Thought Police's Unfortunate Victory in the cup R8 on Tuesday. Your previous team won the cup in s35 (along with picking up a hattrick of Prem titles). Malk77 was runner up in the Prem last season, and along with a handful of other talented hattricians has never actually won either, even if he did win an election (as you once did) to become the England NT manager. It isn't every day two former England NT managers go head to head in the cup, so what do you make of your opponent?

I think you sort of answer that in your question, he has a talent for the game.

I didn't really enjoy his tenure as NT manager, there was a lack of engagement in the English forum. Similar to mine at times, but I think I made up for it in other areas.

2 We usually ask what your favourite tune of 2014 has been to date, providing a link to vimeo/utube/soundcloud for us to listen, but our sources indicate that your music taste is still stuck in the late 70's and early 80's so maybe you could pick an old time classic tune for us instead?

Yep, well and truly stuck.

My 14 year old budding musician loves this from old vinyl (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZdueXE2KZS8), he doesn't believe the 80's had this sort of sound at the time.

3 You took over your current team on 14/07/11. Why did you let your old team die (rather than doing a rebuild) and what are your plans for Hacked off, now that you've developed it into a side capable of going on a decent cup run?

I think a rebuild is boring, and doesn't pose a challenge. It's dull when everything is already in place, like your stadium, money etc.

The plan now is to just have some fun, and to train a few superstars. I've been there, seen it and done it, so no ambitions or pressures.

4 If a fan wanted to buy you a pint, which pub would it be easiest to find you in, and what's your poison?

Was in Chelmsford last night (Saturday), watching the Froch fight. Normally start in the Steamer (http://www.pubsandbeer.co.uk/picts/4521a.jpeg), and end up in a curry house. More local to me is the Battesford (http://statics.192.com/estreet/original/large/1234/12341885.jpg), where you'll often find me and Lovatt (61756) having a lunchtime pint, whilst smelling of stale wee.

I like alcohol based drinks, in all sorts of sizes.

5 Last season, the England community voted in Darth Hansen to be our National Team manager. He's got us into R2 which starts next week. Do you still follow the action as an ex-NT manager, and what do you think of the job Darth's done so far?

I've loosely followed the campaign, and thought at one stage Darth was going to chuck it away. He's a good manager, and I knew he'd do well having previously locked horns together. (Ed. PG's England NT Q1 matches vs South Africa (218518696) & (218518726) both ended in draws - PG went on to win England a medal)

As you know, I'd prefer a manager with the flag of St. George next to their name. We're not a small nation, so I don't see any need for foreign managers.

6 What skill are you training at the moment and why?

I'm training 3 quality wingers, so I train a mix including winging/PM/passing/defending/scoring every season. I might chuck in the odd week of SP, as I personally believe it's worth putting yourself into the IDF hat.

7 You currently have platinum supporter, with a second team in Division VI here in England. Your series (7224) contains one bot, five non-supporters and a gold supporter. Is platinum something you will continue to fund at the revised prices, and is your 2nd team going to be a success as well?

Price is not an issue, but motivation is. I really am struggling to remember my 2nd team, and it just doesn't feel right to have 2 teams....

8 According to our internet research, being hacked off usually involves having something to moan about. What are you hacked off about?

I love a moan. I moan all day at work, and then come home to get moaned at.

I wanted to include part of Budski's Hackers team name within my new team, a sort of tribute. (Ed. Hackers remain the only English team to have won the Masters, Bud was their manager)

9 Please tell us how you met your missus, and whether it is true that the way to a man's heart is through his stomach, even in Essex?

We met in the Old Pond pub in Cheshunt (http://pubshistory.com/HertsPubs/Cheshunt/OldPond1905.gif) , which is where we both lived. She was drinking pints of wine, drowning her sorrows after a recent break up... I knew she'd be an easy conquest.

And let me be the first to say this Bink. After seeing pictures of your other half, you're batting way above your average. ;-) (Ed. PG has access to my facebook pages and is being far too kind!)

10 What was your favourite movie of 2013/14?

I liked the Mandela film, the slave thingy one was good, but my favourite has to be Despicable Me 2 (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1690953/). Belly laughing with my 6 year old has to be a good thing.

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