Community » Hattrick Press

Interview with Dovco_HandF, Winner of the Craig Wozniak Cup

Written by LarryPampushky

An interview with Dovco_HandF (7865524), manager of Blue Yorkshire United (57505), who has just won the inaugural Craig Wozniak Cup.

1. Looking at your team name and user name, I deduce that you like birds of peace (ironically doves are actually quite aggressive birds), live in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, but would rather be in Yorkshire, and are a founder member of the Blue Man Group (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Man_Group). Am I close?
Unfortunately, you are far from the truth. It has nothing to do with doves. My user name is partly related to my private life. 'HandF' - obviously, is the shortcut of my federation "Hattrick ad Friends". And so it is Dovco_HandF - one and unique. I use this user name also in two other online football managers.

Why Blue Yorkshire United? Blue is my favorite colour. Favourite football team - Manchester United. Therefore, my first team was called Blue Manchester. However, that name was associated for many people with Manchester City. I decided to change it to Blue Yorkshire United. I live in Yorkshire. On the players kits I have the emblem of Yorkshire: a white rose. The short name of the team is 'Lightnings' and probably it will stay like this till the end of Hattrick, or mine.

2. After being knocked out of the English Cup in round 6 you were parachuted into the Craig Wozniak Cup. Wikipedia tells me that Wozniak is the 10th most popular surname in Poland. As your language it set to Polish, did you think it was fate that you should end up in this cup and did you expect to reach the final?
The most important cup is always the English Cup, and anyone who is serious about playing in cups, dreams about winning it. I want to win English Cup someday, but you know how it is in Hattrick. The game engine does tricks sometimes and so you really need to have a lot of luck to get to the finals of the English Cup and win it. It is still my goal. I didn't think about the name of this cup and I don't believe in fate. I'm just glad that I won the first edition of this tournament.

3. In the final (498258212) you played Blackley Bombers (61983) from IV. You thrashed them 7-1, but what were your thoughts going into the match?
In the cup I focused on domination in the midfield. And that's why I played so many PIC matches in the league, to raise team morale. I sacrifice the place in the league for the Cup. The team confidence was at level 1 - disastrous, but thanks to the coach and 253 set - attack was strong enough all the time. My toughest match in the tournament was not in the final, but in the quarter-final: (497890265), where my opponent had better possession then me, but I had more luck. I was well prepared for each match and it was an incredible two-months adventure, ending with success and winning the trophy. The team scored 51 goals, conceded 12 - this is good ratio for me.

4. You have won a Challenger Cup now, but do you have any ambitions to win bigger prizes?
As I said before, my dream is to win English Cup one day. My number one goal is to win the Hattrick Masters. Before this happens - I would like to win the English Premier League. I also want to repeat the same goals with my second team in Kenya.

5. You joined Hattrick in April 2008. How did you hear about it?
Every day in the morning I read sport news on Internet. One day I found the Hattrick advert on one of the Polish news sites. It was 'interia.pl' - very popular news site in Poland. So popular in fact, that there is a term in the Polish community - "Children of the Interia".

6. You run a youth academy. Do you enjoy that?
Youth academy is very important part of Hattrick for me. The academy is a source of talents for the main team. There are examples of players who have been with me from the junior to the end of their careers: Bowman 'Gangrena' Grainger (254707629) and Julian 'Blue Devil' Coutts (347475808).

7. You have a second team based in Kenya. Why Kenya?
I always wanted to have a team in a rare African country. Kenya is beautiful, I really like its national colours. When hattrick gave us the opportunity to have a second team, I knew mine would be in Kenya.

8. You are the national team manager of Kenya. Is that fun?
It is fun for me, but very hard work too. You need to be very strong person mentally if you want to be NT manager, because all the time you are criticized and scrutinized but, the most important thing is that, it is an amazing experience.
(http://hattrick-manager-catchline.de/Bilder/Dovco.jpg)

9. If your team had a song to run out to (maybe it does!), what would it be? And while we're on the subject of music, what album would you want on a desert island if you could only take one?
Perfect song for my team is 'New Divide' by Linkin Park:
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-v1lCU4NoU)
I would take any Linkin Park album on a desert island with me, because it is my favourite band.

10. You are a member of 96 (Ish. I lost count halfway down!) federations. Which is your favourite?
Of course, Hattrick and Friends (74590), because it is my federation. I created it. HandF is with me almost from the beginning of my Hattrick journey. I met many of my friends there. We have a lot of fun in Hattrick and Friends federation - cups, tournaments and other contests. And the most important is that I met there my future wife. You know, it is Hattrick love, but this is very long story, maybe for another interview. I'm lucky, because you know that not too many women play Hattrick.

11. You support 928 other teams, but are there any managers in Hattrick that you really admire or despise? Why?
I admire every manager, whose team can play for 500 HatStats and more. I still cannot achieve this level. I don't like people who do not know how to behave on the forum: vulgar people, unpleasant, or arrogant.

12. How many hours a week do you spend on Hattrick?
On my days off from work I'm online almost all the time. Hattrick is my passion and I have a lot to do there.

13. When did you last kick a football?
I don't remember. It was so long ago. Next question, please.

14. What tips would you give a newbie manager?
I can't write all tips, because this is like never ending story. A good start in this game is one of the most important things. Without seeking the help of experienced players and/or game guides, it will be very difficult to get off to a good start and then it is easy to become discouraged, because Hattrick is a very complex game. Many interesting things can be in the Hattrick Press (for example my article about set pieces: (6306)). Anyway, it is easier to start game now than when I started, a few years ago. All new managers need to remember that Hattrick, first of all, requires patience and time.

15. Describe the footwear that you are currently wearing.
I like footwear brands such as Nike and Reebok.

16. What skill are you currently training and what stamina percentage are you currently using and why?
I'm training crosses (wing) with 20% of stamina. Why? Good question... I like to change training from time to time, to evolve my team. 20% of stamina because I have a lot of old players in my team.

17. Please tell us how/where you met your other half (or last conquest), and how he/she feels about your hattrick addiction?
As I said, I met my girlfriend in Hattrick, on the "Hattrick and Friends" forum. She is Polish like me. It is very romantic story, because we started to write on New Years Eve. She came over to be with me in England and we have now had five years together. She understands my passion, because she plays the Hattrick almost as long as me. Here is her team: (1827109).

18. What's your favourite drink? And where would be the ideal place to drink it?
I like Martini Bianco with Sprite, a lemon slice and ice, but I don't drink alcohol very often. It would be beach in Kenya with my woman.

19. You are on death row. (Don't panic! You're not really – this is just theoretical. Unless you are living in the North-Segregation section of San Quentin State Prison. Then sorry for being insensitive.) You are to be executed by lethal injection in the morning. What would you choose as your final meal?
Beef Stroganoff with mashed potatoes!

20. What question should I have asked you that I haven't?
You asked me so many questions that I can't think of any more. Thank you very much and good luck.