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English Cup - Semi Finals

Written by Earl_E_Doors

This week, Cup Semi-Finalist Earl_E_Doors of Bedworth United, talks to us ahead of the big game.

Your team, Bedworth United knocked out Premiership side Hairy Chinese Kids (541124815) in the quarters. You scored a quick SE and a corner-head SE, whilst they had a TDF sent off, before you won the game with a penalty in extra time. Tough game?

Not forgetting that my star IM was stretchered off after a head butt, I threw away a 3-0 lead, or that it was settled by the odd goal in 9. It was exhausting. Luckily I have a bottle of Malt whisky in the house, for just this kind of emergency.

You took charge of your team on 17/04/04. You won the cup in s39 (20 seasons ago), and you've spent four seasons in the Premiership (s42-s45). You are currently top of II.2, and in the cup semi-finals, along with 2 other previous Cup winners, in Vince and h00ligans (whom you face this week). Having been around the block and back, would you consider this season's to be one of the strongest semi-final line ups we've ever had in England?

Has it really been 20 seasons? The last time I won the cup I was outrageously lucky and it’s going to need something similar this time. Hooligans are about 60-40 to beat me and if I make it through that then I wouldn’t be favourite in the final either. The interesting dynamic this year is that everyone still has plenty to play for in the league. Will one of us declare for the cup and go all out to win it? Or, will we all try to keep all of our plates spinning?

Bedworth is a bit north of Coventry and a bit South of Nuneaton, not far off the meeting of the M6 and the M69. For any migrants looking to settle in the area, are there any places you'd recommend a visit, or anywhere to get some decent food and a good pint?

I moved down to London 20 years ago so I think I’m something of a faux Midlander these days (especially as I use words like ‘faux’). I grew up in Coventry, but my dad was born in Bedworth and I spent a lot of time there as a kid, not always willingly. The Miner’s Welfare Park (http://c8.alamy.com/comp/B9B8JP/coal-miner-sculpture-miners-welfare-park-bedworth-warwickshire-england-B9B8JP.jpg) is good and the beer is at least cheap at my Dad’s favourite haunt, the Ex-service Mens’ Club (which to my amazement even has a Facebook page) (http://www.bedworthlionsclub.co.uk/images/meetpic1.jpg).

If you have a favourite Sleaford Mods tune from 2015, please provide a link to vimeo/utube/soundcloud for us to listen, but an older classic tune would be fine too.

Ha, dropping in the fact that you introduced me to Sleaford Mods. This is my favourite tune of theirs – Tied up in Nottz (Ed. - Linked removed for foul & offensive language) Have Tarantula Deadly Cargo instead.(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFFWF1DnZKM)

A few other things I’ve been listening to recently: Jacco Gardner, Temples, Still Corners

As a manager with Platinum supporter, what does the future hold for Flaming Balls, your 2nd team (also in II.2) in Jamaica?

I’ve been trying to build a homegrown midfield before pushing on to Premier league glory, but it isn’t really working out at the moment. HTEV seems to think I should be OK, but the ME disagrees on a weekly basis and relegation back to III seems very likely. Obviously the price of Platinum is a joke, but I think I’m stupid enough to pay it for another year.

Please provide a link to your favourite work of art?

I’m not sure I could pick a favourite work of art, but I can point you to my favourite museum in the world – the Pergamon in Berlin. I’ve always been really fascinated by ancient civilisations and this place presents its exhibits in a striking and interactive way. You don’t just look at the Ishtar Gate from Babylon, you actually walk through it.
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pergamon_Museum)

Please give us your considered thoughts concerning the proposed changes to the match engine, and player contribution revisions?

We reached the point where everyone at the top is utilising the same tactic quite some time ago, so there needed to be a change. I think I was hoping for something more radical though, even if it meant my own team got nerfed. In some ways, the changes as they were originally implemented (with wing contribution messed up) were more exciting than what we’ll be getting, because they would have forced a complete rethink of how to build a team. With regard to what we are getting, I’m thinking that Quick forward with high PM played normal, is the new TDF.
I would have also liked a more considered look at the specs and how they influence the game. At the moment Head is too important on IMs and defenders, there need to be other bonuses associated with the specs to encourage variety. Perhaps playing a tech IM defensive could result in them behaving like a deep lying playmaker and actually boosting their passing contribution to attack. Perhaps playing a powerful player defensive could boost their defending skill. I also think there should be a powerful goal event and a better chance of unpredictable goal events.

Please tell us how/where you met your other half (or last conquest), and how he/she feels about your hattrick addiction?

I met my wife in a long defunct nightclub called ‘The Office’, just off Oxford St. My friend tried to chat her up and failed, but luckily I got talking to her and well, one wedding, 2 kids and a mortgage later, here we are.

I think she's bemused that I spend so much time on such a trivial thing as Hattrick. When I won the cup I was sat next to her on the sofa, I obviously looked very happy, because I remember her asking me what was wrong. When I explained she just rolled her eyes and went back to watching telly.

When I told her I was going to a HT social i.e. to meet up with a load of like-minded guys I met on the internet, she actually thought it was quite sweet. If I told her how much Platinum cost she’d adopt a harder line on these things, so best keep quiet about that….

You've attended a few hattrick socials in the past, do you think that we could improve future events at all with the use of the periscope app, and what might be the positive and negative repercussions for broadcasting it live to the world?

I think that would be amazing. If the world at large could see how exciting, witty and downright handsome we all were it would be a boon for Hattrick and, dare I say it, even Humanity itself. It would also lead to the rise of a ‘Withnail and I’ style drinking game whereby dedicated HTers from all over the world would have to down a drink every time we did.

Or, possibly, no-one would be bothered to watch.

What was your first car (or bike) and what happened to it?

I had a white Vauxhall Corsa 1.4 (http://c713667.r67.cf3.rackcdn.com/TT435E4HD_b3bc7e17-0e40-477a-b174-fe746c99e586_Cars-Vauxhall-Vauxhall-Corsa_large.jpg) in the 90s. I know you’re supposed to feel sentimental toward your first car, but frankly it was rubbish.

It was a company car so after a couple of promotions I replaced it with a much better and much faster Peugeot boy racer car.