Community » Hattrick Press

Interview to SerenG

Written by The_Bodyguard

I decided to make a super interview to our great CT SerenG (7702792) ...... Good read......

Name: David.
Age: 35.
Occupation: partner in a telecom oriented business in Africa.
Height: 1.80 cm.
Favorite song: I actually love many types of music.
Favorite movie: action and thrillers are my cup of tea... Gladiator, Face off, Godfather series, Pulp Fiction - just to name a few are my favorites.
Favorite dish: generally I'm a meat guy.
Hobbies: motor sports and diving are a few of my passions.

How did Hattrick came up in your life?
I was introduced to HT through a forum post somewhere I can't recall. I think that I was the first Tanzanian user - or at least one of the first few...
4 mandates as Tanzania NT manager.

What balance can you make of them?
The NT is the crown jewel of my Hattrick experience. I took it upon myself 4 terms a go (this is the fifth one actually) with a clear long term plan to create a competitive team in the global HT arena. We've started from scratch, and I lead a consistent strategy of ignoring the results and focusing only on the team building - experience rotations where the only thing that mattered when assigning a line-up - nothing else. This and the continuous work with the player's trainers was all that mattered.
It was much easier said than done as I was facing a lot of heat from the community who cared mostly about results, ignoring mostly that it was a 4 terms plan to begin with, and having to deal every election with a bunch of candidates who had a lot to "use" against me - didn't help either...:-) I believe that hadn't been for my "special" statue in the Tanzanian community, I wouldn't have been reelected for sure.
I doubt that any other manager could have sustained the pressure of having to show results - and get reelected 4 times when all he had to show for are repeated 0 points in the WCQ....
But I'm glad that I got the support - and we got this far with a very balanced, wide and diverse cadre of players of which I can select the squad.
We've managed, through careful planning of trainings to overcome inherit weaknesses such as lack of specialties and high level mono-skilled players - by creating a range of multi-skilled players. And here we are, being competitive while we don't have even a single player on the team with higher than Magical(18) in the main skill...:-D
This is the place to say that the praises should go to that dedicated group of managers who relentlessly trained our talents - they are the true driving force behind our progress - not me.

You are disputing a great qualification to the world Cup, the overcoming of the turn is near..... What about?
As for this WCQ - the official original target was to be competitive - but before this campaign started I said we should aim to qualify.
Objectively, that was borderline arrogant statement - we are definitely not among the two strongest teams, and not even among the top five of our group. But I had a strong belief in our overall robustness - and I'm glad we've been proven right.
Actually qualifying is not a sacred target - our sheer performances should suffice and meet our original plans from back then - 4 terms ago.
But, as long as we have a chance, we'll give it all we can.
With a bit more luck we could have been in the first spot of the group now - hadn't we lost important points in the two home matches we should have won - but actually being able to say this means we've done well... All said and done - we are still a very young and one of the smallest of HT nations.
So, it's not over until the fat lady sings...:-D

You are in first place in the ranking Tanzania. What does this mean for you?
As for the Tanzanian League - I hardly think I'm the best manager - just currently own the best team... For now...:-)
Lately it has become secondary to the NT - as I'm waiting for the premier league to become more competitive and hence, more interesting.
The way things look, I'm going to get my wishes fulfilled next season - and then I'd probably be sorry I got what I wished for...:-D
For the most parts I've been using the team to "save" and train Tanzanian talents who we could have lost when their owners put them for sale.
A very very expensive habit - let me tell you...
But it played a crucial role in the current NT success imho.
I lost the cup this season - fair and square - so it's a sign that teams are getting stronger and are managed by capable owners - so, it'll be interesting.
And as for longer term goals - the HT Masters someday....:-)

If HTs asked you for an advice or suggestion to improve the game... What would you say to them?
And finally, as for Hattrick as a game.
I think that it's relatively very well managed and well maintained.
There is almost a perfect balance between the game experience and the commercial targets of it as a business. Very well done guys.
I obviously have my own "bitching" about some aspects of the game and it's game engine - but these are all minor compared to the big picture.
Two things I would mentioned though - are the HM and the NT
It seems to me that solving it's main flaws is relatively easy - playing both home and away in every round and spreading it over a longer period to minimize monstrous teams built only for it - will take it a long way in making it a much more viable and interesting tournament.
As for the NT's - it feels that it has been neglected lately in terms of evolving the way it's managed. It's time for an update...

And finally, thank you very much for this opportunity!