Community » Hattrick Press

Deja Ville

Written by brandnew99

This week's submission is from a relatively new manager who is delighted to have finally achieved being seeded as the lowest ranked team left in the cup, meaning he gets to play against Ville for the second season running and of course, giving him a chance to sit in the hot-seat this week in order to become the subject of this week's interview.

Your team, Super Frankie's XI knocked out the Hairy Chinese Kids this week (512135307) & is through into R10. It is worth noting that this season is only your 9th cup season. To date, you've never been knocked out in an earlier round than you'd previously achieved (R1,2,2,3,5,5,7,9 are your previous eight season exit rounds). How does that feel?

Well, I got a decent amount of luck last week, but doing well in the cup has always been my preferred strategy. I see many other managers sacrifice their cup run for training, but I have always done it the other way round. The extra money, especially since last year, as a reward for going further in the cup, is better value than the ever diminishing profits for training players. Once you get near the top of the ht-pyramid, it cannot be over-stated how training becomes ever less important.

I have been lucky enough to have promoted up into rather easy leagues recently that have helped me win on PIC and to maintain high confidence. I have yet to lose in the Cup to a lower ranked team but eventually I suppose I will lose a 90% winnable match in the early stages, which is what happened last time I went out in R5. I'm also really hoping to go a few minutes further than last year, when I let a 3-0 lead slip against Ville in round 9 (497641074), so I am up for a dose of seemingly unlikely revenge.

If you have a favourite tune of 2014, please provide a link to vimeo/utube/soundcloud for us to listen, but an older classic tune would be just as good?

Well, I don't listen to as much music as I used to. I certainly can't think of a song I heard recently that I love, so I am going to post my two favourite songs. The first from 2006 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjPyvoLXPs4)
Second from 1998, from an album mainly about Anne Frank (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-fjyEIgWik)

You took over your team on 30/05/12 at a time when hattrick was struggling to grow the number of users. You are currently top of Div III.3. How did you discover the game? You appear to be on some sort of fast-track to ht-success, and with only 160 transfers to date you can't exactly be accused of dirty day trading either. So, what management tips can you offer our readers to help them to emulate such an envious record of progression?

I was introduced to hattrick by (31210) a co-worker who has one of the largest trophy cabinets around. So, he certainly helped me avoid making some silly mistakes early on. I do seem to be progressing quicker than most. I'm hoping to be in II next season, as my league title is all but sewn up, so its just a matter of whether I get auto promotion or a qualifier. I believe I still have a shot at achieving the fastest ever run for getting into the Prem. Of course, when I do get to II, it will be the toughest challenge I've had to date, so there's no guarantees I'll manage to do that.

The best tip I can offer other managers is to go on the forums and to read the 'help' questions and the "unwritten manual". I think building a team of multi-skilled players is probably the most important thing. Doing this has helped me to cruise through leagues with very low wages compared to most sides. Prior to my last signing, I wasn't even in the top 100 wage bills out of 128 in div III. I only had 1 titanic skill anywhere in my team (excluding set pieces) just a season ago. Of course, I am changing this up now, in preparation for being able to compete in the higher leagues. If anyone wants more specific advice, as two managers have done recently, feel free to send me an ht-mail asking for advice (this also gives my ego a nice boost when that happens, so I'm always happy to be asked).

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

I don't go to pubs much, they tend to be too loud and too expensive. I'd much rather head to a mate's for drinks. I tend to stick to Cider (Aspall's (http://www.osbornenash.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Aspall-bottles.jpg) if I am in a pub) and I like to keep a decent selection of Whiskey at home.

You are a gold supporter, although only a member of one fed at present, so how do you rate the supporter package you have in terms of value for money?

I probably could be getting better value for money out of the supporter package. Perhaps I should go looking for more Feds to be a part of? I was tempted by Platinum for a while and very nearly went for it, however, when I considered how long it takes to become competitive (which seems to take a long time even with my team's seemingly accelerated timescale) it does not seem worth it, when essentially you have to be training players for a year and a half, just to raise enough money to get started. I think I would miss a lot of the 'supporter' stats if I got rid of Gold. When the prices went up, my view was that people should just stop whinging, and when I consider the amount it costs relative to how much time I spend playing hattrick, supporter seems pretty good value for money.

Please provide a link to your favourite work of art?

When it comes to the arts I am pretty uncultured. Was in Paris last month, went to the Louvre and saw the Mona Lisa for about 5 seconds and moved on, (it’s actually by far the least impressive painting in the room). Don't think this counts as 'art' but it’s the kind of thing I like. (http://www.smbc-comics.com/?id=2936#comic)

Your manager page states that you are a Chelsea & Barnet fan. Both clubs seem to have on/off love affairs with their managers, Mourinho in his 2nd stint with Chelsea, whilst Martin Allen is now in his 4th stint at Barnet! What's your take on this sort of relationship between the manager and club, wouldn't everyone have been better off sticking it out with a long term strategy? This seems more like a having a long term girlfriend you can't commit to doesn't it?

Well I am only a casual Barnet fan as they are my 'local' team (Although technically England are my local team as I think I am nearer to Wembley than Barnet). I've been to a few games and used to play football round the back of the Barnet stadium. As for Mourinho, I think Chelsea have finally committed to him and I am looking forward to a long and successful marriage between the two. With respect to disregarding this general rule for sticking to a manager for a long time, you only have to look at United and how much time they gave Moyes after years of laughing at Chelsea and City for changing managers all the time...

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 girlfriend at University where we were both Rowers. We got together at the end of term boat club dinner (which usually involves copious amounts of alcohol). She is ok with my hattrick addiction, at worst its only a few minutes of my being distracted away from her, and it beats actual football when I leave her behind whenever I go to see Chelsea play.

When was the last time you kicked a ball and what happened?

It has been a long time since I played football, I was never anything other than average. My preferred sport these days is cycling. I do remember kicking a small soft ball around the office recently and managed to kick it right in the face of a sleeping colleague (I was aiming for him in general not the face specifically). He was not best pleased and I thought he was going to take a swing at me for a second. All his fault for being asleep on the job if you ask me.

Are you following, the England U20 NT side of the game, and do you harbour any ambition to one day have an England star playing for your club?

I do keep an eye on how England are doing. I managed to win and come 3rd in the two competitions run under Benno, and I'm doing alright in the current one. This probably says more about my understanding of the match engine than anything else (which helps me both in these contests and with managing my actual team). There is little to chance I could have an U-20 player in my team. I only use one assistant coach and I am not set up for training players at all.

What would be your most unforgettable football memory?

As a Chelsea fan I have a few to choose from:- after the FA Cup in 97 I got to wear the trophy on my head as the parade went by (I was 7 at the time). Then there was the First Premiership title and I was lucky enough to be at the game in Munich in 2012 when we won the Champions League. My favourite moment, however, was our 8-0 against Wigan in 2010 to clinch the title, as during the celebrations Drogba ran up to the crowd & right up to where I was, so I jumped up on the advertising and gave him a hug, all of which was caught on Sky Sports and MoTD.