Interview with an Opposition Fan

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Interview with an Opposition Fan

#6 - Hartlepool United

 

Welcome to this week’s edition of Interview with an Opposition Fan. Each week, myself and Razza699 scour for opposition fans to answer the questions we put toward them in the build up to the subsequent fixture.

This Friday night, Latics face Hartlepool United as we hope to record our first home victory of the season, and our first home win since 14th February! This week, Razza found some Monkey Hangers to answer a selection of our questions...

 

1. How do you expect to do this year, are you hoping to build?

- Yes

- Brought in lots of new players who will need time to settle down. Even the manager admits we are a couple of years off having a team to challenge.

- A nice shed for my back garden.

- I was before the season started, now I'm hoping for survival.

- Quite honestly we were looking to build on from our first season back in League One (2007-2008) but obviously we struggled after a decent start to our Centenary season last year. This year survival is the key and anything else is a bonus for us.

- Yes, this is our 3rd season in League One. However with 11 new signings here I see us improving from the last 2 years which we came in just above the relegation spaces. However many fans are on the managers back already despite us being unbeaten away so far this season with trips to MK Dons, Coventry and Gillingham.

 

2. How has the start of the season gone for you? Where would you like to finish and where do you think you will finish this season in League One?

- Ok, anywhere above 5th bottom, about 14th.

- Very difficult start playing the likes of Charlton and Norwich. I expect us to finish in bottom half but out of the relegation zone.

- I'd like to finish about half way through but unfortunately, I think we will finish at the end.

- Badly at home, well away ... err, fifth bottom??

- We have already played Charlton, MK Dons, Norwich, Coventry and Burnley this year so we have already played the "big boys". This was a tough start for us and the fact we have come out of it with four points pleases me but not all of the expecting fans. How we will do this season will be defined in the next two months and our run in at the end of the season as it is probably our "easiest" in some time and we must make sure we maximise our points in those periods. Out of the other like I said survival needs to be attained first that’s the most important thing then we may be able to spring board into a mid table position if things go well. I predicted that we would finish 19th in my Vital Countdown feature last month and I'm sticking to it.

- The start has been tough but I feel we have done way better than expected away from home however poor at home. I would like to think we could get a top half finish this season but we need to start showing signs of gelling, which we haven't seen so far.

 

3. You lost at home to Norwich last week, was that a fair result?

- Wasn't at the match but according to reports we were rubbish.

- Yes. Our worst performance so far.

- No, it should have been 4-0.

- Yep.

- Nearly everyone who went to that match agreed that we handed the game to them on the plate. Norwich had obvious problems at the back but we never managed to test them as our lads didn’t seem to be able to perform on the day. Alot of fans on this network are gutted at the loss personally I saw it as a tough game on paper and haven't lost any sleep over it; there are bigger games to win.

- That was our worst performance of the season and we deserved to lose, the main man James Brown was brought on way too late into the game. Adam Boyd the striker with the best goal scoring record was also subbed on late in the second half.

 

4. A few big teams are in League One this year. Who are you looking forward to playing?

- We have already played Charlton and Norwich. Looking forward to Southampton.

- At the moment we want to play some of the sides towards the bottom so we can get a bit of confidence going.

- Oldham away.

- The bad ones.

- Like I said we have already played two of the newbie’s Charlton and Norwich those games were historic, so will be the Southampton game in November. I am looking forward to facing Carlisle as one of our former players, Matty (or as he likes to be called now...Matthew) Robson will be returning to the Vic after making some petty remark about Carlisle being bigger than Pools. I think he is going to find a bit of a hostile return if people remember.

- Leeds will be good as ever and I believe we could get a win this year, maybe at Elland road as our away form has been very good. But they are the best team in the league and we have to be 110%.

 

5. Any team that you’re not looking forward to playing?

- Leeds.

- Leeds.

- Carlisle.

- Leeds, Charlton (again), Norwich (again), Southampton.

- I can't stand Brighton, not because they are actually good or dangerous it’s just because they are the dirtiest team in this league. Andrew Whing is a complete disgrace of a footballer.

- Oldham.

 

6. The transfer window has just closed have you signed anyone? If so what are your thoughts? , will you be after anyone in the loan window?

- We should have signed a left back and a defensive midfielder but wasn’t for the want of trying. Chris Turner has done well in the transfer window we just need time for the new players to gel.

- We signed a 6ft 5in Icelandic international that can play either centre half or centre forward but we haven’t seen him yet. Last year team morale and playing pattern were ruined by too many loan players so don’t want many more.

- My thoughts? - Well, I've been living in my house for over four years now and the windows are looking a bit shabby. I reckon they are at least 10 or 12 years old. I will have to transfer them pretty soon although I don't see the point in borrowing any or loaning them out.

- No room for any more.

- I doubt it, we have brought in 11 new players in the summer and I cannot see any more additions being made. Chris Turner has said this himself.

- The manager doesn't like bringing in players on loan but we have brought in 11 players, and our top player James Brown in getting fit now which will be like a signing. We have got a 6 foot 7 Icelandic international which I reckon will be good in this league.

 

7. Who do you think will win the league and who would you like to win the league this season?

- Leeds, don’t really care who wins the league as know Hartlepool aren’t going to.

- Charlton and Norwich.

- Not sure, either Leeds, Norwich, Huddersfield, MK Dons, Charlton, Soton, Colchester, Yeovil, Hartlepool, Bristol Rovers, Walsall, Stockport, Carlisle, Brentford, Orient, Tranmere, Brighton or Swindon. Who would I like to win it? Hmmm that's too tough to answer.

- Charlton and anybody but Leeds.

- In my Vital Countdown feature I predicted Norwich to win the league but obviously they have been de-railed somewhat. I will say Leeds or Charlton after the start they have made now but I fully expect Norwich and Huddersfield to be there about at the end.

- I think Leeds will win the league due to them keeping Beckford. Who do I want to win the league? I don't really care if it's not going to be us.

 

8. What are Pools strengths and weaknesses?

- Have some very good footballers and play the ball well on the ground. Bad points when we think this isn’t working for some reason we just lump the high ball forward to Behan and nothing comes of this.

- Hardworking with desire to play attractive football but not physical enough.

- Why do you ask? Are you a scout for Oldham? I'm not falling for that old chestnut.

- Strength is good football, weakness is weakness.

- Do I have to answer this one lol. For me personally our biggest strength can be our reluctance to succumb to defeat, on many occasion last season we found ourselves 1 or 2 goals down early but still manage to salvage a draw or even a win. Our major weakness at the moment is the lack of a holding midfielder to shore up our anchor position. Other than that we have a tendency to go AWOL as a team as we did against Norwich on Saturday and simply not put the effort it.

 

9. How do you think Oldham will do in League One this year?

- Not good if your home form continues like it has.

- Be up there somewhere.

- I think they will enjoy and cherish every minute of every game.

- Don't care.

- Oldham will find themselves in the mid-table pack, I had you down in my Vital Countdown feature as 10th but you could finish anywhere from there to 15th because it will be tight in this league as per usual. How successful you are will depend how quickly your mass number of new faces settle down including your manager into his new role.

- I think a top 10 finish and I was surprises you didn't go up last year with such a good start.

 

10. Finally, what do you think the score will be at Boundary Park on Friday?

- 0-2.

- 3-1 to Oldham.

- 2 nil to the grounds man.

- About 1-1.

- I've got this down as 1-1. Oldham have drawn both of their home games in the league and suffered a 2-1 defeat last night to Accrington which can't do the confidence too good. Hartlepool are undefeated away so far, 1 win and 1 draw in the league, and an away win at Coventry in the League Cup. Pools keeper Scott Flinders is yet to concede away from home in all competitons.

- Well it's going to be tough for us but I think if we get an early goal we can just play ultra defensive and hold on for 3 points.

 

 

Many thanks to the Hartlepool fans who took part this week. Seems our home form is spreading far and wide, but confidence is low at Hartlepool, with only 4 points out of their opening games. Can Latics finally break their negative home form against the Pool? We'll find out tomorrow night!...