Name: Dan Howdon
Team captained: Wentworth 2nds (with Mutlu Cukurova)
How have your team’s performances been in autumn and spring term?
Usual Wentworth story, and our general improvement in recent years has continued this year. We’re always weaker in the Autumn term – as a postgrad College, most of our players are only here for a year, and it takes time both to sort players into 1sts, 2nds and 3rds, and a bit more time for the right players to gel together. Even so, we were pretty consistent in Autumn, with a couple of massive wins (4-1 over Alcuin and 5-1 over a really impressive Goodricke side) and a couple of games in which we dropped points where we shouldn’t. Spring brought a host of magnificent performances, a 6-0 win over Halifax, and our best-ever finish. We dropped points in only two games, and missed out on the title by a point.
What are your team’s strengths and weaknesses?
Strengths: passion, desire, commitment. I arrogantly think our 2nds again have probably the best team spirit of any team in the University. We play in a good spirit: pretty much the only rule Mutlu and I have had since becoming 2nds captains is that we refuse to play anyone who doesn’t work hard. Talent-wise, we’ve got the best 2nds squad I’ve seen in my 4 years at Wentworth, and we play to a system in which everyone knows their own role and sticks to it. Weaknesses: eczema.
How strong is your cup squad?
As with last year, we’re trying to keep the same team together that did so well in the Autumn term. Wentworth don’t have any Uni players, so it’s always a bit dangerous to try to predict how we’ll do against undergrad teams that are strengthened for the Cup, but I think we’ve got a pretty strong team for 2nds level. A change of conditions – we had some great results in truly appalling conditions on occasionally dreadful surfaces during the Spring term – will also pose a test. Can we do it on a warm June day on the JLD?
Who would you call your ‘key player’ and why?
New boy David Clinton has provided much-needed bustle up front, but has really impressed in goal. Chris McGuire was absolutely magnificent in central midfield throughout the Autumn term, but may miss the Cup due to injury.
What are your thoughts on your team’s group draw? Which game are you most looking forward to?
Haven’t even looked at it.
If you could beat any team in the final, who would it be and why?
Our rivalries are legion, and it would be unfair to pick out any undergraduate college.
What will you do to celebrate if you win the cup?
I wouldn’t need to celebrate. If we win the College Cup, it would bring me such satisfaction that I would quite happily go home and have a glass of water and read JP Donleavy’s Schultz.
If you could change one thing about the college cup, what would it be?
Make someone else organise it.
Who is your team ‘BNOC’ and why?
Joint captain Mutlu Cukurova’s funky attire is notorious throughout most of North Yorkshire. Dan Horsfall, if he plays, will mark 10 consecutive years of College Cup appearances, punctuated (albeit not for very long) by several retirements.
Which team in world football are you most like?
I guess loads of people will say Stoke here, so I won’t, mostly because it’s not true. We’ve played football that’s much easier on the eye in the last 12 months, belying our longtime reputation as retrograde cloggers. Bradford maybe, after last year’s repeated penalty heroics against, on paper, better teams. Oh, I don’t know, I hate football these days.
What are your expectations and ambitions for College Cup 2013?
I don’t think it’s that useful to think about this, really. We’re taking it game by game. Anything could happen. Magic of the Cup, formbook goes out of the window, funny old game of two halves. We’ve got some top, top players, Jeff.
Vision says:
Wentworth 2nds will have to work hard to defend the College Plate title that they took home 12 months ago. But then who expected them to win it then, either? Their performances last year showed the importance of a settled team. Group 1 is truly up for grabs; Wentworth will be looking to take the scalp of Langwith 1sts, but they must also be wary of strong 3rds teams from James and Derwent. While cup qualification is possible, they may be better off in the plate where they can try to recreate last year’s heroic fairy-tale run.