Red Team Leader talks

After the end of the 3rd prospect season, the new red team leader is set to answer a few questions on his new status and his thoughts on the tournament just gone and the one coming up. Thomas James enters the room and is confronted by a number of members of the press. He takes a photo holding up his red jersey proudly with a smile on his face. A few handshakes go around and James heads up to go behind the podium ready to take questions from the press, leaning in slightly towards the mic so that it’ll pick up his voice properly. A couple of hands go into the air from the crowd and choosing the first hand sets the interview underway.
James, how do you feel after such unsuccessful tournament?

Well, it’s never easy to be on the losing side for a whole tournament, certainly. We suffered quite heavily at the hands of the blue team’s Nyrud, Wheeler and Osmond (NWO) line. I admit that we definitely could have played better though. Our side didn’t pull it out of the bag nearly as much as the other side and that in the end is what let us down. I believe that our forwards are just as capable of putting up the points and I will certainly be expecting that from them come tournament 4. As for our defensive lines as well, we need to be capable of shutting down this infamous line. I’ve had talks with Pittman in particular and we’re both quite determined to make sure they don’t rack up as many points this time around.

What are you going to do to make sure that you do get the results in the next tournament?

Well, it all depends on hard work really, we all need to train harder and skate harder against this team, and they’re a strong side and should be treated as such. And that’s from all sides. I need this red team to be firing on all cylinders. Goalies need to step up, the defence needs to step their game up, myself included, and the offense needs to start putting up more points on the board. We’re not going to start pulling out the W’s unless we do that and start doing it fast. I’m still keeping optimistic though. I know it’s been a tough tournament for us and it looks like we couldn’t look much worse but that’s not just because we had really poor results. It’s also because the players on our side are good players in these tournaments, and as prospects. They owe it to themselves and to the team to show what they’re really made of in the next tournament and I will be counting on them to do so.

What do you think to your opposing team and their new team leader?

They’re certainly a strong side and they’re really not messing around here. But they’re not impossible to beat, we’ve shown this before and we’ve won a number of matches against them, not to mention they certainly do need to be put down a couple of notches right now. Seriously though, they’re a strong side with strong players who are strong prospects for the ISHL. We need to step up our game plan if we want to show that we’re doing the same thing, and then I want us to show them that they’re better than us. As for the new team leader as well, Dooley is a very good stay-at-home defenseman. His style differs from mine but our focus remains the same in the way that we’re trying to keep pucks out of our own zone so that the forwards can get their job done in the other end. But yeah, very good player and very strong prospect and I couldn’t think of anyone better for the job *brief thought of Wheeler*... Yep, definitely the man for the job.

As a team leader, how do you think this will affect your draft pick?

Well, it’s not the reason that I’m doing it but sure, it is a chance to step up to the plate a bit more and show what I can do. Not to mention to mention that it’s a great opportunity to learn and become a better all around player by being put in different situations to see what I am capable of. I’m glad to have this opportunity as I’m sure Dooley is as well, both ready to lead our respective teams and bring the best out of them for the upcoming tournaments and the draft. As I said earlier, it’s up to our players to step up and show what they’re really made of, not only for themselves, but for the team. This is me putting what I can in to make myself a better player, make the Red Prospect Team a better side and to make our mark on the ISHL.

Any other thoughts?

Just GO REDS! We’ve got the tools, we just need to work hard to use them to their full potential. If we do that then these Blues aren’t going to know what’s hit them!