A DAY WITH O'HARE

On a Sunny Saturday in February FourThreeThree’s Jamie Burger followed Wandsworth Borough’s 1stXl manager Des O’Hare for an away game at UCL Academicals.
We met Des on the platform at West Hampstead Thameslink station waiting for a Northbound train to Radlett.

JB: It looked like a good result for you last week.
DO’H: Yeah, great 2-1 win against Sutts. However, today is the most important game of the season.
JB: Why?
DO’H: Because it’s the next one.

After a smooth train journey and then a taxi ride we arrived at UCL’s ground in London Colney at 12.50. The Bell Lane ground is also used as Watford’s training ground, with the smarter Arsenal facility just next door After a quick chat with an officious looking man at the gate Des returns.

JB: What’s the story?
DO’H: Yeah, we’re not allowed in until 1pm.
JB: Will that affect your preparation?
DO’H: I don’t think so. We have an experienced set of players who will be able to adapt. In Football as in business, you must control the controllables.

Eventually allowed in the Wandsworth team gather in a portacabin that has just been vacated by a Charlton Athletic junior team.
O’Hare goes through what he expects of his men. “Win your 50/50’s, the majority of your 40/60’s and your fair share of 30/70’s”, “raise the tempo, and they can’t live with you.”
Football clichés perhaps, but delivered with the passion of a man used to delivering Footballing miracles as Wandsworth’s rise up the Amateur Football Combination is testament to.

The red shirts of Wandsworth started brightly in the February sun against a UCL side with a habit of shipping goals.
Stood close by I managed to catch a word.

JB: A pleasing start but are you concerned you haven’t yet scored?
DO’H: No, as long as we are creating and getting men in the box I’m pleased.

At that moment Wandsworth took a deserved lead as Denzil Ndlovu left the defenders in his wake and smashed the ball past the keeper.

JB: Wow, he looks quite the player.
DO’H: Yes on his day he’s world class. Shame he lives in Manchester.

Soon after a quite bizarre incident happened as Wandsworth Captain Dean Taylor jumped for a header with the opposition number 16 and both ended up on the floor.

JB:What happened there Des?
DO’H: I wasn’t sure at first. I assumed it couldn’t have possibly been a head injury because Murray Gibb wasn’t demanding an Ambulance be called.
JB: What was it then?
DO’H: Oh yeah, the bloke's tooth ended up in Deano’s head.
JB: What like a bite mark?
DO’H: No, his actual tooth was lodged in his head.
JB: Right….

As the teams turned round with the score at 1-0, I asked Des about how he manages with half time.
DO’H: I always try and let the boys have their say first. Often it is a load of rubbish but they need to get it out. Then I will go through our keys and remind them that they are good footballers but not so good that they shouldn’t keep it simple.

Wandsworth went 2-0 up midway through the second half as Sam Driver ran around the outside of the whole box from left to right and slotted past the keeper, and then Joe Barwick on as a substitute got his first goal since returning from a month-long injury lay-off to round off the scoring a 3-0 and secure a comfortable away win.

JB: You must be happy with that result?
DO’H: Yeah really pleased. 3 goals and a clean sheet away from home.
JB: That’s 2 wins in a row, where do you think you can go from here?
DO’H: Well we’ve got the biggest game of the season next week at Meads.
JB: Why’s that?
DO’H: Because it’s the next one.

We joined the Wandsworth group in the Red Lion pub in Radlett with them laughing and joking about each other's haircuts and watched them play a game that involved spinning a bottle of vinegar for the honour of downing a pint of Guinness.
I asked Des if he was worried about this drinking culture.

DO’H: No, not really. A team that drinks together stays together. I learnt that at my old club in Northampton. Great club, great facilities, big bath.

We left them to their evening and train trip back to Wandsworth.