Mo Gandhi has made his long awaited return to Southgate, we caught up ahead of this weekend’s home fixture against Oxted…
Looking back at yourself as a budding Southgate Junior what advice would you give yourself with the benefit of age and experience?
I think about this every time I coach the U16 boys on a Sunday morning. There are a million ways to play hockey so you need to find the best way that works for you based on your super strengths. Never let any coach/teammate/parent undermine your super strengths.
What lessons or skills from your junior days at Southgate have stayed with you over the years?
DASH. Direct, Attacking, Skilful, Hockey. It’s something that has come full circle in my playing style. I’ve got 4 years of good hamstrings left so I plan to deploy them to maximum effect. On the field, that means being dynamic, connecting forward and being a real bulldog defender.
What are you most looking forward to contributing to the team this season?
On the field, i’ll contribute by being dynamic, connecting forward and being a real bulldog defender. Off the field that means being the best teammate possible, and helping to create a culture and environment where we can really kick into the next gear!
How do you approach setting personal goals versus team goals, and how do you ensure they align?
I often find it difficult to separate team and personal goals. The key is to remember your super strengths and ask yourself how your super strengths contribute to the team goal. As for delivering on your goals, it comes down to maximum preparation and raising your baseline average.
How have you found the first couple of games and what are you looking forward to about the Oxted match on Saturday?
The first games have been both promising and frustrating. We’ve shown so much potential, and yet we’ve not got the results we’ve wanted. It’s all a process though, and the team and staff are committed to making the fixes so that we’re contesting the top of the league before the end of the year.
If your team had a theme song that played every time you took the field, what would it be?
oooh probably “playing with the boys”, and the volleyball scene from Top Gun would be playing on the big screen.
You’ve been away in Germany and before that at Hampstead & Westminster what has been the best thing for you about returning to The Gate?
There’s two things I really love about this club 1) the fact that it’s a family club. I love the fact that all the guys I played with as a junior are still here in the men’s teams and 2) there’s such a positive energy about where we want the club to go, and everyone is pulling to make the club an even better place to play hockey.
