Pre-Draft Questions with London's GM

Posted by: LD^Mike

As most of you know, the Qualifier and Draft for Europe and the United Kingdom is approaching quickly. In preparation for the event in Birmingham, last year's CGS members are preparing to enter the fire a second time, new players are steeling themselves against tough competition for a chance to be a professional gamer, and General Managers are ... well, what are the GMs doing?

I'm glad you asked. In the first of a four-part series of interviews with each GM from Europe and the UK, the London Mint's Ben Woodward answered some questions about the upcoming event, what he expects to learn from gamers there, and what his future team will be saying on the way home. Enjoy.

The UK and European Qualifier is just around the corner. We know the players are getting ready; what does a GM such as yourself do to prepare?

Ben Woodward:Well, this is the first time I've ever done this, so I'm spending time interacting with the current London Mint lineup and assessing their pre-draft performances in practices. All I can do is try to research potential candidates and try to get an indepth knowledge of each scene prior to this coming weekend, and this will definitely put me on par with [Birmingham Salvo GM] ODEE when it comes to who I'll protect and draft.

The competition lasts two days. How much (and what kind of things) can you learn about a gamer in that time frame compared to the weeks or months leading up to the event?

Two days is ample time to assess potential players. I get to see how they conduct themselves under pressure, what kind of attitude they have towards the game, what kind of personality they have and how they'll fit into my Mint lineup. There are people attending this event I am yet to meet in person until now, and it's the best way humanly possible to get the perfect image of the type of gamer you're after.

Has the perception of the CGS in Europe changed as the league enters its second year, and with the announced partnership with Eurosport?

The Eurosport announcement was HUGE news for the CGS in Europe. Any medium that allows the CGS to be viewed by the masses is a big bonus. Has the overall perception of the CGS changed? I'd like to think it has, though it's too early to gauge such a thing really. With Eurosport's involvement I'd love to see how the World Finals are received.

You were with 4Kings before you came to the CGS. What has the reception from the community (both inside and outside the league) been like?

Overwhelmingly positive. I am eternally grateful to everyone for the comments they have made; it made my leaving 4Kings a lot easier to bare, seeing as it was my one and only “eSports” job until now. The owner of 4Kings was also very supportive and wished me well, as did the vast majority of the 4Kings players, which was nice.

How well did that experience managing 4K prepare you for your role with London?

It helps me immensely. I've picked up the tricks of the trade and more importantly, when it comes to Mint, I've got the people skills to run such a team. When having a management position in any job, a strong bond is needed with your colleagues. If this was not done properly it would escalate into disharmony in the team, and this would show in the results.

This will be your first draft. Do you have any concerns about the other GMs already having experience with the process and the scoring system, etc?

It's an issue to me, but one I don't think about very much. Sure, ODEE has almost a year head start on me, but I will show I am not push over whatsoever. I respect his abilities and he will no doubt draft a superb team, but I've done my home work regarding the draft, so I won't be outwitted easily.

If there’s a message you could send to any gamer that wants to be part of the London Mint, what would it be?

Come to the combine. Seriously. I cannot stress enough how important it is. If you feel you are ready to take your career to the next level, make your presence known to me. Some people assume I've already got the team sorted behind closed doors, and wont be openly scouting new talent -- this cannot be further from the truth. Get your selves to the combine and show me what you're made of.

When the World Finals are over and the London Mint is heading home, they’ll look back at the Finals and say …

It has been a successful campaign. We finished in the top 3, which is what we set out to do. We just cannot wait for the next Finals, and thanks to all our supporters who were like a 12th man to us.