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  • KHL- face to face

    Ovo je nova rubrika KHL sajta. Tacnije,ovo su intervijui sa trenerima timova u KHLu.

    Face to face - Josef Jandac (HC Lev)


    On Friday, at Prague’s Tipsport Arena, headquarters of KHL new boys HC Lev, the entire playing roster gathered together for the first time, a day before they head off to Liberec to begin their preseason preparations. Lev’s head coach Josef Jandac, who a year ago guided Sparta Prague to victory in the Czech regular season, put his team through a full training session and then gave an interview to the KHL press service.

    “Josef, you almost found yourself in the KHL two years ago, when they tried to create a hockey team in Kiev…”
    “Yes, after the 2010 World Championships I received an invitation from Kiev. I thought for a long time about whether to accept it, and I consulted with my family. I have three children and I was concerned about them having to move to another country. But then I made up my mind: Kiev is not far from Prague, it is a big, modern city where they have English schools, so for my family it would have been fine. I got together with sporting manager Oleg Kupriyanov and we put together a plan to put a team together, got a number of players to agree to join up, but at the beginning of June Oleg called me to say that problems with the arena meant there would be no HC Budivelnik of Kiev in the KHL.”

    “Was it easy to leave Sparta after you led them to success in the Czech regular championship last season?”
    “A year ago I signed a two-year contract with Sparta, with a clause allowing me to leave after one year if I received a good enough offer, so I merely exercised this right. Lev is an interesting new project, and I want to get to know a new league and what is for me a new kind of hockey. But I haven’t had to make too many changes to my life, since I’ll still be working in Prague, not far from where I live, and going to an arena I know well, only now I’ll be going to the home team’s changing room.”

    “Are you happy with the team you have?”
    “Yes. The team was put together by me, Normunds Sejejs and Rashid Khabibulin. We’re building around a nucleus of Czech players, since in the KHL Lev will be representing the whole nation. It’s true that many of the best Czech players are tied to contracts with other clubs, but I think we’ve assembled a decent outfit. Obviously, we had to focus mostly on free agents.”

    “Do you know yet how your offensive line will look?”
    “It’s still too early to say. My assistants and I need to get to know the guys better. We’ve lined up ten friendly matches, and then we’ll start to think about our starting five. But don’t forget that everything can change after the first game.”

    “Which of your current players did you know already?”
    “I know all our Czechs very well, apart from maybe young (Jiri) Sekac and (Michal) Birner, who’s just had a spell playing in Finland. Of the Slovaks, defenseman (Michal) Sersen played for me at Sparta last season. As for the Swedish guy, (Mathias) Porseland, and our Canadians, we’ll get to know each other on our preseason tours.”

    “Do you have a concrete target for the coming season?”
    “I’m sure there’s not a single team who would say before the start of the season that they don’t have to reach the play-offs, and that it’s enough just to be playing in the KHL. Everyone wants to make it to the play-offs and battle for the main trophy.”

    “What is your biggest worry at the moment?”
    “I have a new team and I have seven weeks to get it ready for a tough season. With Sparta last year I also had a completely new team, but we didn’t do too badly, only losing seven matches in regulation time throughout the whole regular season. Of course, to repeat that in the KHL is not realistic, but we’ll try to produce the kind of hockey which pleases the fans.”

    “Why are you starting your preseason preparations later than other KHL teams?”
    “We have a lot of players who took part in the World Championships, so after that they needed a rest. Apart from that, not everything in our arena was ready for the team, plus we had to find accommodation in Prague for our foreign signings. And the ice in Liberec, where we’re heading for our first preseason tour, was not ready until the end of this week. But in the time we have left until the start of the Championship we’ll put in a lot of work.”

    Vladimir Samokhin, special for khl.ru
    Anaheim Ducks,Philadelphia Eagles,Orlando Magic,Crvena Zvezda,Liverpool,Valencija,Torino,KFC

  • #2
    Face to face - Milos Riha (SKA St. Petersburg)


    It is becoming a tradition for SKA players to spend the first training tour of their preseason preparations in the Czech Republic, and this year the destination is Havlickuv Brod, a small town about 75 miles from Prague. But the men from Saint Petersburg are here on business, not pleasure, and have been putting in four training sessions every day. Only at the weekend did the coaching staff lighten the workload: on Saturday the team had one session out on the ice, and on Sunday the activity was limited to an hour’s indoor fitness training followed by a light cross-country run along the shores of a picturesque lake not far from the arena. With the weekend’s coaching done, SKA head coach Milos Riha was free to give an interview to the KHL press service.

    “What factors do you have in mind when choosing a destination for your preseason tours?”
    “Of course we try to make sure everything the team needs is there: a good hotel, good food, and a decent arena where we can do various kinds of exercise and practice. We like it in Havlickuv Brod. It is a peaceful little town with all the facilities we need for training.”

    “Your assistant, Andrey Potaychuk, in a recent interview described SKA’s training sessions as grueling. Do you agree?”
    “I don’t think our training methods differ that much from last year’s. We want the guys to put in a large volume of work to get a good level of physical fitness. Yes, we have brought in some new exercises which in the long term will help the guys prepare better for a game.”

    “Do you have any players that are struggling to keep up with the training?”
    “We have none of those. All our guys returned from vacation in good shape, since they knew that we would set them a heavy workload from the very first day back in training. We’re training four times a day, and so far I have seen no sign of any problems with the players.”

    “Every summer SKA has surprised and delighted the fans with a big signing. Why has the club been so modest in the transfer market this year?”
    “I’m not really the one to answer that question. Sure, we had a shopping list of players we’d like to have, but for various reasons we could not make an offer for all of them. But we are still trying to sign one well-known player, a famous player.”

    “In the spring Vladimir Tarasenko decided to leave for America. Do you approve of his choice?”
    “It was his decision and his choice. In my view, he was a little hasty. I believe he could have stayed another couple of years in the KHL and matured as a player, but he decided otherwise. I can only wish him luck.”

    “Are you counting on the return of Viktor Tikhonov?”
    “To be honest, for the coming season I wanted to build our game around Tarasenko and Tikhonov. I would have liked to play them in the second or third line and give them a lot of ice time. But I don’t know if Tikhonov is coming back; he’s still thinking about where he wants to continue his career.”

    “You let Kirill Koltsov leave and you brought in Kevin Dallman. Is it a good exchange, in your view?”
    “I think we did everything right. Yes, Kirill notched up a lot of points, but there were parts of his defensive play we weren’t happy with. Last season all our defenders were left-handers, and now we have Dallman and Chudinov – both right-handed, and that’s a big plus for the team.”

    “Are you happy that there are no new goaltenders? There are rumors about SKA being interested in Pavelec…”
    “We have faith in Stepanek and Ezhov. They are young, so we’re counting on them making progress and performing well.”

    “Last year Maxim Afinogenov’s (left) performances drew quite a lot of criticism. Do you think he will find his peak form in the new season?”
    “Last year Maxim was injured and took a while to recover, so there was no way he could have played to his best. He put in a lot of work during his vacation, returned in superb condition and now in training he’s one of the best. I’m sure all that work won’t be wasted and he’ll play some great hockey.”

    “You already have your full quota of five foreign players. Are you happy with them?”
    “So far we have no plans to change anything, but over the course of the season anything is possible. I won’t rule out finding someone who is better than those we have.”

    “You have two exhibition matches coming up. What do you expect from these games, and what kind of hockey do you want to see from your team?”
    “You understand that the result won’t matter to us. These matches are part of our training process. We’ll definitely use two lines of youngsters, to give these players a chance to prove themselves. Games like these help us to determine which of our young players should stay with the first team.”

    SKA will play twice this week: on the 24th of July the Petersburg men face KHL new boys Slovan Bratislava in the Slovak capital, and then return to the Czech Republic for a game on the 26th in Brno against local side HC Kometa.

    VladimirSamokhin in Havlickuv Brod, special for khl.ru
    Anaheim Ducks,Philadelphia Eagles,Orlando Magic,Crvena Zvezda,Liverpool,Valencija,Torino,KFC

    Comment


    • #3
      Face to face - Jan Lipiansky (Slovan Bratislava - najiskusniji igrac)





      In the coming season, Slovan Bratislava’s 38-year-old forward Jan Lipiansky will be the most experienced player in his team. But in September the veteran player, just like his team, will be making his debut in the KHL. After one of the team’s training sessions, Jan shared his thoughts with the KHL press service.

      “Jan, what are you expecting from the new season?”
      “I’m already 38, but I still haven’t played at that level. I can say it will be the high point of my career – a new team, a new league and new possibilities. Now we are working really hard so we can be ready to start the season with all guns blazing. If I’m honest, I’d say we’re a little nervous about making our debut in the KHL.”

      “How has hockey in Slovakia changed over the last ten years?”
      “Right now the game is experiencing some financial problems, just like in all of Western Europe, by the way. This has a negative impact. In all, I’ve played the last eight seasons in Slovakia and I’d say the competition is quite fierce – there is no great difference in class between the five leading clubs, so the games between these teams are very exciting. But now we’re delighted that we’re joining the KHL and moving up to a higher level, to play against teams which are among the best in the world and are certainly the best in Europe. And we’ll have to play at a consistently high level.”

      “In Prague they told us that playing in the KHL will be even more interesting for the fans because every game in the League will be like an international game. Do the fans in Bratislava have the same view?”
      “Yes, definitely. It’s always interesting to compare the play of a team from your own country with that of opponents from Sweden, Finland or Russia. There’s already a lot of excitement here with the start of the European Trophy tournament next week, and when the season gets underway the fascination with the KHL will grow and grow.”

      “In the Western Conference there will be 14 teams battling for 8 play-off berths, and many believe it will be tough for Slovan. In your view, what will Slovan need to make it into the play-offs?”
      “First and foremost – a good start to the season. For us that’s very important because then any nerves will evaporate. Apart from that, we’ll have to play with great discipline and 100% commitment – the only way you earn success. There’s one more important factor, and one which we’ve talked about as a team – to pick up as few penalties as possible. That’s our recipe for success.”

      “What can you tell us about Rostislav Cada? Judging by the training sessions, he’s a very strict coach.”
      “Yes, he’s very strict and demanding. He has a wealth of experience in this work, and now he’s doing everything possible to get us prepared for the season. And this is no easy task, since there’s an obvious difference in class between the KHL and the Slovak Extraliga. Plus there’s the problem with all the traveling. But we’re confident we’ll be ready by the start of season.”

      Vladimir Samokhin, from Bratislava, special for khl.ru
      Anaheim Ducks,Philadelphia Eagles,Orlando Magic,Crvena Zvezda,Liverpool,Valencija,Torino,KFC

      Comment


      • #4
        Face to face - Rostislav Cada (Slovan Bratislava- trener)






        On Monday, KHL new boys Slovan were busy training in Bratislava’s Slovnaft Arena, deep into the team’s intensive program to prepare for the forthcoming season. Head coach Rostislav Cada, the former Avangard Omsk boss who took over at the Slovak club during the summer, gave an interview to the KHL press service on the eve of Tuesday’s exhibition game against SKA - the club’s first game in front of its fans.

        “Last season you left the Avangard job well before your contract was up. Did that experience not leave you with a negative impression of your time working in Russia?”
        “I don’t have any negative feeling toward the Omsk club. The management made a decision and I accepted it. I still have a lot of friends there, but now for me Avangard is a rival club. Overall, I did not leave Russia under a cloud, and I have nothing but positive impressions from my relations with Russian people.”

        “But all the same, did you know the reason for Avangard’s decision to replace you?
        “From a hockey point of view I did not understand the decision, especially since we had four wins and a shootout loss in the six games we played before I was fired. The only bitterness I felt was from the fact that we weren’t allowed to strengthen the roster when we really needed to. And then, when the team lost several games under the new coach, the club decided to sign some players.”

        “Do you think you deserve some of the credit for Avangard reaching the Gagarin Cup final? It was you that prepared the team for the season…”
        “Let others be the judge of that – those who saw how I worked. I don’t go in for self-praise.”

        “Apart from Slovan, did you receive any other offers for the coming season?”
        “I had offers from three clubs in the Czech Extraliga, one from Switzerland and one from a club in the KHL.”

        “Why did you choose Slovan?”
        “In Bratislava there was the greatest interest shown in me becoming head coach of Slovan, so there is no way anyone could say it was a random choice.”

        “Tell us about your new team.”
        “All the players are good workers and good learners, with a serious attitude to training and preparation. I know that in previous years in Slovakia these players have worked really hard, and so I don’t expect any problems to arise.”

        “In your time as coach of Avangard practically everyone noted how the team showed such iron discipline on the ice. Will it be the same with Slovan?”
        “It is very pleasant for me to hear that – music to my ears. Discipline has to take first place in hockey. For example, look at Russia’s success at the World Championship – credit goes to coach Bilyaletdinov who instilled in all the players that discipline on the ice. I’m sure we’ll have an organized, disciplined team of players who can do the tasks we set them.”

        “Do you have any idea how your offensive line will look?”
        “Yes, I already have a clear idea of the players I’d use to decide the fate of this or that game. But we still have to work on improving the understanding between these players out on the ice, so I won’t tell you their names.”

        “This season, fighting for the eight play-off places in the Western Conference there will be 14 teams instead of 11. With this in mind, how can a team like Slovan make it to the play-offs?”
        “We understand only too well how hard it will be to qualify, but what’s the point of building a team in the first place if you don’t think you can get into the play-offs? I can say that Slovan, against all the odds, will be one of those teams doing battle in the play-offs. That’s what we’ll be fighting for.”

        “Your first game with Slovan is against Milos Riha and his team. Is it important for you to win against your fellow countryman?”
        “Milos and I know each other very well, right back to our playing days. Now our teams are in training and a win for the team is just as important to either of us.”

        “Do you have any other friends among the coaches in Russia? Who do you think is the best coach in Russia today?”
        “There are so many top-class coaches in Russia. The current Traktor coach, Valery Belousov, is an acquaintance of mine and I consider him to be a professional of the highest quality and a great guy.”

        “How important will it be for you to beat Lev, bearing in mind the historical rivalry on the ice between Czechs and Slovaks?”
        “Oh, those really will be the most important and most exciting matches for both teams, and everyone knows that the fans will follow these games very closely. And if we get the better of Lev in those matches, I’ll be extremely happy.”

        Vladimir Samokhin in Bratislava, special for khl.ru
        Anaheim Ducks,Philadelphia Eagles,Orlando Magic,Crvena Zvezda,Liverpool,Valencija,Torino,KFC

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        • #5
          Face to face- Kari Jalonen (Torpedo- trener)


          Video format
          Anaheim Ducks,Philadelphia Eagles,Orlando Magic,Crvena Zvezda,Liverpool,Valencija,Torino,KFC

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          • #6
            Face to face- Alexandre Giroux (Dinamo Riga- najvece pojacanje)


            Anaheim Ducks,Philadelphia Eagles,Orlando Magic,Crvena Zvezda,Liverpool,Valencija,Torino,KFC

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            • #7
              Face to face- Matt Ellison (Torpedo-RW)


              Anaheim Ducks,Philadelphia Eagles,Orlando Magic,Crvena Zvezda,Liverpool,Valencija,Torino,KFC

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