Slovakia: The (uncertain) future of Slovak hockey

slovakiasnextone

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Jul 7, 2008
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I don't like this and not just because it's another win for Nemeček. I just really don't think that Cíger is a good choice for head coach of the NT. I mean, come on, he hasn't even been working in men's hockey for years. This kinda sounds like they want for someone who (they hope) will improve their image in face of the public instead of someone who is the best choice for the NT...
 

slovakiasnextone

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Jul 7, 2008
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Of course, suddenly, he has been planning everything. Changing statutes of the election means nothing without having the election again.

He is still planning, proposing, going to do etc...even though the power is in his hands. When is he actually gonna do something? Probably like a week before the next elections or something...
 

Kamzik

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Dec 18, 2008
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I see Lubomir Visnovsky signed the boycott. I do not really understand his position. He has said this season he will either sign with the New York Islanders or he will play with HC Vahostav Slovan Bratislava. He was photographed not long ago sitting in the stands at one of their practices. Is their team president not Juraj Široký? Visnovsky seems to be a fiddler on the roof.
 

slovakiasnextone

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Jul 7, 2008
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I'm really curious how many of them will actually boycott. For example Tatar recently said that no one was talking about an actual boycott, he said that they just demand certain changes. Yet he is on this list.

Well, they haven't outright declared a boycott in either of their statements although the part about how they hope that Švehla/Cíger will understand sounds like they might be thinking about it.

Then again Tatar can play Slovakia at the 2016 Worlds at the earliest and even that is a big IF. He and the other NHLers might be hoping that the whole thing is over by then with a victory for them. What really matters IMO is what all the Euro players on that list will do even long before the Worlds happen.

I see Lubomir Visnovsky signed the boycott. I do not really understand his position. He has said this season he will either sign with the New York Islanders or he will play with HC Vahostav Slovan Bratislava. He was photographed not long ago sitting in the stands at one of their practices. Is their team president not Juraj Široký? Visnovsky seems to be a fiddler on the roof.

I am not a fan of ViÅ¡ňovský in this regard as he seems to change his opinon more often than some people change their socks (it wasn't all that long ago that the KHL was out of question for him due the traveling).

However ViÅ¡ňovský is hardly the only one who has played for Å iroký's Slovan or who is even currently playing for them (Nagy, Viedenský immdiately jump to mind). And Å atan finished his career under Å iroký before he went on to be one of the most prominent members of Lintner's team...
 

Kiraly

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Feb 27, 2002
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Doesn't sound like he is going anywhere.

He did propose rule changes to be implemented before next June's elections. If he follows through, I'm guessing that will be the end of his tenure. Question is...

...will he?
 

slovakiasnextone

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Jul 7, 2008
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Slovakia
Doesn't sound like he is going anywhere.

He did propose rule changes to be implemented before next June's elections. If he follows through, I'm guessing that will be the end of his tenure. Question is...

...will he?

The GM and coach of the NT Švehla and Cíger met with Handzuš who is the leader of the players' boycott today.

They should sign a memorandum on Monday in order to achieve a truce in the ongoing war between players and the federation.

But it's true that given who has to vote for those rule changes I don't see how Nemeček can ensure that they will go through. All he can officially do is encourage everyone to vote for them.

That's hardly a guarantee of anything. Why should we believe that it will go through this time around whe Nitra's proposal at the last Congress didn't?
 

Ivo

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Dec 29, 2008
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Rotterdam, NL
The GM and coach of the NT Švehla and Cíger met with Handzuš who is the leader of the players' boycott today.

They should sign a memorandum on Monday in order to achieve a truce in the ongoing war between players and the federation.

But it's true that given who has to vote for those rule changes I don't see how Nemeček can ensure that they will go through. All he can officially do is encourage everyone to vote for them.

That's hardly a guarantee of anything. Why should we believe that it will go through this time around whe Nitra's proposal at the last Congress didn't?

Because 50 top players are boycotting the NT? I mean until this happened, Nemecek was also pretending that everything is perfect, but now there is some movement. I think the proposed changes will go through, but the time until then will be used to make sure that even under the new rules a Siroky-friendly president (not Nemecek most likely) will be elected in the new elections. That seems like the only reasonable strategy for these people. Not making the changes would result in another boycott and this time the players would not be so easily convinced, which could eventually result in a disaster. Whereas, if they change the rules and still manage to get their candidate through - that would be a huge win for them, because the players publicly stated that they would have no issue with any candidate winning under fair rules.
 

slovakiasnextone

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Jul 7, 2008
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Because 50 top players are boycotting the NT? I mean until this happened, Nemecek was also pretending that everything is perfect, but now there is some movement. I think the proposed changes will go through, but the time until then will be used to make sure that even under the new rules a Siroky-friendly president (not Nemecek most likely) will be elected in the new elections. That seems like the only reasonable strategy for these people. Not making the changes would result in another boycott and this time the players would not be so easily convinced, which could eventually result in a disaster. Whereas, if they change the rules and still manage to get their candidate through - that would be a huge win for them, because the players publicly stated that they would have no issue with any candidate winning under fair rules.

Yes, it is also my biggest fear that after the changes are accepted someone from Nemeček camp (but this time around someone more acceptable in the eye of public/players like let's say Å vehla for example) wins fair and square and the players will have to accept it. At the same time I want to believe that if the clubs see real results if Lintner brings them to Tipsport Liga, that will have some positive influence on how they will vote.

But so far it seems like they still haven't reached an agreement yet. By the sounds of it the players won't stop the boycott unless they have it on paper that there will be new elections under new rules next year. But I believe that Nemeček can't even give them some kind of legally binding promise as they likely would like to see as it's not solely in his hands to change the rules. In order to ensure that there are new elections they would need to get the changes through first, meaning that the extraordinary meeting would have t be called smetiem soon/prior to the IHWC.
 

slovakiasnextone

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Jul 7, 2008
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Gotta love all the "new" projects Nemecek and co. came up with:

http://www.hockeyslovakia.sk/sk/clanok/szlh-startuje-nove-projekty-nasmerovane-k-detom

Deti na hokej, that's a first! Or perhaps it isn't? I'd swear the first I heard of it was in 2012:

http://www.detinahokej.sk/

Also, a new training rink for the junior national teams, hmm, where have I heard that before? Oh, right, back in 2014 when it was proposed in Piestany...

http://spravy.pravda.sk/regiony/clanok/305319-fico-poslal-do-piestan-milion-eur-na-hokejovu-halu/
 

slovakiasnextone

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Jul 7, 2008
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Slovakia
It's been a while since I was here last as I haven't had much time for hockey lately, but I was wondering what everyone thinks about this SZLH "project office" thing?

http://www.hockeyslovakia.sk/sk/cla...dvere-vsetkym-ktori-maju-zaujem-spolupracovat
http://www.zacha-hokej.cz/domu/pavel-zacha-spoluprace-se-slovenskym-svazem-ledniho-hokeje

Has anyone perhaps tried to apply to help?

Do you think there's any chance that this could be the turning point for Slovak hockey? As far as I understand it, it will take them a year to prepare everything and then they will only have 2 more years for implementing their projects before there are new elections. And that of course only in case that the projects which they are actually planning are viable and they will have the funds for them.
 

alko

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Oct 20, 2004
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Slovakia
www.slovakhockey.sk
It's been a while since I was here last as I haven't had much time for hockey lately, but I was wondering what everyone thinks about this SZLH "project office" thing?

http://www.hockeyslovakia.sk/sk/cla...dvere-vsetkym-ktori-maju-zaujem-spolupracovat
http://www.zacha-hokej.cz/domu/pavel-zacha-spoluprace-se-slovenskym-svazem-ledniho-hokeje

Has anyone perhaps tried to apply to help?

Do you think there's any chance that this could be the turning point for Slovak hockey? As far as I understand it, it will take them a year to prepare everything and then they will only have 2 more years for implementing their projects before there are new elections. And that of course only in case that the projects which they are actually planning are viable and they will have the funds for them.

Thats a good idea. When i would not so "exhausted" with duties to my job, my second job, my family... When i win a million or two in the lottery, i will offer them my duties. ;)
 

Kamzik

Registered User
Dec 18, 2008
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158

Interview with Martin Kohut, brief summary.*

*note: if I got anything wrong, please feel free to correct me.

topic 1. construction of rinks for youth hockey.
-they are willing to partner with and help find corporate support for mayors of cities that are interested.
-seemed like more talk than anything else? (my opinion)

topic 2. change in playing format for lower and youth leagues.
-want to make such leagues more interesting and address the concerns that stakeholders have.

topic 3. getting rid of the Orange SR20 program
-this is year ten for the program
-said he can't get rid of it because there is nothing waiting to replace it with
-liked Czech model with elite academies
-will kill Orange program once 4-5 such academies are set up in SVK

topic 4. ways of getting talent to stay in SVK instead of leaving early
-talked about make the best conditions for players to stay.
-talked about actually producing a finished product that is then free to travel.
-aren't getting a chance to make a finished product because they leave before getting there.

topic 5. the progress of national teams.
-interview was before MS20. Said SR20 has to be about more than the one key victory.
-said SR18 was 5th last year, the WJCU18 are in SVK this year, wants to do well at home. He is impressed with this current age group.
-he said fans of the national team need to chill because some tournaments they are experimenting or getting ready for the Worlds. He said priority should be given to younger dudes.

topic 6. the contract of coach Ciger
-there will be a process and review committee to look at coaches at all levels including Ciger.
 

slovakiasnextone

Registered User
Jul 7, 2008
5,741
254
Slovakia
Interview with Martin Kohut, brief summary.*

*note: if I got anything wrong, please feel free to correct me.

topic 1. construction of rinks for youth hockey.
-they are willing to partner with and help find corporate support for mayors of cities that are interested.
-seemed like more talk than anything else? (my opinion)

topic 2. change in playing format for lower and youth leagues.
-want to make such leagues more interesting and address the concerns that stakeholders have.

topic 3. getting rid of the Orange SR20 program
-this is year ten for the program
-said he can't get rid of it because there is nothing waiting to replace it with
-liked Czech model with elite academies
-will kill Orange program once 4-5 such academies are set up in SVK

topic 4. ways of getting talent to stay in SVK instead of leaving early
-talked about make the best conditions for players to stay.
-talked about actually producing a finished product that is then free to travel.
-aren't getting a chance to make a finished product because they leave before getting there.

topic 5. the progress of national teams.
-interview was before MS20. Said SR20 has to be about more than the one key victory.
-said SR18 was 5th last year, the WJCU18 are in SVK this year, wants to do well at home. He is impressed with this current age group.
-he said fans of the national team need to chill because some tournaments they are experimenting or getting ready for the Worlds. He said priority should be given to younger dudes.

topic 6. the contract of coach Ciger
-there will be a process and review committee to look at coaches at all levels including Ciger.

This one we will know sooner rather than later as he said in the other article from SportInak that they plan to build 10 of those this year.

As for the last point, technically Ciger might not even apply. Coaches of all NTs will be chosen from people who apply for the position and will then be chosen by the committee you mention.
 

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