A question about Bykov in national team.
- Thread starter Jonsson
- Start date
He was fired after abysmal Olympics in Vancouver and 2 bad WCs. His 2nd place in 2010 with basically the whole olympic squad was pretty mind boggling(players like Datsyuk basically saving his arse to the finals). The 2011 WC was the last drop.
However you look at it the main factor was the Olympics. Just ugh... Nobody expected a granted gold medal, but to fail that hard with a roster that good is pure modern art. He should have stepped down by himself after the Olympics. The moment he didn't I lost my sympathy for him. You have to take the blame as a coach, especially to alleviate the effects on the players.
The team loses, the coach gets fired. Nothing to see here, move along. That's my take.
Thoughts on his on ice and off ice style.
On the ice he still preaches the infamous "brazilian hockey"(deriving from an interview by the brazilian soccer NT coach Tele Santana from 1982:"Score on us as much as you can. We will score on you as much as we please."). The all out offence might be exciting to watch for some (mostly casual) fans, but it's easily disrupted by a properly organized team. Bykov doesn't implement an aggressive forecheck even(which I consider a major strength of the current NT coach Znarok) which you'd expect for an offensive minded style. And his D always pinches leaving huge holes in the own end. That works very fine with an all-star forward roster able to outscore the opposition even if they let in 4 or 5. It might even work in the playoffs once. It obviously doesn't work on top level when you face teams and coaches who know a thing or two about shutting down the most prolific offence. And there is Bykov's second weakness. Once in trouble he seems to freeze on the bench. He doesn't change a thing, he's not trying to motivate the team. He's watching the team going down. My guess is because his system is way to much "guys, get out there and have fun" instead of a variety of tactical models. He always talks about how he creates a nice atmosphere in the locker room. And it's a good thing, but sometimes players need clear directions or even a shell shocking speech.
And well off the ice he seems to patiently wait until he's invited to a team bound to win on paper by a nautic mile which is obviously helpful with his style. I'd rather see him try to turn a bottom feeder into a decent team. But something tells me this won't happen... ever.
And then there is his sidekick. Mr.Zakharkin alienated nearly everybody worth knowing in the russian hockey world with his speeches and comments during and after his stint with the NT as Bykov's assistant. The guy has an ego as big as Jupiter at the least. His antics were well beyond good taste. And he sounds like he invented hockey and brought it to Russia for all to learn from him. That played a huge role in their both sacking as ppl he prsonally attacked or spoke of disrespectfully were the ppl who voted on their fate as NT coaching staff too. Speaks volumes about Zakharkins mindfulness. Whether he didn't understand he's shooting himself with such behaviour or he was that much megalomanical at that point he thought he can afford that.
That all would have nothing to do with Bykov, but Bykov continously stated and states that he will only work together with this man till death does them part. That makes them a unity also in ppl's perception. I mean they've got a nickname "BiZ"(Bykov i Zakharkin) and ppl still regard to them that way.
I don't think Bykov is a bad coach. I just think he has his weak spots(who hasn't?). But I don't see him work on them watching SKA right now. And his sidekick is still a world class moron even if he got much much more invisible in the media during their stint with SKA. But God forbid they win the Cup with SKA which is a possibility regarding the humangous universal roster, I expect nothing less but Zakharkin decaring himself the one and only authority on hockey in Russia till Judgement Day.
That all of course have nothing to do with Bykov's legacy as a player.
Caser
@RUSProspects
Basically I will agree with Atas2000 comment. I would like to add that it is not that much about the actual result at Vancouver, but about the fact that he never learned from it. I mean, the whole opinion about him after Vancouver was generally positive, it was like "Ok, we lost this time and it's a coach's loss, but after 4 years Bykov will be much more experienced", but 2011 showed that his level of coaching just deteriorated (even now I remember the Nabokov Vs Bryzgalov pondus issue and that horrible Ovechkin/Afinogenov line 
).
With that said, we should always remember what he did in 2007-2009 period, because that was basically creating the Russia NT from scratch.
).With that said, we should always remember what he did in 2007-2009 period, because that was basically creating the Russia NT from scratch.
no, if I were looking for it I'd use it. it's not exactly run'n'gun and not in a positive way.
and I've seen Rukavishnikov's first game on the NT. if that's how SKA D-men are supposed to play it's more of a fail'n'fail. worst player on the team.
You mean SKA already destroyed the potential of that young and promising kid?
Thanks a lot, Bykov.
Alessandro Seren Rosso
Registered User
Too much Bykov bashing for my taste just because he coaches SKA. He is an excellent coach and is a great motivator. Atas is right when he says that he kind of freezes when his teams are in difficulty. I don't agree that much also when Atas said "I'd rather see him try to turn a bottom feeder into a decent team. But something tells me this won't happen... ever." There are coaches who are good with big teams and coaches who are good with less stacked teams, but fail with big names or with too much pressure. I don't think that Jose Mourinho (sorry for different sport) would make that well with a mid-standing team, for example, he's a coach for big teams. Same for Guardiola. Same for Bykov.
Evaluation basically always implies some critisizm. This is far from a bashing.
No and no. He would be an excelent coach if he'd at least reach the finals at the Olympics. He couldn't because he's good, but not excellent. Recent performance with SKA: the record against top teams is less than impressive, very few blowouts against weaker teams, instead quite a few close wins aginst them. A win is a win, but they obviously tend to win 5:4 games against the likes of Atlant and they lost to Dynamo Moscow, Loko and MMG. In short, I do not expect them to cruise in the playoffs unless they change somethins in the second half of the regular season. And for all the Semenov bashing by the fans, after watching Rukavishnikov play with the NT I doubt he's a great replacement there.
As for being a motivator... Well all his big failures as coach came with teams mentally broken. The great motivator obviously couldn't do a thing about it. Bragin is a great motivator they say. He has a WJC of 3 comeback wins in the final round to show for it. What is Bykov's evidence for being a great motivator? I see him win games he's supposed to win.
That's why I would take other coaches over Guardiola or Bykov. Fair weather coaches are something I personally don't think is coaching.
Alessandro Seren Rosso
Registered User
It's his merit if Team Russia is what it is now. He motivated our stars to get back having an active life with the national team. Our stars are the only stars who will always play for Russia no matter what. I think this means something...
Regarding SKA and playoffs, you maybe right, but also wrong. I think it would be better to wait until this spring to take any conclusion. He already won a title with Salavat
What? I mean then it's Tarasov's.
1.I don't think it's Bykov's achievement.
2.That has nothing to do with being a motivator.
He has won a title with money and hes trying to do it again. That wouldn't impress me.
Alessandro Seren Rosso
Registered User
Well, our national team was very bad at the start of the 2000s, all it got back with Bykov. And you know it.
For the rest, I think we'll agree to disagree
Well, our national team was very bad at the start of the 2000s, all it got back with Bykov. And you know it.
For the rest, I think we'll agree to disagree
With Bykov, not because of Bykov.
Fantomas
Registered User
- Aug 7, 2012
- 13,304
- 6,638
I think that Russia's #1 problem at the senior level, since the 1990s, has been a basic lack of depth, which continues to be the problem. In particular, bad defense and until the last decade, bad goaltending. Also lack of two-way talent at forward.
No coach could win the national team a gold medal at the Olympics. I say this now denial-free. We haven't developed a Slava Fetisov since Slava Fetisov. Zubov was probably our last true HOF defenseman and didn't even want to suit up for the country in most years (he's a *****).
Having said that, Bykov made things worse. Even if Russia was not going to win a gold medal at the Olympics, they could have at least found a way to overachieve and make a semifinal or final. However, under him, they played as if they had no concept of the opponent whatsoever. Poor understanding of matchups, ridiculous special teams, no system, no adjustments.
It is possible to win with a bad coach, but Russia won't unless the country's hockey development improves significantly (and since the advent of the MHL there appears to have been a gradual improvement).
I am basically praying that Zadorov and Provorov turn into the next great blueline pair. But probably they won't.
No coach could win the national team a gold medal at the Olympics. I say this now denial-free. We haven't developed a Slava Fetisov since Slava Fetisov. Zubov was probably our last true HOF defenseman and didn't even want to suit up for the country in most years (he's a *****).
Having said that, Bykov made things worse. Even if Russia was not going to win a gold medal at the Olympics, they could have at least found a way to overachieve and make a semifinal or final. However, under him, they played as if they had no concept of the opponent whatsoever. Poor understanding of matchups, ridiculous special teams, no system, no adjustments.
It is possible to win with a bad coach, but Russia won't unless the country's hockey development improves significantly (and since the advent of the MHL there appears to have been a gradual improvement).
I am basically praying that Zadorov and Provorov turn into the next great blueline pair. But probably they won't.
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