How irrelevant has Spartak become and can they fix it?

[TheNomad]

Spartak Moscow has a good hockey history and even had some decent success in the first few years of the KHL when they had three straight playoff appearances including a trip to the conference semifinals in 09-10.

The last two years however have not been successful, especially last season when they finished fourth worst in the league. Obviously in Moscow they are behind Dynamo, CSKA, and Atlant, but last year they even finished behind Vityaz and looking at the predictions for this year, a fair number of people think Vityaz will be better than them again.

Spartak did have some nice additions in the offseason in Jeff Glass, Deron Quint, Alexander Ryazantsev but can they make enough impact to get this club out of the cellar or will Spartak continue to languish in the bottom of the league for the forseeable future?

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[penepi]

Well, they've strengthen the quality of their roster with no doubts. However, Spartak is not a big club - they cannot make several big transfers at once like, for instance, Lev. Therefore, it's a marathon run for them, I dare say.

 

[Hockeyfan31*]

**** club, **** players, **** arena, **** fans. Only thing they have is 'istory

 

[TheNomad]

Well, they've strengthen the quality of their roster with no doubts. However, Spartak is not a big club - they cannot make several big transfers at once like, for instance, Lev. Therefore, it's a marathon run for them, I dare say.

Yes, the additions of Lev and Donbass in the West seem to even further the odds of Spartak because those are just more teams that can spend more than them.

 

[Sucro]

There are clubs "with history" in the VHL, why don't Spartak become one? I see no future for Vityaz as well, 3 clubs for Moscow and region are enough, especially considering western expansion plans.

 

[obskyr]

I like their "What if there was no Spartak?" video.



The irony is that not many people would even notice if they crashed just like Krylya did. The club has been pretty dead for the last 20 years. Today, given the level of competition in the western conference, not even Milos Riha would be able to repeat the success of the earlier seasons.

But still I'd personally miss Spartak much more than Neftekhimik or Metallurg Novokuznetsk. The Moscow Four Three has that unique vibe comparable to the NHL Original Six. It's all their fault now, and if they really cared for their future they'd consider moving to Podolsk before Vityaz did.

 

[Kshahdoo]

They should fire Karpin... Ah, well, you mean hockey Spartak... They just need a good owner.

 

[Acallabeth]

They should fire Karpin... Ah, well, you mean hockey Spartak... They just need a good owner.

Beat me to it.
#valeraverim

 

[Latgale_fan]

I like their "What if there was no Spartak?" video.



The irony is that not many people would even notice if they crashed just like Krylya did. The club has been pretty dead for the last 20 years. Today, given the level of competition in the western conference, not even Milos Riha would be able to repeat the success of the earlier seasons.

But still I'd personally miss Spartak much more than Neftekhimik or Metallurg Novokuznetsk. The Moscow Four Three has that unique vibe comparable to the NHL Original Six. It's all their fault now, and if they really cared for their future they'd consider moving to Podolsk before Vityaz did.

I like the fact that even the clubs' official promo video acknowledges the state of Spartak now. Under the Spartak logo it's written ''Thank's that you [Spartak] exist!" It's like even the guys at Spartak know that there won't be any good things for the club this season and fans should just be happy that there still is such a club on KHL map

I don't know how about you but for me though Spartak has aways felt more like an extension of its football team which cannot really be said about Dynamo or CSKA hockey teams... I mean the last time they won the title was, judging by wikipedia, 1976. Ozo was only 4 then, so it must qualify as ancient history, the time when people still lived in caves and ate raw meat.

 

[obskyr]

I don't know how about you but for me though Spartak has aways felt more like an extension of its football team which cannot really be said about Dynamo or CSKA hockey teams... I mean the last time they won the title was, judging by wikipedia, 1976. Ozo was only 4 then, so it must qualify as ancient history, the time when people still lived in caves and ate raw meat.

But not even those prehistoric people saw the Leafs playing in the Stanley Cup final!

 

[Domen]

Well, inviting Kanareikin as a coach was the first step to fix it but seriously, Spartak now is an absolute nobody in KHL and I have a feeling that it is becoming one in Moscow too. I really think they should move from Moscow somewhere else, history or not. Even CSKA for now can't keep up with Dynamo attendance wise, Spartak has no hopes for that.

 

[Pominville Knows]

Yeah they can move and keep the name to Spartak Oslo. By the way, Oslo Oilers would be a nice alternative, they can re-direct some oil money from going to their pension funds and put it in the team instead.

Too bad about Spartak Moskow anyhow, when i tried to get a favourite team in the KHL last season i fell for them, mainly becouse of Yakushev but also that title stolen from CSKA in 1976. Well well, it's Jokerit now anyhow.

 

[Latgale_fan]

I wanted to say that only God can save the club but then remembered it's Russia and replaced God with Putin (#CSKA).

 

[ndd17]

Two wins at the start of the season. Two shutout Jeff Glass. Great first line Rastislav Spirko -Tom Wandell-Matt Anderson.

 

[Salavat Yulaev]

Unlike to other soviet clubs Spartak never belong to any ministry or department like police (Dinamo), army (CSKA, SKA) or railroads (Lokomotiv).
It was always a real people's team and I am glad that this year they have a chance to get to playoff

 

[jaco]

It was always a real people's team

No better name then than Spartak.... Slave leader of the gladiator's uprising back in ancient Rome.... "A working class hero is something to be" as Lennon put it

 

[obskyr]

Unlike to other soviet clubs Spartak never belong to any ministry or department like police (Dinamo), army (CSKA, SKA) or railroads (Lokomotiv).
It was always a real people's team and I am glad that this year they have a chance to get to playoff

All Soviet teams except for SKAs and Dynamos belonged to trade unions. Spartak was just the most succesful of them all.

 

[Latgale_fan]

It was always a real people's team and I am glad that this year they have a chance to get to playoff

Kinda early to judge after the first two games. They've got two wins and Glass hasn't allowed a goal yet, but Atlant has its own problems at the moment (hopelessly lost to Yugra) and the same seems to be the case with Slovan too...

Well, we see how they do further on. Next up Dinamo Rīga should be a great test, as both teams have started the season very well (perhaps better than expected) and both covet that play-off spot.

 

[cska78]

Spartak has poor attanendace poor arena and a poor school, there's nothing positive about them...Even in the worst years of it's existance CSKA has produced the likes of Samsonov, Pronin, Petrunin, Mozyakin (to a degree), Leshev, Brylin...
There's certainly needs to be around, just for the rivary, but they need to work on the PR, same goes for CSKA (and try using the dough wisely as well)

 

[Peter25]

Spartak has poor attanendace poor arena and a poor school, there's nothing positive about them...Even in the worst years of it's existance CSKA has produced the likes of Samsonov, Pronin, Petrunin, Mozyakin (to a degree), Leshev, Brylin...
There's certainly needs to be around, just for the rivary, but they need to work on the PR, same goes for CSKA (and try using the dough wisely as well)

Kovalchuk is a Spartak product.

 

[cska78]

Kovalchuk is a Spartak product.

no, Tver'

 

[Salavat Yulaev]

All Soviet teams except for SKAs and Dynamos belonged to trade unions. Spartak was just the most succesful of them all.

Lokomotiv - railways
Krylya Sovetov - aviation industry
Zenit - engineering production
Trudovie reservy - students of vocational schools
Burevestnik - student of universities

Spartak was for everybody cause everybody in the USSR was a member of some trade union

 

[obskyr]

Lokomotiv - railways
Krylya Sovetov - aviation industry
Zenit - engineering production
Trudovie reservy - students of vocational schools
Burevestnik - student of universities

Spartak was for everybody cause everybody in the USSR was a member of some trade union

It was
- trade unions of railways
- trade unions of aviation industry
etc

The Spartak society represented trade unions of light industry, education, transportation, public administration and trade. It wasn't for every trade union. The secret of its popularity (and averaje Joe's myths around it that you're trying to represent here) is that Spartak had the most successful Russian soccer team in the USSR. Nothing else was exceptional about Spartak.

Oh, yeah, it was a Moscow club, so it was easy for them to bring over players all across the country. They just didn't have a draft and had to rely on scouting more, which isn't different from say Krylya Sovetov.

 

[Salavat Yulaev]

It was
- trade unions of railways
- trade unions of aviation industry
etc

Very specific trade unions right?

The Spartak society represented trade unions of light industry, education, transportation, public administration and trade. It wasn't for every trade union. The secret of its popularity (and averaje Joe's myths around it that you're trying to represent here) is that Spartak had the most successful Russian soccer team in the USSR. Nothing else was exceptional about Spartak.

Since 1960 Spartak was assigned to develop sport among workers of cooperative organizations (kolkhozes and others), local industries, and government organizations which in total covers 99% of population of the USSR cause almost every business and organization belonged to the government.

Oh, yeah, it was a Moscow club, so it was easy for them to bring over players all across the country. They just didn't have a draft and had to rely on scouting more, which isn't different from say Krylya Sovetov.

Spartak was not a Moscow club. Spartak was in every big city of the USSR.

 

[obskyr]

Very specific trade unions right?

Well, it's you who listed them. There were much wider DSOs like Trud.

Since 1960 Spartak was assigned to develop sport among workers of cooperative organizations (kolkhozes and others), local industries, and government organizations which in total covers 99% of population of the USSR cause almost every business and organization belonged to the government.

Not at all, for instance kolkhozes were the responsibility of Urozhai and at least 1/4 of the Soviet citizens were involved in heavy industry (so it's Zenits, Torpedos, Avangards) by default. Spartak was big, I don't argue with that. But 99% is little too much, try 146% next time. Just because everything belonged to the same system doesn't mean that every worker was a government official or whatever.

Spartak was not a Moscow club. Spartak was in every big city of the USSR.

And only one Spartak was the champion.

You should keep in mind that Moscow easily had a larger local Spartak-affiliated base than cities like Chelyabinsk due to its social and economic strucutre. That also made Spartak bigger in Moscow comparing to industrial Torpedo and Krylya (Zenit) societies.