Slovan Bratislava 2014/2015 season talk - Part II

[penepi]

There will always be haters. Too bad for them. I know a slovak guy from the east of the country who does not like anything to do with Bratislava, the guy simply does not like Western Slovakia. We have to disregard such opinions.

At the same time, does it matter how the money is gotten? Look at it like this: the Russians got milked for a lot of money. Who cares how they got milked, the point is that they got milked.

Haters like a friend of yours do not matter, it is just ideological losers. But I can really identify with honest people who cannot stand what has been happening with Slovan's owner and this money-searching progress (our idiotic PM's visit in Moscow where he behaved like Putin's butler) recently. Because it has really been awful to be honest and straightforward with you.
Anyway, I am happy that we might be (nothing is official yet!) staying in the first place. You can call me a selfish person, I'd rather call it a cynical pragmatism.

 

[kp61c]

Sanctions or not, Russia will still have a lot of money. It's a rich country. The big question is how long will they be willing to fund Slovan? If the news article is three years, then I would hope that the Slovak side gets their stuff in order by then, so that the Russians won't lose patience.

Slovan is not this thing called Medvescak... they are known to not be able to compete without Russian money, but Slovan is expected to live without Russian money at some point.

that's absurd and stupid. yep, it's has a lot of money. but what do u mean by that? disparity among the rich and the poor? the number of billionaires?then yes, you can count russia in. again, in today's russia to sponsor foreign teams by money made by pumping natural resources abroad is amoral. and who are those mysterious sponsors? they are from putin's clique. yes, they sanction them and then happily get money them. wtf is it? it's so difficult to be consistent hypocrites

 

[loppa*]

that's absurd and stupid. yep, it's has a lot of money. but what do u mean by that? disparity among the rich and the poor? the number of billionaires?then yes, you can count russia in. again, in today's russia to sponsor foreign teams by money made by pumping natural resources abroad is amoral. and who are those mysterious sponsors? they are from putin's clique. yes, they sanction them and then happily get money them. wtf is it? it's so difficult to be consistent hypocrites

I am not a fan of Putin, nor am I of Russia throwing money left and right. However, for the Russian image and soft-power it is important to be able to keep Slovan in the league. That is in Russians interests, isn't it? It's also Slovan's interests, them being in the league is good for everyone.

Russia has certain issues and it can go about fixing those issues without letting Slovan fall out of the league. The bulk of the big money being spent is going towards pointless soccer infrastructure at the moment, isn't that right? Considering that hockey is such a small fraction of total spending, I think that it would make sense to leave criticism of hockey alone a bit. There is an endless list of ways that one can criticize, but, we need some positivity I think. I know, it's easier for me to say this than anything, and yeah, Putin is no Lukashenko (who has gone out of the way big time for investing into hockey), but, I want to be optimistic...


Also, yes, Russia is very rich. The citizens, no, they're not, but the country itself is.

 

[kp61c]

soft power? do u know how many trillions ussr spend by building communism around the world? do u know what a spectacular rain of money putin and his cronies poured on ukraine during the last decade? soft power my ass anyway, let's not hijack this thread any longer

 

[loppa*]

soft power? do u know how many trillions ussr spend by building communism around the world? do u know what a spectacular rain of money putin and his cronies poured on ukraine during the last decade? soft power my ass anyway, let's not hijack this thread any longer

Hockey expenditures are not trillions of dollars. I mean, it helps Russia's image to have Slovan in its league. It is a small expenditure compared to how much money is put into hockey within Russia. And, Slovan is much more desirable for the league than a number of other teams currently in the league.

Certain projects are indeed throwing away money. But, would you for a second make the case that the KHL is better off without Slovan? Any neighboring league would love to have the opportunity to take them from the KHL, imo.

 

[penepi]

that's absurd and stupid. yep, it's has a lot of money. but what do u mean by that? disparity among the rich and the poor? the number of billionaires?then yes, you can count russia in. again, in today's russia to sponsor foreign teams by money made by pumping natural resources abroad is amoral. and who are those mysterious sponsors? they are from putin's clique. yes, they sanction them and then happily get money them. wtf is it? it's so difficult to be consistent hypocrites

I thinks it is a win-win deal. Those few millions that Slovan is about to get from Russian investors is literally nothing for them. Conversely, I dare say it is ridiculous amount of money for keeping the club in the league. Not that Slovan is some most important organisation in the KHL, but every single foreign team is substantial and help to build league's image.

 

[Wien]

Development system

Hopefully the franchise will improve their development system as well. Who were they using as a development/feeder club last year? I can't actually recall they were using any.

 

[penepi]

Banská Bystrica (unofficially).

 

[IamherefortheFinn]

again, in today's russia to sponsor foreign teams by money made by pumping natural resources abroad is amoral. and who are those mysterious sponsors? they are from putin's clique. yes, they sanction them and then happily get money them. wtf is it? it's so difficult to be consistent hypocrites

Have to admit that there is some merit to this argument. The whole KHL -project has left me with a little bit of mixed fealings. :-/

 

[penepi]

http://sport.sme.sk/c/7862937/extraligu-vyzrebuju-bez-slovana.html?ref=trz

Slovak League schedule lot will be done without Slovan. There should be an official statement regarding club's continuance in the KHL on some official league's session tomorrow (17 June).

 

[ebis]

Sport Ekspress confirmed it today, Slovan stays in KHL

 

[ult]

Yeah. Chernishenko just said that the only difference is that Atlant is out and Spartak is in. 28 teams. 60 games. 2 games against every team from both conferences and 6 additional games based on geography.

 

[maxim84]

Congrats on staying in the K! See you in Zagreb, I hope we see some good games between us.

 

[Faterson]

... and 98% of reader comments on Slovak websites are not congratulations, but they're spewing hatred and ridicule at Slovan. Slovan has always been unpopular in Slovakia outside of Bratislava, but this has really reached a whole new level now that Slovan plays in the KHL. Basically, the bad quality and financial problems of Slovak league are now blamed squarely on Slovan, due to having left for the KHL.

(Plus, 3 years ago, Russia was perceived as a standard European country, as opposed to today, which only serves to rev up the hatred and ridicule even more.)

 

[loppa*]

... and 98% of reader comments on Slovak websites are not congratulations, but they're spewing hatred and ridicule at Slovan. Slovan has always been unpopular in Slovakia outside of Bratislava, but this has really reached a whole new level now that Slovan plays in the KHL. Basically, the bad quality and financial problems of Slovak league is now blamed squarely on Slovan, due to having left for the KHL.

(Plus, 3 years ago, Russia was perceived as a standard European country, as opposed to today, which only serves to rev up the hatred and ridicule even more.)

Haters will be haters, I am not sure what else can be said.

At any rate, that's why the Slovan arena will be the only arena I visit in Slovakia, in a couple weeks.

 

[ebis]

... and 98% of reader comments on Slovak websites are not congratulations, but they're spewing hatred and ridicule at Slovan. Slovan has always been unpopular in Slovakia outside of Bratislava, but this has really reached a whole new level now that Slovan plays in the KHL. Basically, the bad quality and financial problems of Slovak league are now blamed squarely on Slovan, due to having left for the KHL.

(Plus, 3 years ago, Russia was perceived as a standard European country, as opposed to today, which only serves to rev up the hatred and ridicule even more.)

Well, let's be honest. Bratislava (in sports and in general) has always had a certain amount of haters. The amount of haters of Russia might have increased in the past couple of months, but that's not the main reason for all the Slovan hate.

The main reason is Široký. He has always been hated but the recent scandals are worse than ever before. I would also love to see him (and everyone related to him, by blood or business) completely gone from hockey, but meh, I love Slovan in KHL more than I hate him.

 

[slovakiasnextone]

Well, let's be honest. Bratislava (in sports and in general) has always had a certain amount of haters. The amount of haters of Russia might have increased in the past couple of months, but that's not the main reason for all the Slovan hate.

The main reason is Široký. He has always been hated but the recent scandals are worse than ever before. I would also love to see him (and everyone related to him, by blood or business) completely gone from hockey, but meh, I love Slovan in KHL more than I hate him.

It is true that there's a lot of perhaps irrational hatred towards Slovan between Slovak fans as it's just the club people love to hate (regardless on whether Široký is or isn't there).

Personally, I find Slovan continuing in the KHL to be disappointing because for one thing I don't think it's a viable option in the long term and I expect it to be the same older story that it was sonner rather than later. Furthermore as a fan of Slovak hockey rather than Slovan (or any Extraliga club) I find that Slovan in the KHL has no benefits for Slovak hockey whatsoever, the Extraliga has already suffer from it a lot in the past (as it's identity was from a large part build upon the rivality /or hate/ between Slovan and the other clubs. You can't really compare it to Jokeriti leaving the Finnish league) and after the last three years hardly anyone can still believe that it has some kind of benefit for the Slovak national team. The sole benefit is that the fans in Bratislava get to see the KHL and for me that doesn't seem worth it in the long run.

When you add the whole Široký business to that as well as having the countries prime minister asking the president of Russia for money for Slovan, while the clubs in the home league are barely surviving and then the fact that most Slovak fans are looking towards next Thursday with hope of seeing a restart of Slovak hockey, it's not surprising that some would see it as Slovan turning it's back on Slovak hockey. The apolitical statements from Slovan's fanclub regarding the federation elections also added to the flames, considering who Slovan's owners are. Also seeing at least 3 different articles on Slovan a day (often with contradictory statements) is rather annoying, but considering how much discussion they reuslt in, I suppose you could say that the media are only writing about what the fans want to hear.

 

[Jakk123]

It is true that there's a lot of perhaps irrational hatred towards Slovan between Slovak fans as it's just the club people love to hate (regardless on whether Široký is or isn't there).

Personally, I find Slovan continuing in the KHL to be disappointing because for one thing I don't think it's a viable option in the long term and I expect it to be the same older story that it was sonner rather than later. Furthermore as a fan of Slovak hockey rather than Slovan (or any Extraliga club) I find that Slovan in the KHL has no benefits for Slovak hockey whatsoever, the Extraliga has already suffer from it a lot in the past (as it's identity was from a large part build upon the rivality /or hate/ between Slovan and the other clubs. You can't really compare it to Jokeriti leaving the Finnish league) and after the last three years hardly anyone can still believe that it has some kind of benefit for the Slovak national team. The sole benefit is that the fans in Bratislava get to see the KHL and for me that doesn't seem worth it in the long run.

When you add the whole Široký business to that as well as having the countries prime minister asking the president of Russia for money for Slovan, while the clubs in the home league are barely surviving and then the fact that most Slovak fans are looking towards next Thursday with hope of seeing a restart of Slovak hockey, it's not surprising that some would see it as Slovan turning it's back on Slovak hockey. The apolitical statements from Slovan's fanclub regarding the federation elections also added to the flames, considering who Slovan's owners are. Also seeing at least 3 different articles on Slovan a day (often with contradictory statements) is rather annoying, but considering how much discussion they reuslt in, I suppose you could say that the media are only writing about what the fans want to hear.

I agree 100 %.

 

[Faterson]

Booh. The Slovak league as a top-tier league is a product of Mečiar (and worse) nationalism of the early 1990s. The best Slovak hockey teams should play in quality international leagues – Czechoslovakia until 1992, KHL or others today. The Slovak league should be a second-tier developmental league, just like the AHL performs that role for the NHL, or just like the second-tier Slovak league used to perform that role just fine for many decades in Czechoslovakia.

Right now, 3 "top" Slovak league teams are facing bankruptcy, so that they perhaps will be unable to start the following season. And you want to blame all of that on Slovan leaving for/staying in the KHL? I for one hope Slovan will never again return to this league that should never have existed as a top-tier league in the first place.

 

[loppa*]

If I may add - the KHL would simply take the good slovakian players if slovan is not in the league. Look at it this way guys - the KHL financers are actually providing some funding so that some slovaks can play IN slovakia rather than be simply take away to other KHL teams, which would have been the case had slovan not been part of the KHL.


I also feel that the hockey infrastructure/arena which slovan has makes it not fair for the team to be part of the slovak league. They're a whole class higher with that big arena. This is a relatively new thing, as the arena is rather new. Lets not forget the benefits that this gives to Bratislava - makes it look like a more global/international city.