slovakiasnextone
Registered User
Just to clarify this is not yet another negative thread pondering the sad future of Slovak hockey. Kind of the contrary.
2015 could turn out to be a bit of a historic year for Slovak hockey. We have already had our juniors winning a medal at the WJC as unlikely as that possibility might have seemed to many of us, we will have the WC played in neighboring Czech republic, where it will not only be decided wheher Slovakia gets a direct spot at the 2018 Olympics, but where it also will be officially confirmed that Slovakia will host its 2nd World Championship in 2019 as Slovakia is currently the only candidate as the Swiss withdrew their bid (and decided to go for 2020 instead).
But perhaps the most interesting event to follow will take place during the off season, when the elections to the Slovak ice-hockey federation (SZĽH) will take place. Back in February former Slovak national team D-man finished his professional career (he played the season for Dukla TrenčÃn in Slovak league) and has announced that he wants to change Slovak hockey and he has kinda been having a media campaign since then and has been slowly uncovering some more information bit by bit. He has revealed that the plan has been in the making for a few years now and that he has been working on it together with Miroslav Å atan and Peter Bondra. He has not really said much, but the key points would be 1) Changing the Slovak Extraliga into a strong league, 2) also improving youth hockey in a way that would produce more Slovaks drafted into the NHL and 3) he doesn't really repeat the whole 'government needs to give us more money' mantra, instead says that the money that is in Slovak hockey should be used effectively. You can read more in the interview from Slovak weekly .tyzden, where he has probably talked most extensively about the whole thing so far.
Lintner himself has not actually announced that he will run for SZLH president, only that a candidate that will come out of the iniciative wil and who will have the support of the whol golden generation of Slovak players.
Meanwhile incumbent president Igor Nemeček (whom many consider little else but the lap dog of former SZLH president and Slovan Bratislava owner Juraj Å iroký) has announced that he will run for the job once again. Nemeček and Å iroký are likely the most hated people in Slovak hockey (and even beyond hockey when it comes to shady businessman Å iroký: http://spectator.sme.sk/c/20005465/agent-siroky-served-stb-in-d-c-embassy.html, http://spectator.sme.sk/c/20034597/the-spy-who-prospered.html), but it's not the fans or players who get the votes. It's the various Slovak hockey clubs and people from inside the federation. So it's going to be a tough and most likely dirty battle.
You can vote in the poll on who should be the president. As only Nemeček has officially announced his candidature, I went with the three options Nemeček, Lintner's group (whether it's Lintner himself or some other candidate that comes out of the iniciative) and other (if there's a different candidate unconnected to either of the first two).
The interview with Lintner I mentioned above:
2015 could turn out to be a bit of a historic year for Slovak hockey. We have already had our juniors winning a medal at the WJC as unlikely as that possibility might have seemed to many of us, we will have the WC played in neighboring Czech republic, where it will not only be decided wheher Slovakia gets a direct spot at the 2018 Olympics, but where it also will be officially confirmed that Slovakia will host its 2nd World Championship in 2019 as Slovakia is currently the only candidate as the Swiss withdrew their bid (and decided to go for 2020 instead).
But perhaps the most interesting event to follow will take place during the off season, when the elections to the Slovak ice-hockey federation (SZĽH) will take place. Back in February former Slovak national team D-man finished his professional career (he played the season for Dukla TrenčÃn in Slovak league) and has announced that he wants to change Slovak hockey and he has kinda been having a media campaign since then and has been slowly uncovering some more information bit by bit. He has revealed that the plan has been in the making for a few years now and that he has been working on it together with Miroslav Å atan and Peter Bondra. He has not really said much, but the key points would be 1) Changing the Slovak Extraliga into a strong league, 2) also improving youth hockey in a way that would produce more Slovaks drafted into the NHL and 3) he doesn't really repeat the whole 'government needs to give us more money' mantra, instead says that the money that is in Slovak hockey should be used effectively. You can read more in the interview from Slovak weekly .tyzden, where he has probably talked most extensively about the whole thing so far.
Lintner himself has not actually announced that he will run for SZLH president, only that a candidate that will come out of the iniciative wil and who will have the support of the whol golden generation of Slovak players.
Meanwhile incumbent president Igor Nemeček (whom many consider little else but the lap dog of former SZLH president and Slovan Bratislava owner Juraj Å iroký) has announced that he will run for the job once again. Nemeček and Å iroký are likely the most hated people in Slovak hockey (and even beyond hockey when it comes to shady businessman Å iroký: http://spectator.sme.sk/c/20005465/agent-siroky-served-stb-in-d-c-embassy.html, http://spectator.sme.sk/c/20034597/the-spy-who-prospered.html), but it's not the fans or players who get the votes. It's the various Slovak hockey clubs and people from inside the federation. So it's going to be a tough and most likely dirty battle.
You can vote in the poll on who should be the president. As only Nemeček has officially announced his candidature, I went with the three options Nemeček, Lintner's group (whether it's Lintner himself or some other candidate that comes out of the iniciative) and other (if there's a different candidate unconnected to either of the first two).
The interview with Lintner I mentioned above:
For a few years now, we have been writing that a change in our hockey is only possible trhough new people. And that the only people, who are qualified for this are people of your generation. For a long time a lot of you were saying that the time wasn't ripe for that yet. Now it seems that you have decided. Did you?
Yes. Every four years hockey gets a kind of mirror of what works and what doesn't. Seeing the state of hockey and the general interest I started developing profound discussion. And in it I am finding a lot of capable people whoe are interested in joining this process. In the past four years it were the consequences not the causes which were handled in Slovak hockey. It's really necessary to stop ourselves and to set the processes better.
We were waiting who would raise the flag. Whether it would be Miro Šatan, Mišo Handzuš or you. Why did you take the plunge?
In Slovak hockey we all know each other. For years we have been debating about how the things are and howwe could imagine them better. In the frame of this discussion I have realised that huge interest for making significant steps, even outside of hockey exists. And I also learned that in the position, into which I got over the last few years, it will be the right thing if I am the one who launches he initiative, even publically. I am declaring the intention we have, because we have no reason to hide something.
In hockey as well as in this kind of initiatives it's important not to be alone. Does some kind of wider agreement exist?
Of course, it was no individual thing from the beginning. This process has been going on for a longer time, now it's time to offer fisrst information to the public as well. Right now we're trying to finish the final concept, which we will offer to the expert public as well as the federation.
Who specifically?
Peter Bondra, Miro Å atan and me were the ones who brought the ideas together in the end.
How long did it take?
Years. First bigger meeting took place before the World Championships in Helsinki. That was in year 2012, 10th anniversary of the title in Gthenburg. At that time the debate began in the kind of direction that it was just a question of time where it would bring real steps.
Does that mean that you three with Bondra and Å atan would go into it together also at the congress?
Now, we're not talking about the congress or the numbers.
Will you have their public support?
The candidate who will arise from this process will have universal support of our generation at the congress. I can say as much even now.
Of the whole generation?
If we're talking about the most siginificant ones, then for sure.
You as a generation used to professional conditions and a functionong system are returning to Slovakia. But here you will see how nothing works. You see ugly rinks, neglected methods, old structures. Where do you take the confidence that it's possible to change it?
That is one of the reasons why it's me talking to you. I know our situation. I was in the US, in Sweden, in Finland, in Switzerland, I played in the KHL and 8x I started the season in Slovakia. That's why I know what kind of challenges Slovak players, coaches or managers face. That's why people to whom I am presenting my vision believe in it.
I understand that. But I am asking whether it is possible to change the current situation really fast.
Of course it is possible. I am convinced that setting the system in a way that it's more effective can be done very quickly.
The argument of the ones who are in hockey right now is that it's not possible. The players don't have good incomes, the clubs don't have money for youth or for nice environment for fans. For years it's being said that with the given amount of money it's impossible to do it in any other way.
(Smiles.) In the first place we should not be looking at the question with the "us and them" optics. Only we exist. We, hockey players.
So do you, golden generation, say that there's enough money?
First of all we need to ask ourselves whether we are fullfilling the potential of the favourite game in Slovakia. The answer is clear: No. Then however, there is the question whether we can create a system, which would highten the chance to fullfill this potential. And I am answering that we do. Its evident.
Even financially?
We can't look at the situation only through the prism of money. First we need to offera product, which will be attractive for the consumer. Only then you can attract the money. The classical solution that if you give me money, I will create America here, is an illusion. That's not the way things work. The concept we are working on right now, should be set in a way to effectively use its given space in Slovak conditions. And even now there's enough money in hockey to start this process. It's pure fact.
What should be the first steps in order to fullfill the potential of our hockey? What for example needs to happen so that people will start going to Slovak league games?
The fact is that in each of ou cities, there is more hockey fans than can fit into the hockey rink. Nobody doubts that. From this POV the rinks are actually undersized. We have potential customers, we just can't convince them and offer them an attractive product. If we're going to measure our success in growing numbers of peopel at Extraliga, let's think about how to make it more attractive.
Well how?
Ask anyone who you meet what they think about first in connection with Slovak Extraliga. I guarantee you that 95% of the associations will be negative. The Extraligue has real bad identity. It's what we need to change first. And that can only be done if we bring clear and readble rules that will not be nroken. If we bring people, who have public trust, a lot of practical things will change really quick.
This is a realistic solution that can be done very quickly. Bad image of the Extraliga is however also caued by the image seen on TV - ugly ice rink, nets, boards. Why is it like this?
I can show you in each Slovak club at least one person, who tries to change things. But as their playing on their own it doesn't fit the trend of the whole Extraliga.Even though an intention exists, the whole league isn't working together in one direction and thus a lot of energy is burned for nothing.
It's possible to change the image. But at the start of the season the selection of the players will still be done based on real budget. And if the player gets an offe to play for Sparta, why should he stay in Trencin?
Even in this, it's not completely about money only. If it were, I would not have played 8 times for Trencin pretty much for free. Miso Handzus would not play in Bystrica, Jozko Stumpel in Nitra. Hockey is about prestige. If the league starts to have confidence and will be 'cool' it will attract players just based on this image. I know that's how it works, I've been in this business my whole life. This is a tool with which you can work pretty well in Slovak conditions. Slovak league still has big tradition. If we managed to develop things, which don't cost almost any money, we would make the first step, and then the next one and next one could come. Not much time would pass and you'd see that our concurent leagues would have to work hard to match us. If we take the right direction, I believe that it won't takelong and in many factors we can surpass for example the Czech league.
Even in the quality of hockey?
I will surprise you: This will be the first thing in which we will surpass them. Even though economically we will be weaker for a long time still.
You think that better players would stay here just for a better working league?
Yes. The players, naturally, want to be a part of something, which is good. If it were just abou economic power, why would the Swedish league for example come out so much stronger in comparison to the Czech league, when it's not such a big difference financially?
In summary you think that your system can generate better hockey for today's amount of money?
Yes, exactly. Additionally, even the first steps will generate more money.
In Slovakia we have big companies which sponsor all kinds of things from charity to education, but with the exception of Slovnaft they very rarely support hockey. Personally, I believe that it's becasue they don't trust that if they give money into hockey, this money will really be used in hockey.
You see! You claim this because that is how you feel it from your experience. So it is possible that some companies which would like to support hockey really have some kind of barrier due o this. Our task will be to break this barrier and to create a product, which will be worth sponsoring.
So that people don't get the feeling that we're talking about exponentially high amounts of money, how much money would be needed for a normalleague. A million, ten, thirty?
If we had an Extraliga for which we could spend 10 millions a year, we woulc be completely alright But our plan is not about asking for money. Just based on first discussions I had a few phone call from very strong companies who are interested in joining the renewed league.
Are the rinks a solvabe problem?
Rinks are and aren't a hockey problem. They belong to the cities. Today it's hard to imagine how the clubs could generate money for a new or reconstructed stadium. It's not possible today. In this direction the support of the states and cities is key.
When the footbal players* have managed it, why not the hockey players?
In hockey there are part reconstructions from the money of the cities...
...the reconstructions of footbal stadiums are however financed also from the government budget. If you say that hockey is the most popular sport in Slovakia, it's strange that the hockey ones aren't.
You see, that's how it works here. I have noticed it as well. I think that even at government level some kind of room must exist, which could help hockey.
What kind of role does Slovan Bratislava's position play in your plans?
When I disregard the fact that Slovan joining one of the regional concurent leagues would equal to hockey high treason and when I completely abandon the morality of it, let's look at it. It's evident that more than for a show people go to hockey games due to emotion. More than 4000 people came to final of 1.liga between Spisska Nova Ves and Detva.The fact that emotion is key is undeniable. When you ask a 100 people whether there will be bigger emotion for a Slovan fan a game with Kosice or a game with Graz 99 all of them will have the same answer.
What conclusion should be taken from that?
That if we look at it from the prism of attendance as the key factor, then the Slovak league is a much better provider of emotion than EBEL. There is a lot of money,but it just won't produce as many emotions. It's not capable.
In Slovan there's the problem that they have a big financial debt towards players. And quite logically it will pay it there, where's more money.
So let's name the problem. They probably don't intend to pay the debt in the space of two months. But when we look at the long time concept, there's more money there, where more people go to the games. Then the club is more attractive for sponsors, sells more tickets, season tickets. I think that with a good scenario the Slovak extraliga will be able to offer a comparable offer.
From the point of view of your project Slovan's presence in Slovakia's top league is very important?
When the biggest symbol of Slovak hockey leave to the concurrence it's at the expense of our hockey. Even the biggest Slovan fan must see that. I am however convinced that Slovak hockey matters to Slovan. And that the decision it will make will be the correct one.
As a fan of Slovan I went both to Slovak league and to the KHL games. Before zour initiative came I had the feeling that I might not be going to the KHL anymore, but I would much prefer going to the functioning Czech league than a non functioning Slovak one. But this is a new situation.
And that's why I'm talking about it. So that the fans would understand that this kind of direction is realistic.
The hockey congress should be in June. Isn't there danger that should success come at the Worlds, the demand for change will disappear?
We will all be very happy about potential success, because it would mean making our sport more attactive. But whether hockey is developing well or not isn't based on one tourney.
But that's how we often are.
I really don't think that the next developments will stand on success or lack thereof. It's essential to make new steps, so that we can improve the potential for success.
There are less and less Slovaks in the NHL. This trend is an exact image of the waz things work here. Despite that there still are players like Tatar, Jurco or Reway growing up here. How is this even possible?
Even though I am no psychologist, this is how I see it - a good sysem createspotential to develop a lot of good players. But if the system doesn't work, there's potential that the individuals who manage to break trough the bad system will be stronger and more successfull. They are mentally better. But we don't want one-two good players. We want new generations.
During the golden era 10 years ago we knew all Slovak NHL players by name, we knew their stats, we watched their actions daily. Is it possible to renew something like this?
It's true that back in our times it was easier to get into the NHL than today. My concurrence at the draft were Americans, Canadians, Russians a few Swedes or Finns. I don't know if there even was a Swiss or a Dane drafted before me. The concurrence is much bigger today. But despite that some countries managed to get ahead of us. Let's compare ourselves with countries with which we can compete, bu with which we keep on lososing. This has to be the first step. Not to compare with the past, but with similar countries.
Why are we behind these countries?
Up to age of about 15 our teams are competitive. But then the momen comes, when the boys get into an age when it's really time to take it serriously - and then our opponents start running away from us.
That's clear proof that it's a problem of the whole system
Exactly. If we correct the system, we will be much more competitive than today.
With what kind of order are you going into the whole thing?
The key platform is our top league. Everything starts from there. The interest of youth, public, and later national team as well. But we believe that the application of our concept on youth will in the end result in higher numbers of players drafted to the NHL from Slovakia. We're going into it with that right from the beginning.
How many years will it take?
If we base it on the fact that up to 15 years we are competitive, even 13 year olds of today should feel the change. So in four years we should have potential of more drafted players. I'm not afraid to declare this.
In the end the delegates will be the ones to decide everything and those are mainly the delegates of th club...
...yes, those are clubs, but it's not that simple. A key exists there, which isn't very fair in my opinion. For example every Extraliga team has 3 votes, every 1.liga team has 2 and all other clubs have just one. I see this as a kind of a paralel of parliament. However in hockey even government has its votes. So the president, secretary, economic director, the executive committee, a delegate of each special committee. That's about another twenty votes. So if we want to change the system of ou hockey, we need to start with this kind of way of voting.
For long years it was said that it's hard to win in th battle for chief of the hockey federation because most of the votes belong to the clubs who are dependent on the few Euro they get from the federation. That's why hey can't afford to go against the candidate, which the federation wants and that's why they vote for a candidate with whom they don't agree. Why should this change?
That's not the way I look at it. The clubs will be able to pick between someone who represents the current state and someone who will represnt new steps. I don't think that the clubs would want to repeat their voting from 4 years ago. Where their projections fullfilled? If I thought so, it would mean that everything works and our activity is unnecessary. But I really don't think that. What we will offer to the congress will be attractive. To put it simply - our system won't offer less monez=y to the clubs, but more.
You mentioned Bondra and Å atan. On the other side there are much weaker names. That should mean that you will win. Will you win?
I will continuously repeat that we don't want to divide between us and the others. Today I know that our team will come with something. Maybe it will be the only one, maybe there will be ten of the others. I will only be happy if we bring our heads together and come up with something.
In three months time it will be after the Congress. Will we have a new chief?
Our efforts will bring results.
*Currently several football stadiums all over the country are being built and mostly rebuilt with the support of government money.
