“I know that Sparta has high expectations of me, which I want to fulfill 100%,” reports the Písek native in an interview for the club website.
Last season for him started with a very black script. After the knee operation, he did not have time to put himself in a hurry until the start of the year, for Ekaterinburg he only caught the introductory duel of the KHL, and in mid-September both parties agreed on an early termination of cooperation. Kovář himself did not know at the time whether it was just a temporary break or the end of his career.
However, the health condition of the former goalkeeper of České Budějovice and the owner of two bronze medals from the World Championships improved, so in January he reached for Zurich’s offer. And the knee has been holding even after a demanding team in recent months.
“I have to knock, but maybe so. It lasted perfectly the whole second half of the season, I started for two months almost every day. The problem was that in Russia he was not used to exertion too soon after the operation, he needed more time. Now I feel great, as before, “Kovář praises.
Stace in Zurich fit him perfectly. The team made it to the finals against Zug, over which they even led 3-0 in matches. But even that was not enough for the title, on the contrary, his a year younger brother, forward Jan, rejoiced.
Jakub Kovář.Photo: Vlastimil VacekThe law
“Disappointment has not disappeared, which it probably has never been. I don’t go home with tears in my eyes, but I’m sorry that I was close to my first title, which I let lie down, “lamented Jakub Kovář, who had a 93.76 percent success rate in elimination fights, an average of 1.83 goals per match. and twice kept a clean sheet, only Leonardo Genoni of the Champions team had better numbers.
The blacksmith in Zurich was also staffed by the experienced Swedish coach Rikard Grönborg, who in his career led the Three Crowns to three world titles.
“We had a lot of fun. Not just about our team, but about the whole hockey team. We have established a fairly friendly relationship. I even recommended him when looking for a foreign coach for the (Czech) national team. He himself showed interest in the position, so I sent the number to the union, “Kovář surprised. In the end, the domestic general did not listen to his offer and elected Finn Kari Jalonen as Filip Pešán’s successor.
In Zurich, they offered the Czech goalkeeper an extension of the contract, but without success. “Zurich cared a lot about me, but I had already signed with Sparta and wanted to return home. The son starts school in September, commuting to the Czech Republic would not be an option, so even from this point of view, the best time to return. Sparta has been in contact with me since my knee problems came to light. We made a quick agreement. They offered me help, they treated me great, “he praises.
He is looking forward to working with the new coach Pavel Patera in the Prague club. He admired the four-time world champion and Olympic champion from Nagano as a young boy. “Pavel Patera is my childhood and hockey beginnings. When my brother and I played hockey behind the barracks all our youth, there were mainly two hockey players for us – Procházka and Patera, “the older Kovářů recalls.
“We haven’t met yet, so I don’t want to be behind someone who gets in his ass,” he smiles. with Ota Vejvoda, and when his arrival in Sparta was announced, I was pleased to fulfill another hockey dream, “admits Kovář.
After a demanding season, he now wants to take two weeks off, then he throws himself into preparation for the new season. “I will be in the Czech Republic. I waited to see if they called from the national team. I think I had a season so I could ask for an invitation. But the call did not come, so they will start planning the summer only now, “he concludes.
