At the opening match of Slovakia at the World Cup 2024 in Ostrava, a person who did not even wear a jersey received the biggest applause.
The name Craig Ramsay was accompanied by a louder reaction from the audience than with stars such as Juraj Slafkovský, Šimon Nemec or Tomáš Tatar.
It was a clear confirmation of the position he had built during his time with the national team.
On Friday evening, Slovak fans applauded him for the last time. Standing, of course.
Ramsay said goodbye to the Slovak national bench with a 3:2 overtime win over Latvia.
Amazing experience
“It is a great honor for me to stand here,” he began his short speech in English, recalling the very beginnings.
“When Miro called me, I simply said yes. I always respected him as a person, as well as the Slovak players I had the opportunity to lead.
When I flew over the ocean for the first time, I was like: What are you doing? You don’t know the language, you don’t know the players.
But from day one it was an amazing, really amazing experience. To be a part of this country, of this hockey… After all these years, I really feel like a part of it,” continued the likeable Canadian.
VIDEO: Craig Ramsay’s speech
“I came to Slovakia to do my job. And I did it. I tried to do my best and I got huge support from a lot of people.
Thank you everyone. I really appreciate it. I thank the players who fought for me, the entire implementation team and colleagues who supported me throughout the journey.”
According to his own words, he is leaving the Slovak national team in good hands, Vladimír Országh became his successor after seven years.
“I am convinced that he will do a fantastic job. So once again – thank you all,” added Ramsay, standing on the bench for the Slovak hockey players for the last time.
“I didn’t do much today, that’s for sure. I was just enjoying the moment, soaking up the emotion from the stands and watching the guys work hard. It was a really special night for me that I’ll never forget.
I’m only sorry that my wife couldn’t be here today and live it with me. Although she is not here, she was always behind me. She kept everything together at home when I was here in Slovakia.”
The players indulged him in drama in the final as well. They scored the equalizing goal at 2:2 just five seconds before the end of the third period. Patrik Hrehorčák’s double goal in overtime decided the win.
Ramsay nevertheless thanked them for their performance.
“It’s all about the players. You know, you ask a lot from them. They have their clubs, their leagues … and we say to them, ‘We need you.’ And they will indeed come. We always end up making a great team.
It was enough to watch today’s game – a great way to say goodbye. You get a late goal, but the team picks itself up and wins in overtime. That last match was really special. That’s why I feel really, really good right now.”
He received a plaque and a selection of his hundred best photos from the president of SZĽH Miroslav Šatan.
“He was supposed to be here for three years, in the end he stayed for seven. He broke all possible coaching records, changed our style and brought many hockey players to the national team. I want to thank him on behalf of all Slovak fans in Slovakia: ‘Craig Ramsay, thank you very much for what you have done for hockey.’
Ramsay said goodbye to the national team symbolically as a coach. At the end of his tenure, he will also travel to the Winter Olympics in Milan, where he will be part of the team as a consultant.
He convinced the Slovaks not to be afraid
Craig Ramsay led the Slovak hockey team in 150 games, at six world championships and two Olympic tournaments.
The Canadian coach came to Slovakia in the summer of 2017.
“I remember the day when Miro Šatan phoned me with an offer to lead the Slovak hockey team. The call lasted about 45 minutes and the offer shocked me.
At the time, I was enjoying my retirement in Florida, playing golf, and I thought I was done with hockey. We were at my brother-in-law’s house, I told only him about the phone call. Even the next day, he was the only one who knew it besides me. It was Saturday and Miro was supposed to call again on Sunday to see if I could take it.
At that time I really thought I would refuse. But when I told my wife, she told her sister, she told other people, then I heard from everyone – let’s do it!” he mentioned in the Canadian in an interview for JOJ Šport.
After his engagement, some people from the hockey environment objected that the Canadian coach does not know the Slovak mentality.
“His task is for the players to understand his professional mentality from the NHL. Not ours,” responded SZĽH head Miroslav Šatan.
“I remember the first meeting in Žilina. Only a few players knew English, some didn’t understand anything. I said to myself. When the players from Europe came to the NHL, they knew English.
Well, the Russians had problems, but the Europeans didn’t. I saw several players wide-eyed in training. In the second practice, I started shouting at them what they were doing, but I understood that they were tired, so I ended it after five minutes…” said the Canadian.
He originally planned to come for a year or two, but in the end it was much longer. “When I was deciding whether to continue, my wife was always in favor. Slovakia became a second home for me,” he said.
As a coach, he was not a supporter of harsh methods and a raised voice at the players. He transferred his hockey know-how honed by 40 years in the NHL, where he worked in several teams as a player, head coach, assistant, scout and consultant, to Slovakia and tried to instill it not only in the players, but also in their background from the ranks of coaches and officials.
He based his coaching career on honesty, mutual respect and hard work. “Get the puck, keep the puck, shoot the puck,” was his coaching credo. Slovak hockey players tried to stick to this motto to the letter. “Get the puck, hold it and shoot!”
“The coach tries to convince everyone that we will beat everyone. His speeches are great. He has charisma. That’s Craig Ramsay,” Ján Lašák, a former great goalkeeper and later one of Ramsay’s assistants in the national team, characterized the Canadian in the past.
Coach Craig Ramsay left a significant mark on Slovak hockey. (Author: TASR)
“His arrival in Slovakia had the support of people in management, but some experts did not agree with it. They wanted a Slovak coach. They did not believe that a foreign coach could have a positive influence on the national team.
He proved that he can. We really needed a foreign expert to show us the way how to work,” added Michal Handzuš.
The Slovak national team has moved up in sport, qualitatively and mentally.
“You Slovaks are beautiful people. But we didn’t understand everything from the beginning. Sometimes it seemed to me that you wanted everything right away. And when it doesn’t work, you quickly give up. But that’s not how it works. In life, not even in hockey.
Since 2018, many things have changed for the better. The players understand what I demand from them. And especially everyone in the team believes in each other. From newcomers to members of the implementation team. However, we cannot lie to ourselves, we can still make painful mistakes. We don’t manage the end of matches, we often foul at critical moments. This is our ailment,” said Ramsay while still the head coach of the national team.
He achieved his greatest success with the Slovak national team at the 2022 Winter Olympic Games in Beijing, where the team won bronze.
He also took players from the domestic extra league without international experience to China, as well as two 17-year-old teenagers.
“I would very much like young Juraj Slafkovský to score the goal of the tournament. He could help him a lot. He is a predatory, powerful striker who knows how to get into chances. Why couldn’t he help us too?” Ramsay said before the tournament.
Craig Ramsay. (Author: SME – Jozef Jakubčo)
Juraj Slafkovský became the best scorer of the Olympic tournament with seven goals, which earned him a position in the NHL draft in a few months.
Despite obvious fatigue and exhaustion, Ramsay enjoyed his return from Beijing to Slovakia and the medal celebrations.
“I won the Stanley Cup with Tortorello, but winning bronze with Slovakia at the Olympics was a bigger personal success for me. I can’t describe how important it was for my personal feelings. I will never forget the parade through the Old Town, the meetings with the fans.”
