PRAGUE – The President of the Czech Hockey Alois Hadamczik praised the performance of the silver under-20 national team at the World Championships in St. Paul and Minneapolis. By the end of January, he would like to be clear about the successor of the head coach Patrik Augusta, who led the junior team for three years and won two bronze medals with him.
The 56-year-old former coach of Mladá Boleslav and Liberec is preparing to return to the club scene. “It is clear that he will not continue at twenty,” Hadamczik said. The executive committee of the union will therefore deal with his successor. “I would like to have it resolved by the end of January,” zoomed in.
He himself won bronze with the junior national team as a coach in 2005, and his medal fast was interrupted only 17 years later in Halifax by Radim Rulík. Subsequently, he moved to the national team “A” and followed up on his success with Augusta.
Augusta did a lot of work
“He did a lot of work, he deserves to be thanked. He will definitely be connected with our sports department, he will be active in the league here. It is his decision. I am glad that I kept him for so long.” said Hadamczik, who will have a say in the selection.
“I always appointed the coaches. Of course, with the conviction of the executive committee, which has to vote on it. I think that we are doing well, that we have an excellent sports section, excellent coaches at that.” Hadamczik noted.
“I’ve always said that when a club doesn’t have a good coach, it’s a bottomless pit for money. The 20-year-old plays excellent hockey and it’s a big credit to those coaches.” added Hadamczik to the address of Augusta and his assistants Robert Reichel and Pavel Trnka.
The 20-year-old managed to defeat Canada in the semi-finals of the World Cup and only lost to sovereign Sweden in the final “I want to congratulate the 20th and thank the players and the implementation team with all due respect for a very well done job and for excellent hockey.” Hadamczik said.
“I’m very satisfied with the performance. Canada had to throw the pucks against us. We’re winning fights, we’re skating. A good group of guys. I think it was a good advertisement for hockey,” assessed.
As many young players as possible in the extra league
He wishes that as many young players as possible start in the extra league and develop to such performances there, such as defender Tomáš Gavlas from Liberec or forwards Petr Sikora from Třinac or Vojtěch Čihař, who played for Karlovy Vary before leaving for Kelowna in the WHL.
“What makes me sad is that so many players are overseas. Because it’s the fourth medal and there are only Kulich and (David) Jiříček in the NHL. And if those players stayed at home more, for example until the age of twenty-two, they will be excellent and they will take them.” said Hadamczik.
According to him, an example is defenseman David Špaček in Minnesota, a member of the nomination for the Olympic Games in Milan and the world champion from Prague from the day before last year, who at the age of 22 is still waiting on a farm for a chance in the NHL. “He was one of the best defenders in Prague. His path is difficult and thorny. His father (Jaroslav) went through Sweden. He became a man, got stronger, was in naroďak and in Nagano. Then he played excellently in the NHL for fifteen years. Židlický was in Finland until he was twenty-five years old.” reminded Hadamczik.
“I think that different paths lead to the goal, but for now it shows us that our sports mortality from the outside is high and I would need extraleague teams to make better conditions for young people. When he selects a player who has talent, we have to help him. But not by playing the fourth line.” he said. “Look at what Galvas is doing. It’s simply amazing. I watched the 20-year-old with such joy. The combination, he allows himself a handle. And of course those boys skated. Let’s go the way of reducing foreigners and putting young Czech players in the game.” added Hadamczik.
- Author: © List/
- Source: CTK
