A very special challenge: Coach Brad Tapper and the Iserlohn Roosters play two away games within 24 hours at the start of the week.
© Thomas Hahn
District area – The most extraordinary DEL season of all time has a double game day ready within 24 hours for the first time for the Iserlohn Roosters. The away games in Mannheim (Monday, 6.30 p.m. / SAP-Arena) and on Tuesday in Schwenningen (6.30 p.m., Helios-Arena) provide both sporting and organizational challenges.
“After the Mannheim game we go straight to the bus, then we drive to Schwenningen, unpack at night so that the team can train in the morning,” says André Grillo from the Iserlohn supervisor. So while stress is the order of the day for the supervisors, the players prepare for the two great challenges in the south in a completely normal way. “Of course the guys know how challenging the next two games are, maybe that’s why we saw the most intense and maybe the best training ever on Sunday,” says head coach Brad Tapper. He only worked up the narrow defeat against Augsburg for a short time and focused much more on the future. Tapper is a real motivational speaker, that’s how he describes himself and makes no secret of who his role model is: Greg Poss. “I’m in regular contact with him, I’ve learned from him and still do that today.” Poss and Tapper worked together in Florida. Tapper was able to take his first steps as a trainer there after retiring. That benefits him now.
Ex-coach Greg Poss as a role model
It is hardly surprising that the Mannheim game in particular will be a major challenge. Also this season, the reigning champion is still the measure of all things in the DEL, not even endangered by EHC Red Bull Munich. But: “We saw what we did against Munich and Wolfsburg when we concentrate on ourselves,” said captain Thorsten Ankert.
Changes should only be made in detail. Andy Jenike is in the gate, Proske slips into the fourth row, which means that Lautenschlager or Fleischer have to pause. “I like both of them a lot, but in the end I have to use the one who offers me the best performance. That can change from game day to game day, ”said Tapper. Clear words, because that’s how he wants to be. Clear in communication and honest with his boys. That’s why it works at the Seilersee.
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