Ak Bars, Dynamo or Lada – the choice of the ex-head coach of Metallurg is not great.
Sacked after last season’s final
An unusual trend has taken shape in the KHL coaching market. Two specialists who reached the final of the Gagarin Cup are left without work. And if the first and so far the only silver season Dmitry Kvartalnov took place seven years ago, then Ilya Vorobyov reached the final with Metallurg last year. However, the successful 2021/22 championship and the current agreement did not save the coach from dismissal. “Magnitogorsk” terminated the contract by mutual agreement and will update the headquarters.
At the final press conference, when the leaders of Metallurg announced their resignation, Vorobyov jokingly answered about future plans: “So far, I haven’t come up with any plans for this hour. There is none of them. I found out not too long ago.” How much irony in the words of Ilya Petrovich is up to you. I know that the decision to dismiss was made earlier, and Vorobyov got time to think. Be that as it may, the coach who led Metallurg, SKA and Russian teamlost his job and entered the free agent market.
Ilya Vorobyov.
Vorobyov’s second coming to Magnitogorsk turned out to be controversial. The best achievement in four seasons is reaching the 2022 final, which the team managed to lose CSKA, leading the series 3-1. Twice “Metallurg” took off in the second rounds from “Vanguard”. Once I did not pass the first round, stumbling with the organized “Barys” of Andrei Skabelka. The club has consistently spent substantial sums on salaries, but sporting results justified the investment only last season.
Dismissal from Metallurg is a natural decision that suggested itself after an unsatisfactory game in the regular season and playoffs. The trainer’s methods stopped working. For four years, we still did not understand what style Vorobyov was promoting. Notes of combinationality were traced only last season, before that Metallurg played less spectacularly, and in episodes it was completely passive and cautious.
“Magnitogorsk” fired the head coach. Did Vorobyov deserve such a decision?
What’s next? Vorobyov will not be left without proposals. It all depends on the desire of the coach himself. Whether Ilya Petrovich wants to rush into battle at the first call or take a break, devote time to his family and take a break from hockey – only he knows. There are few free and attractive clubs here and now. First of all, a coach who has won two Gagarin Cups (one as Mike Keenan’s assistant, the other as head coach) and played in the finals twice will consider teams of the appropriate level. Nobody wants to drop the bar.
Of the obvious options, only Ak Bars comes to mind. Kazanians were interested in Vorobyov last spring, but the coach remained at Magnitogorsk. Zinetula Bilyaletdinov cleared the sad legacy Oleg Znarka, brought the team to the finals of the East, but I doubt that the veteran coach will agree to a new full season. Clan struggle of the Moscow “Dynamo” confuses the choice of head coach. Competitor Alexey Kudashov called Andrey Martemyanov. Theoretically, the white-and-blues can consider Vorobyov, but I doubt that he will go to a club that lives within its means and puts on an internal reserve of young players. Ilya Petrovich does not work well with young people – this is an obvious conclusion of recent seasons at Metallurg.
Ilya Vorobyov.
Alexander Fedorov, Photo “SE”
Time to downgrade
I would single out the Togliatti Lada, which is aiming for the KHL from next season. Vorobyov is associated with the Volzhans for three years of his playing career. For a long time, the Togliatti club was headed by Petr Vorobyov. With his father on the bench, Ilya Petrovich began his coaching career in Russia, when the family tandem worked in Yaroslavl. No less cinematic story would be the return of the hereditary coach to Lada, which dad led to the silver medals of the Super League. Believe, however, in it with great difficulty.
Vorobyov is followed by a dubious trail of choice of assistants. For four seasons at Metallurg, the mentor reassembled the headquarters every year. Ilya Petrovich has been a head coach in the KHL for nine years, but has never created a team of like-minded assistants. Vyacheslav Bykov shared a shop with Igor Zakharkin. A short spell at Ak Bars confirmed that Znarok is untenable without longtime assistant Harijs Vitolins. Dmitry Kvartalnov, starting with CSKA, was assisted by Igor Gorbenko. I can hardly imagine what kind of assistants Vorobyov will invite to the new club. For four years at Metalurh, he tried different coaches, but only goalkeeper specialist Klemen Mohoric, who remained in the team, kept a stable position.
Magnitka is changing its face. Razin will be the coach, the budget will be reduced
The future of the coach – the owner of the Gagarin Cup is vague. In Metallurg, Vorobyov left a lot of strength and emotions in order to quickly pick up a new club. “Magnitogorsk” did not offend the coach with a ruble. I exclude the option of chasing a generous offer just for the sake of money. Most likely, Ilya Petrovich will take a break and will monitor the position of his colleagues at the start of the next championship. Even titan coaches are not immune from failures. Oleg Znarok will not let you lie. It is pointless for Vorobyov to break down at the first call. Moreover, the years at Metallurg have shaken the position of the coach, who was once appointed the head of the national team. The tournament of life – the 2019 World Championship with a luxurious dream team – Vorobyov lost. Like the 2022 CSKA final. I think the most daring and reasonable choice is to accept an average team and prove their worth with a more modest budget than in Metallurg and SKA.
