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“We have a professional team and do not take into account what you did five or ten years ago. Important is what the player can give to the team today. Every day a hockey player has to prove his professionalism and that he is needed by the team. There must be the right motivation, desire on the field and the right sports regime, ”said the head coach of the Continental Hockey League (KHL) club Riga“ Dinamo ” Peter the Ant, commenting on the experienced dismissal of Gints Meijas and Miķelis Rēdlihs.
The decision to divorce both players of the Latvian national team is unexpected, and at the same time it is not surprising. No one is particularly surprised that in the beginning of November Ant starts to get rid of the players. The coach has often done the same in previous jobs, and this season he has not been stopped by the pandemic of the coronavirus Covid-19, which has caused the team several problems with its composition. And yet, if the conditional release of Vitaly Pavlov did not disturb the minds of fans and teammates, then the dismissal of both veterans is a loud warning – if the club management had the courage to “throw” players of this status, then the jokes with others will be small.
The abilities of both hockey players were well known
What amazes me most about this situation is that Maya and Redlich are fired two months after the start of the season. The abilities of both hockey players were well known before the season, and nothing has changed significantly in nine weeks. We certainly cannot blame the hockey players for signing the contracts offered to them with the team, so the issue is first and foremost with the general manager. As we remember, this position in the club also belongs to Skudra, so the question is addressed to him.
What were you hoping for? That Reedlich, who scored 13 goals in two seasons, will experience a second youth at the age of 36 and suddenly start throwing puck at an opponent’s fortress? That Meija, who has never been a successful striker and has accumulated negative utility in recent seasons, but in 2017/2018. it didn’t score a goal during the year, will it now turn into Lauri Dārziņš or Mika Indrašis in their best years?
Long-term contracts are not highly respected by KHL, but also against this background Riga “Dinamo” has a special team. Contracts are always concluded for one year, which after April 30 leads to the situation that 4-5 juniors remain at the disposal of the club. There are both pros and cons to this approach. In several cases, Dinamo has failed to retain the leaders of the previous season, who were easily lured by much richer Russian clubs. However, such a philosophy allows to evaluate before each championship how much each hockey player corresponds to the coach’s style and wishes, as well as the club’s budget.
And if full-fledged contracts with both were signed, then the coach was satisfied. Especially knowing how picky Ant is. Looking back a few years ago, we can remember situations when the same Pavlov or Gunārs Skvorcovs, even after several seasons in Rīga, received only test contracts the following summer and they had to win their place in the team. If Gints and Miķela were not convinced, they could also be offered test contracts. If you fight for your place, then stay, if not, see you. Everything is fair.
Dignity is not the trump card of “Dinamo”?
What is even more surprising about the dismissal of both hockey players is how it was done. “The contract with Mey and Redlich has been terminated,” the news headline wrote on the team’s website. Three dry paragraphs that list the attackers’ statistics and mention that contracts have been broken by mutual agreement, that’s all. Dinamo’s press service is certainly not one of the best in KHL, but from the outside, it seems that Reedlih and Meia deserve more than such a farewell.
Let’s look at history. I don’t like the word legend very much, especially when it comes to the club, which only spends its 13th season (let’s be honest, “Dinamo” has nothing in common with the unit that played in the USSR championship, except for the name). Reedlich has been a bright striker during his career, both in the club and in the national team, who lacked the skills to become a star, but his role has always been important. Not to mention the statistics – according to the number of games played in the KHL main tournaments, the Latvian ranks third in the league (637) and first – “Dinamo” (559). In the main tournament, he is the second best in the history of “Dinamo” (273), but in the Gagarin Cup, Reedlihs is the team’s most productive hockey player – 22 points.
Mei’s case is unique in general. The striker has represented “Dinamo” with various successes since the first season, playing a total of 552 games, in which he scored 51 goals and made 69 assists. Yes, he was not an attacker in the sense that fans are used to perceiving – he did not score so many goals and was not always noticeable. Gint had another role that he handled quite well. In any case, a person, albeit for a good fee, has donated health to your organization for 13 years. And all you can thank him for is a short press release?
I’m not talking about lifting the shirt under the ceiling of the arena, although it would be worth thinking about, maybe after the two closed their careers. Civilized KHL clubs have long followed the example of National Hockey League (NHL) teams, and when a hockey player leaves the team after many years on it, a beautiful farewell video is posted on social media or a photo gallery with highlights is displayed, thus showing respect. And no one would suffer from thanking the hockey players for their work and wishing them success on the website, it is a 5-10 minute job.
The divorce with both veterans was very unworthy. It feels as if contracts have been broken not with two players, who could be called the symbols of the club, but with some not very well-known legionnaires, with whom generous contracts were signed before the season and who did not live up to expectations. With this move, Dinamo presents itself as an organization for which “respect” is a foreign word. But maybe the team will get better?
November, Covid-19 and Latvian Championship
Both for Riedliham and Meija from time to time there are offers from other teams and leagues. Maybe not so money and not the best championships, however, come. How to get both now looking for work in November and Covid-19 conditions is unknown. In fact, the attackers have been thrown out on the streets and so far the only real option is the Optibet hockey league. Because European league clubs are now too uncertain about what it will be like in two or three weeks to invite legionnaires.
Yours sincerely, Skudram, who, despite the traditional objection of “Dinamo” press secretary Jānis Stepītis “questions only about the game”, calmly and argumentatively answered the question about Meija and Rēdlih after the match against Niztekekimsk “Neftekhimik”. It is difficult to disagree with what he said about having to prove his place in the team every day and that it is difficult to achieve something with “old luggage”. But we return to the first paragraphs – the abilities of both hockey players were known and it was the Ant who gave the approval to sign them. Maybe we should still split the GM and coach posts between the two people?
The dismissal of two veterans is a rather risky move. If this is justified and the team’s results improve a little, then many will definitely rejoice at the coach for a far-sighted decision. However, the 28 goals scored and 60 goals scored in 18 games, as well as the goalkeeper’s statistics, show that the reason for the failures should be found elsewhere. The team account has seven points, up to the tenth position in the West there are nine points, up to the play-off zone – 16.
However, if the results do not improve, the dismissals of Redlich and Meia will be commemorated for a long time. Especially this season, when the team consists of 20 legionnaires. The claims are against everyone, with one difference – against some they are smaller (Zek Mitchel, Denis Parshin, Pavel Chernov), but against others – larger. Thus, the team has a striker Gennady Stolarov. Do you remember at least what number he is playing with, not to mention a bright episode in his performance. In seven games, the hockey player has not scored any points. One can talk for as long as the fact that the level of Latvian hockey players mostly does not correspond to the KHL and without quality legionnaires there is no possibility to build a team that would fight for something bigger than not staying in the last place.
And at the same time, the current state of “Dinamo” certainly does not look like the one in which the cleaning of the composition had to start with Redlich and Maya.
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