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In the extra-league hockey club HC Košice, there is no disappointment from the early end of the season. Failure in the preliminary round of the playoffs and final 9th place mean the “steelworkers” worst league position since 1981.
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According to the club’s president Július Lang, there are several reasons for the unflattering result. “We made a lot of good, but also mistakes,” he said. Even after the 2020/2021 season, it has been the case that since 2016, when they lost in the semifinals to Banská Bystrica, the hockey players from Košice did not go further than the first round of the playoffs. This time, however, they will also be missing.
In 2017, 2018 and 2019 they fell in the quarterfinals, in the 2019/2020 season they were aiming high, but the season was prematurely ended before the elimination fights. The year, influenced by the pandemic, brought the Košice team a premiere performance in the preliminary round of the playoffs. “Oceliari” took 8th place in the long-term part, they met 9th Nové Zámky in the fight for participation in the playoffs. Although they were the favorites in the series and led 1: 0 after the first match, they lost 1: 3.
“Of course, everyone in the club is disappointed and sad about it. On the other hand, we have to realize that about 10 months ago we didn’t know if we would enter the extra-league season at all. But that doesn’t excuse us. The goal was to advance to the playoffs. it didn’t work out, so we’re disappointed, “ did not hide Július Lang.
THE ERROR HAPPENED AT THE BEGINNING
Photo gallery
Jan Šťastný
Source: TASR
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The club did not have an ideal start to the season. Even before it began, he was struggling with economic problems and, in times of uncertain financial situation, he also organized a public fundraiser. The club’s representatives drew attention to the risks associated with the precarious situation resulting from the coronavirus pandemic, which is why they were rather cautious in the player market.
The sports section consisted of staff later than most extra-league teams, moreover, under economically worse conditions than in the past. The president of the club realizes that there are several wrong decisions behind the fast end of the season.
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Lang also considers the merging of the functions of Jan Šťastný, who before the season became not only the sports manager and head coach of the youth, but also the head coach of the A-team. “The first mistake was at the beginning, when we decided to accumulate more functions. At that time we did not have the financial means to afford another coach. We did not know how the pandemic would develop, so we went into the season. At the end of 2020, we were already considering changing the coach, but it could not be done because the pandemic was so furious that we could not attract any coach, but I would not like it to sound like we were dissatisfied with Jan. “He did a lot of good work and helped us. However, performing three functions was beyond his power.” said Lang.
The performances of the Košice team and especially its position in the table were above expectations in the first half of the season, but the team gradually lost its place in the top six and finally did not get into it. During the season, there were several changes in the player’s staff, and the loss of the middle forward Martin Pospíšil, who according to the agreement headed overseas, proved to be particularly noticeable. Legionnaires Émile Poirier and Colin Jacobs were to take his place.
“We had other names ready – the announced Chris Langkow or the Hungarian striker Isván Šofron. However, that did not work out. However, with the departure of Martin Pospíšil, we were not able to put together a second attack to work,” priznal Lang.
KOŠICE ALREADY THINKS OF CENTURY
Photo gallery
HC Košice
Source: TASR
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The club is already thinking about next season. It will mark 60 years since the founding of HC Košice and at the same time a century after the establishment of organized hockey in the city. “We want to prepare thoroughly for these anniversaries. We will start with a quality coach and we want to build it on a good foundation from this season. Not everything was bad in it, on the contrary, we have more skilled boys in the team. We have to reinforce this team with quality reinforcements. more young people, which we are happy for, because we gave them the opportunity and it was a good school for them as well, but it was not enough, we realize that matches in our league are largely decided by foreign players and we have to think about it,“Lang said, adding that the club continues to count on coach Marcel Shimurd.
However, he will probably return to the position of assistant, as a foreign coach should come to the position of chief helmsman. They are satisfied with Šimurd’s work in the club and also appreciate the fact that he took over the helm again after the head coach was removed from the position. “He helped us, but he didn’t have the strength to reverse the negative trend of our results.”
The 2020/2021 season was extremely demanding for all clubs, including Košice, also from an economic point of view, as they could not count on funding from the entrance fee and other income. HC Košice has given a helping hand to its long-term general partner and, according to Lang, the cooperation will continue in the next year as well: “As far as I know, he’s not thinking about turning his back on us. We need the help of the main sponsor, but also many smaller ones. I believe that we will have enough partners for the century to build a quality staff.”
After the summer departure of Dávid Skokan, Michal Chovan moved into the position of team captain. The then sports manager Jan Šťastný, as well as Lang and other members of the club management, appreciated that he remained in HC Košice even in an uncertain period.
Before the season, Chovan had several offers from abroad, but also from ambitious Slovak clubs. He finally extended his contract, confirmed his position as leader of the Košice offensive, and his 56 Canadian points is an even better result than last year (48).
“I would trade it for if we continued to play in the playoffs. We fought against Nové Zámky, but it wasn’t what we wanted. Zámky probably deserved the procedure more. I think we had a pretty good team for to pass. Unfortunately, it didn’t work out. It’s sorry and it will be a long time. We know we had more to do. “ admitted and added to the question of his hockey future: “It will be resolved in the near future. The league is still going on, a lot of teams are still playing. We’ll see.”
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