Hockey Plzeň started with an unwanted record early in the extra league. Club owner Martin Straka sacked coaches Václav Baďouček and Miloš Říha Jr. after just two rounds, the fastest in history. Former Pilsen striker Milan Antoš does not consider this step the right solution, according to him, Pilsen played beyond their abilities under the guidance of the aforementioned pair last season.
Although Plzeň have presented themselves as a club with a lower budget than other extra league sides in recent years, coaches Václav Baďouček and Miloš Říha Jr. entered the regular season’s top four almost last season.
<p data="In the end, Škoda finished sixth, two points behind the direct advancement to the quarter-finals of the playoffs. But in the preliminary round they were eliminated in five games against Mlada Boleslaví. The West Bohemians started the new season with two losses and owner Martin Straka slammed the table due to unsatisfactory preparation.
<p data="“Somewhere between the end of the regular season and the start of the new season, mistrust of the coaches emerged. I have no other explanation,” assesses Milan Antoš, Czech TV hockey expert and former Pilsen striker.
<p data="The most productive player Michal Bulíř, the second most productive defender of the competition Peter Čerešňák and foreign forwards Martinš Dzierkals and Gustaf Thorell left the Indian team after last season.
<p data="At the start of the 2022/23 season, it seems that Pilsen has not found a suitable replacement. And the coaches were the first to be targeted. Thirteen years ago, Vladimír Kýhos of Kometa was sent off after the fourth round, and coach Kamil Konečný of Havířov in 2002. With his move, Straka set a new record.
<p data="What message did he send to the players’ booth?
<p data="“Who wants a quick change at all costs. There are four foreigners in the formation, they should be under more pressure. The exclusive players have left Pilsen and it is clear that they will not be replaced. They should control the matches, but this is not yet the case “, Antos points out.
<p data="He has in mind the four forwards of Sweden’s Ludwig Blomstrand, who played in Pilsen last season, Canadian Sam Bitten, Denmark’s Nicolai Meyer and Finland’s Aleksi Rekonen.
<p data="In the first two games, only Rekonen scored, Pilsen lost 1: 2 to Olomouc on their own ice and 2: 4 in Vítkovice. In the match against Olomouc, the Indians conceded a goal after an unfortunate rebound from the crossbar.
<p data="“The dismissal of the coaches is not entirely related to the losses,” says Antoš. “Two rounds don’t decide anything, plus they were opponents at their level. Plus, last season Plzeň played beyond their abilities and had two champions they don’t have now. It’s really an unexpected step for me,” he continues.
<p data="He is surprised by Strak’s distrust of the coaches. “After all, the management carefully chooses the coaches so that they fit into the club. And despite the departures that took place after the season, confidence was weak in Pilsen. It’s unprecedented, it’s not done,” he disagrees with a quick dismissal.
<p data="He does not give too much weight to the Straka owner’s argument that Pilsen did not play as expected even in preparation. “The clubs usually keep a certain distance from the results in the preparation. When quality players leave, a lot of time is spent explaining to the team how to fill the gaps. And here the patience with the coaches was zero”, Antoš not he understands.
<p data="At the same time, the results in the preparatory period were not entirely negative. Despite Plzeň losing 0: 7 to Litvínov and 4: 7 to Karlovy Vary, on the other hand they defeated Mlada Boleslav, České Budějovice and the Swiss team Ambri-Piotta and overall came out of the summer with a balanced balance of 4 : 4.
<p data="“If they didn’t trust the Pilsen coaches, they should have let them go immediately after last season. Doing it after two rounds doesn’t seem right,” repeats Antoš.
<p data="On Monday Petr Kořínek took over the team, who moved from the youth academy, with whom he won the title in the spring. František Bombic has become the assistant to the former Pilsen striker who is very popular with fans. Straka is also expected to be replaced for at least a few games.
<p data="“I am rooting for the new couple, but they are guys who have never trained in extra league. They will find it very difficult,” concludes Antoš, who played three extra league seasons in Pilsen at the turn of the millennium.
<p data="The difficult mission of Kořínek and Bombice will begin on Friday, when the Indians will play in front of the home fans from 17:30 against the load of Pardubice.
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