Before the world championship in Gothenburg, Sweden, the former captain of the national team and currently starting coach Tomáš Surový joined the Slovak under-20 hockey team. He will hold the post of consultant and video analyst. In order to be able to travel to the World Junior Championships, he had to get permission from Michaloviec, that is, from the club where he is an assistant to coach Petr Kúdelka. The former great striker is looking forward to the tournament and takes it as a great opportunity. He revealed more in the answers.
How did you actually come to be part of the implementation team of the Slovak Twenties?
“Mr. Coach Feneš approached me together with Mr. Sýkor with the proposal of whether they would be interested in me for the World Championships, with the fact that they had a vacancy for a video analyst and also a consultant position. Of course, it was a big opportunity for me and I jumped at the chance. It is a really great school for me as a beginner trainer because I can learn from experienced trainers and experts. I am extremely grateful for that.”
In Michalovce, where you operate at the club level, how did they take it?
“First of all, I want to thank everyone from the Michalov club, especially Mr. President Michajl and head coach Peter Kúdelek, who released me. They said they didn’t want to hinder my growth in my fledgling coaching career. On the other hand, it’s also a huge prestige, it’s the Junior World Championships, which is a big event.”
So can it be said that you got a “leaver” from the club?
“Basically yes. It wasn’t planned, everything was ground in a hurry and baked quickly. Of course, the president of the club Michajlo and the head coach had to agree to my release. And they had no problem with that, which I appreciate immensely.”
We finally have talented players who are also confident. Finally, Slovaks have some faith in hockey.
How did the players in the national team receive you?
“Completely normal. I became a member of the implementation team, so there was no problem. And the guys are not in the team to deal with me, they focus on their duties and know exactly why they are in the national team. They focus on their important things.”
Can you tell us more about the goals you have in the implementation team?
“We firmly believe that we will achieve our goal with gradual steps. However, we have to start from the floor, that is, from the first match. Of course, the steps also include two warm-up matches before the start of the tournament.”
What are your tasks, what are you responsible for in the team?
“To prepare an analysis of individual matches, to analyze the throw-ins of the opponent, but also the throw-ins of our players. I will take part in the tactics, especially during the matches I will watch the action on the ice rink from the stands, because I will be on the radio. Since the view from above is different than from the changing room, I will report my observations to coach Fenes. Also, when, for example, something changes in the opponent’s tactics, I will point it out, either over the radio or between thirds.”
We firmly believe that we will follow our goal step by step. However, we have to start from the floor, that is, from the first match.
Who will have the main say in such situations?
“The head coach has the biggest say, he controls everything, and everything in the team is governed by his orders. And that’s how it should be.’
Aren’t you worried about the Slovak defense, which doesn’t have as many famous names as in the attack?
“Obviously we all know we have a ton of draft picks on offense, but I don’t think there’s a huge gap between our defense and offense. You have to realize, and I’m not exaggerating, that currently all five players on the ice together with the goalie are defending. The same is true in offensive activity, that not only forwards attack, but everyone who is on the ice.”
For this strong generation of players, success is basically just a medal. How do you perceive it?
“Finally, we have several talented players who are also confident. Finally, Slovaks have a little faith in each other! It will not work without details, without hard work and sequence, which we are all aware of and approach accordingly. Now we only have the preliminary matches left, the final tournament is ahead of us.”
In the first match at the World Cup, you will play against the Czech Republic, will it not tie the hands of the players, or does this generation perceive it differently?
“I understand that the topic of some Czech complex is interesting for the media, but I think that there is nothing like that now and there was no Czech complex either. We have to admit, and we don’t have to lie to ourselves, that the Czech team was better than the Slovak team at a certain time. They won gold several times in a row at the World Cup, so they were winning over us. It is clear that the fight between Slovakia and the Czech Republic is also attractive for the fans.”
How do you cope with the fact that Slovakia’s duels in the basic group start at twelve o’clock?
“It’s specific. Not so much that it starts exactly at lunch, but that we have all meetings at the same time. We have a fitness coach for that and together we will set it up so that we can handle it.”
What do you think about our opponents in the basic group?
“I’m not looking too far ahead, but we will closely monitor and scout all opponents throughout the tournament. However, the players always focus on the next duel.”
Was the loss in the first friendly match against Finland 1:5 a good thing?
“I believe that after the tournament we will say that the loss to the Finns at the beginning of the training was the best thing that could have happened to us. It’s definitely a good lesson that brought us back to the basics and you could see a completely different energy at the training sessions. The guys realized that it wouldn’t work without honest work. Sometimes you have to take a step back to take two steps forward.”
The venue of the championship is Gothenburg, Sweden, where Slovakia won the title of world champions in 2002. What do you say to that?’
“It’s symbolic, but I wouldn’t connect it otherwise. It’s a completely different tournament, of a completely different generation, and then there are unnecessary pressures. I personally don’t like it, and basically it doesn’t matter in which city the game is played, it has no effect on performances and results.”
Goalkeeper Adam Gajan has on his mask the then golden goalkeepers Ján Lašák and Rastislav Staňa. Did you enjoy it?
“It’s great. I accept it, because it was a historical success of Slovak hockey and it should be respected. I don’t really need historical connections, but I would be happy if it was confirmed.”
Do you see yourself in any Slovak player, is there anyone who reminds you of yourself?
“I will honestly say that these guys are completely different hockey players and are at a different level than we were at their age. We were stronger, they are more technical, they skate better, and hockey has moved forward in those twenty years.”
You won’t miss your family during Christmas, haven’t you gotten used to traveling?
“I’m taking it for granted, but I’m definitely going to miss my kids and my family. However, in my beginning coaching career, I have to step out of my comfort zone and there is no other way, if I want to achieve something, I have to sacrifice something.”
MICHALOVIEC IS LOOKING FORWARD TO THE DISTANCE Michaloviec hockey players are on a roll and they managed a small miracle. In a month and a few days, they rose from the penultimate place to the top three, and in the period between the two national team breaks, they did not find a winner in a single match. Tomáš Surový, Kúdelka’s assistant coach, is also happy about it.
“We had big problems at the turn of September and October, but we are glad that we managed to turn it around and kick on during the first international break. Then the guys understood that there was no way to turn it around without hard work, so they did it and now it’s great. I firmly believe that it will continue like this,” Tomáš Surový admitted.
2023-12-24 13:11:55
#Dialogue #weekend #Tomáš #Surová #guys #completely #Sport.sk
