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Vaclav SikoraHead coach of "Lev"
Date of Birth: 24.10.1952
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Content:
- Current Coach of "The Lion"
- Assessment of SKA Tenure
- Differences between SKA and "The Lion"
- Integration of Czech Teams into the KHL
- Goals and Rivalries
- Zdeno Chara's Hockey Stick Durability
Current Coach of "The Lion"
An Interview with "SE"Previous Tenure in KHL
The current head coach of the Prague "Lion", gave an interview to "SE" after his team's first match back in the KHL following their return from their series against "Torpedo" (3:2). This is his second time working in the KHL, having previously coached SKA, where he was dismissed after their playoff loss to "Atlant". The team had been leading the series 3-1 before their surprising defeat.
Assessment of SKA Tenure
"I believe everything went as expected," the coach stated. "We had a significant goal for the season. We advanced past the first round by defeating "Spartak", but unfortunately, we were defeated by "Atlant" in the seventh game. No one anticipated this."
"The club management believed we should have made it to the semifinals. After the playoffs concluded, my contract expired, and I was not offered a renewal because I had failed to meet the target. Everything is fairly straightforward.
Differences between SKA and "The Lion"
"Working with the stars in SKA was more difficult than working with the stars in "The Lion" currently," the coach reflected. "SKA had immense stars who had been top performers in the NHL, KHL, and Russian National Team for years."
"However, I did not have major issues with them. On the contrary, I had good relationships with many of the team members."
"In contrast, "The Lion" has significantly fewer stars than SKA," he added. "The club is also more focused on developing young players than SKA was."
Integration of Czech Teams into the KHL
"In the Czech Republic, everyone recognizes the significant disparity between the local Extraliga and the KHL," the coach asserted. "During the lockout, numerous NHL players are participating in the KHL, and many games are televised, allowing experts to examine the gameplay of the finest players in the world."
"It is not unexpected that not all NHL players perform well in the KHL," he continued. "However, I have only recently joined a KHL team from the Czech Extraliga and have been preoccupied with the concerns of my own team, thus I am unable to provide anything specific."
Goals and Rivalries
"Our primary goal at the moment is to end the team's losing streak," the coach emphasized. "To instill in the players the belief that they can win, earn points, and advance to the playoffs. I'm glad we were able to start our road trip with a victory."
"There is no particular rivalry between the Prague "Lion" and the Bratislava "Slovan" teams," the coach clarified. "However, in games between Czech and Slovak teams, everyone aspires to outplay their opponent. And it is especially significant to the supporters."
"Our main goal is to reach the playoffs, and if we can defeat "Slovan" in the process, it will be a great victory for us," he added. "However, for the time being, we are not preoccupied with that."
Zdeno Chara's Hockey Stick Durability
In closing, the coach shared an amusing anecdote about Zdeno Chara's hockey stick durability. "Zdeno takes excellent care of his sticks," he said with a smile. "Since Chara joined the team, no one has ever witnessed him break a stick."
