How long did it take you to decide if you would take the position after Kari Jalonen?
I got the offer a week ago. I’m glad I’m over it, until today we didn’t really know how the executive committee would decide. It’s been a tough week. Of course there is pressure on the switch, but this was something a little different. It was crucial for me if the twenty-something implementation team would go with me. If they said they didn’t feel up to it, I wouldn’t go for it.
Just with that person in here. (points to his chest) It’s my other self and we all have it.
It has been speculated for a long time that in the event of Jalonen’s dismissal, you will be the coach of the national team. How did you experience it?
It wasn’t easy for me. Of course people read the news, they bombarded me with news. I didn’t know anything and was only guided by the fact that I was the coach of the 20s. I was only focused on that. But now I’m happy with how it turned out. Earlier, for example, the juniors made a success, but it passed. Now, thanks to that, we have moved to the A-team.
What will the next meeting with former coach Jalonen be like?
I do not know. But nothing bad ever happened between us. I didn’t call him off and I’m not to blame. Such is the coaching life. If we fail, we will end up exactly the same. That’s clear to me. Working with Karim has been rewarding and I’m glad I got to know him. I probably won’t call him yet, he probably wouldn’t like it now. I’ll leave it at that for now and then we’ll see.
The president of the association, Alois Hadamczik, mentioned that the executive committee was convinced by your vision for the home World Cup. How long did it take?
We sat down with Jirka Kalous and wrote the report in one afternoon. Because we really have it in us. It was quick. I spoke and Jirka wrote. (smiles) We want to present ourselves with the hockey we demonstrated at the U20 Championship and get the audience out of their seats. Active field hockey, a confident team and pressure on the goal. Reacting to the opponent’s game and discipline must also not be missing.
Photo: Kateřina Šulová, CTK
Coach Radim Rulík will lead the Czech national team. Pictured after the meeting of the executive committee of the hockey association.
How do you want to achieve this?
We plan to create a skeleton team for the Euro Hockey Tour tournaments, which we will not change much. Just because of injury or a drop in form. Of course, we know that adapting players to a new system is a process. Not so much with hockey players from the NHL, because they are used to a similar style, but mostly with players from Europe. Not all of them, for example Sparta plays the same style, but some teams in the extra league don’t play as offensively, for example… Well, I prefer not to name names. (Laughs)
So, even if the next championship will be played in Prague, where free reinforcements from the NHL will definitely want to come, don’t you want to rely only on them?
Definitely not. The situation changes every year, and this year’s championship we had an absolute minimum of players from the NHL. We will map all the players. We will not forget a single name from overseas. But other influences are coming. Participation in the playoffs, medical examinations. We have to look to the AHL as well. We have prospects like Jirka Kulich and other players from the top 20
So will you take advantage of the fact that you trained these hockey players?
Of course. We have already listed six names from the last twenty that we will be watching closely. Forwards Brabenec, Šapovaliv, Kulich and defenders Jiříček, Špaček and Svozil. I’m not saying that they will 100% play in Prague, but we want to be in close contact with them, and maybe the situation will repeat itself, like when Martin Havlát played in the 2000 championships for the 20-year-olds and adults.
It also sounded like you plan to improve communication with players.
That’s right, we take it as a key issue. To let them know about our interest and our ideas. These things must be worked on throughout the season. We will start working from tomorrow and will reach out to everyone. But we want to communicate closely and cooperate with the younger categories as well. The connection with the 20 is essential and we will continue it with the new coach Patrik Augusta.
Radim Rulík was appointed the new head coach of the national team, his assistants are Jiří Kalous and Marek Židlický. The entire implementation team is thus moving from the representative twenty, which will be led by Patrik Augusta.
— Sport.cz (@sportcz) June 29, 2023
Is it even possible to transfer the same style of hockey from the twenties to the senior national team?
There is a much smaller selection of players in the top 20. This is a crucial difference. But when it comes to hockey, we can transfer these things to an adult team as well. If you watch Canada, USA, Finland or Sweden from 18 through 20 and A, they play the same style of hockey, albeit with a different quality. It’s like through a copier. Same game system without change.
Last year, you also led Pardubice in addition to the top 20. Will you now miss the daily work at the club and more matches?
Of course, it’s a bit unusual. But I plan to go to clubs, communicate with coaches, watch training sessions and matches. There won’t be a day I miss hockey. I will try to be in as close contact with hockey as possible. In addition, I have agreed that, as the current coach of the 20, I will go with Patrik August to the first camp of the new team in Finland in July. And then I will have enough matches in April and May during the championship. (smiles)