The conversation with Ayrat Kadeikin took place at the end of the regular season. But this does not change the essence.
“Let's talk without a voice recorder,” the trainer suggested.
- Why is this? What then to write? How to quote something? I disagree.
- No need for a voice recorder. Why is it needed?
- So that the words are not distorted. Ayrat Khaidarovich, tell me better, are you scared that most of the young coaches who risked working in hockey in recent years are left with nothing? They did not succeed.
- There is a Russian proverb: to be afraid of wolves - do not go to the forest.
- Good saying. Have you not even analyzed this process? Why it did not work for this or that person.
- I was not in those teams - what can I say? How do I know what happened there?
- There are general trends. For example, young coaches are required too much.
- I will not say anything on this issue.
- Do you need a lot from Neftekhimik?
- We have a task. It is set at the beginning of the season.
- Have you already learned to control the match? Or is there still not enough skill?
- Live and learn. I still have to work on this. So I will answer this question.
“You are just 'acting.” This prefix is not annoying?
- I am working. Nothing annoys me. I have a job - that’s all.
- You recently played, then worked in a position that does not imply a quick transition to work as a head coach (selection trainer - approx. Ed.) . When you were appointed, there was no surprise? Or the feeling that they just plug a hole ...
“That was a surprise — that's how I answer.”
- Not many words.
- How else? Was it surprise or not? Well, unexpectedly it was.
“Laconic again.”
- I already answered this question. Here is an example: you are now an ordinary journalist, right?
- How to say…
- And you were appointed the chief editor of the newspaper.
- Yeah.
- How would you feel?
“Perhaps not very convenient.”
- How so - convenient or not convenient? I said: fear the wolves - do not go to the forest.
- You know, it is no secret that now Neftekhimik is looking for a new coach. Did you and the management talk about the future? What will you have next?
- We live, work, do everything that depends on us. And there ... How do you say? You ask such questions. Repeat it one more time.
- Yes, everything is so clear.
“And why are we talking on the phone?” That would meet, I would normally answer everything. Okay, what is the question?
- Neftekhimik is looking for a coach. And you probably know about that. There is no feeling that you are just being used?
“I would not say that they’re plugging my hole.” I was given a chance.
- What a chance? You did not prepare a team, but they demand something from you.
- Before me, the team was very well prepared.
- Good?! On the standings you can’t say this.
- Well I do not know. You are asking a lot of questions. Painfully insidious. Let's go on.
- These are ordinary questions. I just want to understand how the young coach feels, who was abandoned to learn to swim - in the hole.
“So I already said.” How would you feel if you became the editor in chief? So I answered your question.
- In Russia, the coaching crisis. A lot of people work in the league who have not come up with anything for a long time. What are you going to bring to Russian hockey?
- I? I will not answer this question yet.
- Any thoughts?
- There are always ideas.
- Did you plan to become a coach back in those days when you were a hockey player?
- Probably every hockey player thinks about it. Well, almost everyone. Many…
- You are characterized as an average player, in the good sense of the word. Is it harder for stars to become a coach?
- Who said? How does anyone know what coach he will become? How a person will manifest himself. Yes, both a great player and an average player can become a coach. Everything depends on the work.
- When a player prepares to become a coach, he begins to outline lessons. Did you do it
- Yes.
- Seriously? I have not seen a single hockey player with a notebook.
- Do you mean training?
- Not only. There are many nuances that can be written down.
- I wrote everything down.
- Do you somehow interact with the second team?
- We always have interaction with the second team. We have half of the team - local pupils. How many do we have now? Nine people.
- Fine.
- I think that in Russia ... Where do we find ourselves in the country according to our pupils?
- On high.
- You see. So, they work with the second team.
“Neftekhimik has never posed serious tasks. Are you interested in working in such a team?
- The tasks have always been set.
- First place, or what?
- Mighty tasks were.
- To get into the eight, probably.
- So what?
- You are interested?
- Interesting.
“You answer very shortly.”
“If only I could answer right away.” And something else ... I'm not used to it yet.
- Talk to reporters?
- Of course.
“And yet, how are you feeling?” The savior of Neftekhimik, for example?
- I will not answer this question either. You put the question wrong. Well, what am I a savior? Just doing my job. We have a team, we have tasks. We will try to fulfill them. We are doing a common thing.
- Did you talk about the future with the bosses?
- I will not answer this question. Farther.
“But I wonder how long you can hold out.”
- Do you know what the saying is? No, enough sayings.
- Do you have a coaching concept?
- What?
- What hockey do you like? What hockey do you try to instill in your team?
- Until the end of the championship, nothing at all. What is there to vaccinate, tell me? A little time.
- Let them play, how did they play?
- Why? There is a game diagram. She brought the result. It is necessary to save all this.
“What result are you talking about?” The team from 16th place in five points.
- And you remember how we played before the New Year.
- Yes, also not very good. And in general they say that after Krikunov everyone started breaking at the club. It is, first of all, about the style of the game. What will you do? Further break or restore?
- I worked very little under Krikunov. I don’t know how the team played.
- Neftekhimik was a playing team.
- I then just went through the preseason with the team. And then he left. But generally again a provocative question. Nobody broke anything.
- Hockey players say the opposite.
- Who?
- Hockey players.
“You say such things.” Who is breaking what now?
“They don’t talk about you at all yet.” They talked about former coaches.
- No, it was a good job.
“But will you still change something?”
- In what?
- In the game, in relation. Maybe you are meeting with the players, explain to them.
- All coaches meet with the players and explain.
- And what did not suit you in the work of the team?
- No comments. I can’t discuss someone else’s work. Moreover, people who worked nearby. It is not in my competence, not in my rules. People tried - all I can say. And how it turned out ... It's a sport.
“But what do you change first?”
- Let's get the next question ...
Alexey Shevchenko