“There were double impressions of the tournament”: Vorobyov - about the third place of the Russian team at the World Hockey Championship

The Russian national hockey team has won bronze medals at the World Championships in Slovakia. In the match for the third place she defeated the Czech Republic in a stubborn confrontation, winning in shootouts. In most of the time, forwards Mikhail Grigorenko and Artyom Anisimov were tagged with abandoned washers.

The head coach of the national team Ilya Vorobiev shared his impressions of the last meeting, and also summed up the results of the world championship.

- The Czech Republic national team looked fresh in the match for the bronze medals. What is the reason?

- Probably, several factors played a role here. And the physical condition, and heat, and the desire to win. But I think, basically everything depended on psychology.

- What are your impressions of the tournament?

- Twofold. Of course, I wanted more. One game, which ended with a score of 1: 0, determined the result. Out of ten matches, we won nine. But such is life.

- Would defeat in the group stage be helpful?

- Now I would answer this question positively.

- Have you analyzed the semifinal match? What did you miss?

- Finns acted for us very uncomfortable. When it was necessary to bring the puck, we did not.

“Could it have been shorter?”

- It was necessary to pass along the sides into the middle line, to act more longitudinally, we lost a lot of pucks in the central zone.

- Did you have a desire to drastically change the composition of the links?

- The ideas were different, everything was discussed, but they came to the conclusion that it would be better that way, that you should not break an existing system.

- Alexander Ovechkin said that it is better to win the bronze, than to lose in the final. Do you agree?

- I was in both situations. Yes, there is such a psychology that you win bronze medals, and you win silver ones. Of course, third place is better than nothing. Guys were aware that they were at stake.

- The President of the Russian Hockey Federation (FHR) Vladislav Tretyak said that you will continue to work with the national team. Does it inspire you?

- Inspiring.

- Are you disappointed with the performance of your leaders? For example, Ovechkin failed to earn a lot of points in the current tournament.

- We have one team. The composition is as it is. It is impossible for everyone to throw 18 pucks. This is basically impossible. It is clear that the guys got used to playing in their clubs in different ways, with different playing time.

- What do you think about the criticism that hit the team after the semi-finals?

- Let them write what they write.

- Do you have gray hair for this season?

- I do not know, see for yourself.

- A year ago you were a calmer person than you are now?

- Good question. Maybe yes.

- This is your first experience at the World Championships with such a team. How to rate it?

- The guys came with a good, positive attitude. In principle, we did not succeed in one game. But hockey players can say thank you. They did not do blanketing.

- When recruiting a team, did you not become a hostage to a situation in which someone could not help but be summoned to the national team?

“I don’t think it was a problem.”

- Given the fact that the Finns reached the final with two players of the National Hockey League (NHL), is it possible to say that for the success of the national team it is not necessary to rely solely on the stars?

- This is twofold. In what the Finns play ... Sometimes these teams lack the skill, and sometimes it turns out that all the blows caught themselves, it all came together.

- A year ago, the line-up was not so stellar, but you also did not play like the Finns. In what situations could you use their tactics?

- In principle, this is possible, but then we will have to change sweaters. The Russian national team has never played like this, I hope it never will.

- There is an opinion that the Finns played the hockey that your father Peter Vorobyov instilled in his teams. Did he say anything about this?

- There is nothing.

- Yesterday you were asked what is your main mistake in the tournament. You promised to think. Did it?

- I will think. Just now will be a month of vacation. Will analyze the game.

- Are you still on the post of the national team head coach?

- Do you think I spoke with the management immediately after the match? Next question.

- If you had the opportunity to abandon a player and call another, would you do it?

- This question is improper. I understand you have such a job, but my job is to keep it all in yourself.