The Congress of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), held in Copenhagen in the last days of the world championship, was attended by the former head coach of the Russian national team Vyacheslav Bykov. The eminent specialist, as a player who won two Olympics and five world championships, as a mentor played one of the main roles in the return of domestic hockey to a leading position. The legendary victory at the 2008 World Cup in Quebec with a 5-4 overtime victory over Canada in the final recently turned 10 years old. A year later, Vyacheslav Bykov and his wards consolidated their success with gold at the World Cup in Bern. Having brought the first ever Gagarin Cup to St. Petersburg SKA in 2015, the 57-year-old specialist unexpectedly resigned and has not returned to coaching since then, declaring his desire to be closer to his family. Limiting himself to public work in the supervisory board of the Swiss club Friborg and the IIHF, Vyacheslav Bykov still remains one of the most influential figures in the world and Russian hockey.

In Copenhagen, he gave an interview to Izvestia, in which he shared his opinion on the reasons for the defeat of the Russian team from Canada in the quarterfinals of the 2018 World Cup and the unexpected entry into the finals of the Swiss team, and also talked about how the victory of the Olympic gold by the Russians will affect the development of domestic hockey games in Pyeongchang.

A year ago before decisive matches World Championships in Cologne, you came to the IIHF Congress to support Minsk's bid to host the 2021 World Championships. What were you doing in Copenhagen now?

I came at the invitation of the Chinese - I help them with consultations in some organizational matters. Now they are very concerned about the preparations for the next Winter Olympics, which will be held in Beijing. Their national ice hockey federation was only created in 2016. She organizes competitions in the Chinese Championship. At the same time, the KHL has a Kunlun, which is located in a different structure. I know that if they don’t unite, then after 2022 hockey will die there. And it needs to be developed. At the same time, in the 1960s and 1970s, there was hockey in China - a lot of people played it. And then he disappeared. And now they need to make sure that, having been revived, he remains in the country. To do this, from the very beginning it is necessary to take the right steps, to instill a culture of playing hockey. And in China, the leaders are serious about developing a whole pyramid, building a base in the face of mass and youth hockey without looking back at the momentary result. After all, it is always better to give a person not a fish, but a fishing rod. But it's a long way to go - China is still at its very beginning. And if they don’t unite all the structures now and some steps are wrong, then there will be no result at the 2022 Olympics. And then in China there may be doubts that hockey is their sport.

Before the Canada-Switzerland semi-final, you were talking near the arena with the Swiss player Tristan Sherway, who was warming up. Have you known each other for a long time?

I coached him when he was a kid. This was between 2000 and 2004. Sherway is a pupil of the Fribourg school, he trained with me. Now, however, he plays for Bern, has already become the champion of Switzerland several times. Glad to have had a hand in his professional growth.

- What did you talk to him about?

He asked what his mood was, whether they were ready to immediately play with the Canadians at a high pace, to kick back. I wanted to feel from his answer how much Switzerland is morally ready to resist. Canada after all always very actively plays the beginning of matches. We knew this and came up with our plan of action. I told Sherway, “If you roll back and wait it out, it won't work. And if you overwhelm Canada with counterstrikes, you put them in a difficult position.” How did our commanders achieve victory in the war? They knew through the scouts that there would be an offensive, and they went with an advanced counterattack. They broke the plans of the enemy. We achieved victory, broke the situation.

- Our team failed this time...

Yes, and this is very disappointing, because during the match they still managed to pull themselves together and pull out the game, transfer it to overtime. I'm not going to talk about lost overtime - anything can happen here. Especially if you play in the minority "3 on 4" against Canada. But we showed two periods out of three that we can respond with a blow to the blow of the Canadians. It is important that not only experienced guys, but also young ones, like Ilya Mikheev, were capable of this. This means that we have a future. The main thing is that with this new experience, the same Ilya continues to progress and plays a more significant role at the next world championships. But still, it's a shame that we could not withstand the pressure at the very beginning of the match, having conceded in the fifth minute.

Since the 2011 World Cup, we have only beaten Canada at the Channel One Cup. Can this be called a trend?

I do not want to evaluate what happened after me and with other coaches. It is not correct. During the days of the World Championships in Denmark, I received a lot of calls with congratulations on the decade of gold in Quebec. I try to pay less attention to this, because now we need to support our new coaching staff, headed by Ilya Vorobyov, whom I know from the 2010 World Championship in Cologne. Then he helped our delegation a lot as a translator, living in Germany after the end of his career as a hockey player.

- Did you see coaching potential in him then?

Then I didn't think about it. But Ilya helped us a lot at that World Cup. As did his father. Petr Vorobyov played a significant role as an assistant to Boris Mikhailov when we won the first World Championship in Russian history in 1993. This month, by the way, is also the anniversary of this victory, but they don’t remember this at all - unlike Quebec. Returning to your question about the trend... Here, in general, it is necessary to draw parallels very carefully between victories and defeats in matches with Canada. Different compositions on both sides, different circumstances. At the same time, I can’t say that we are a cut below. Now in Copenhagen, just a little was not enough for success. A year ago, in Cologne, under Oleg Znark, the peculiarities of the Canadians were taken into account with their shock start of the matches. Then our guys managed to immediately prevent them from turning around, withstood the onslaught, and then scored two goals and took the lead. But did you ask yourself or the experts what happened in the second break of that semi-final (2:4)?

It is known for sure that before the second break, the Russians had a removal, for the third period they came out in the minority, and Canada quickly implemented it ...

Yes, the rest is a mystery what happened to the guys who confidently won this match for two periods. I would like to know what happened there.

You are asked in every interview when you will return to coaching. Now you have again stated that you definitely will not resume it in the coming year. In the three years since leaving SKA, have you received offers when a potential employer was close to convincing you to come to him as a head coach?

There were times when I entered into negotiations. People wanted to talk in person, not over the phone. I am not the kind of person who repels such desires. Always glad to talk, exchange opinions with people, listen to them. The last such example is my meeting with Alexander Krylov, the new chairman of the board of directors of Avangard. I was very impressed by this conversation, I liked the plans and vision of the development of the club, which he told me in sufficient detail.

- At least someone had a chance to defeat your desire to be with your family and raise a grandson?

No. Because if I were ready now, I would find an opportunity to make it clear and start working.

Does this "no" apply only to the KHL? Or in Europe, which is closer to your home in Switzerland, would they also not agree to work?

Friborg, on whose board of trustees I am a member, also received offers to become a coach. And they're waiting for me to mature.

- Russia finally won the gold of the Olympic Games. What's next for our hockey?

I am glad and happy because this victory draws attention to sports and hockey. Now even more boys and girls will go to this sport. It's great that we got the title back Olympic champions. From the very beginning, I was for going to Korea, regardless of any political issues. Sports should be out of politics.

Was the price paid for this success? The KHL broke its own calendar for the sake of the Olympics, almost all the Olympians were gathered in two clubs, the financial and game stratification between CSKA and SKA and the rest of the clubs became very significant. And at the exit, we hardly defeated Germany in overtime (4:3), at the last moment avoiding defeat.

The fact is that, accepting the rules, we must exist and work according to these rules. The League is a collegiate body. It's all up to the club leaders. They get together, set the agenda, analyze which direction to move in, what needs to be done for development, set the rules of the game. If the leaders KHL clubs so they decided - unanimously or by a majority - that means they were satisfied with these rules. SKA and CSKA are just two clubs. There are more than two dozen clubs in the KHL that may have other interests. There are more of them. And if they were not satisfied with the current policy of the FHR and the KHL, they would have voted against. And our two clubs that everyone is talking about would be in the minority. But in the end, the rules that exist are accepted. So you have to play with them. In business and any society, the rules of the game are such that if a collegial body has determined the path, then everyone must follow it together.

- Did these rules justify themselves?

Achieved results - won the Olympics. What now to argue about the correctness of the creation of two basic clubs? Everyone understood why it was being done. If this result had not been achieved, one could talk about something. Now the question is whether it is necessary to continue to act like this or not.

You discussed with Igor Zakharkin his last year trip to Yugra. Did he really believe that a project with one foot in the VHL could be saved?

Igor and I are people who love hockey and our profession. You have to be honest with them. That's why I'm where I'm needed right now. Zakharkin at a certain moment was needed in Khanty-Mansiysk and went there because he respects hockey. At one time we worked in Poland, because we were needed there, and not somewhere else. We fulfill our mission before hockey. Therefore, Igor did not even think about the situation in Yugra and any risks. He just wanted to do his job as a coach professionally.

Three years outside the KHL after leaving Salavat Yulaev did not affect you - you came to SKA and won the Gagarin Cup. You've been out of the league for over three years now. Are you sure that with a further lack of practice you will not lose your grip?

This has its own logic. But, on the other hand, I have not moved away from hockey and I am in a hockey family. My son plays, I myself work in the club. Let and on voluntary, but this is a good job, giving me the opportunity to keep abreast of game development trends. I'm not out of touch with hockey. I am constantly in contact with Igor Zakharkin, who now works as the chief methodologist at the Ak Bars hockey academy. He often turns to me for advice. Therefore, I would not say that I am completely out of hockey and the lack of practice as a head coach can be a fatal problem.

A few more years without this practice may lead to a lack of proposals from clubs with budgets at the level of SKA and Salavat Yulaev. In this case, will you be ready to return to your roots and lead a team with less ambition like your CSKA Moscow in the mid-2000s, when they were not yet taken under the wing of sponsors?

Zakharkin and I went to work in Poland not for money. It so happened that we worked there for almost a whole year for free. But - worked. Because you have to be honest in front of hockey. Everything is possible, and even for coaches of our level there is nothing dishonorable in working with children or young people, sharing their experience with them. When you become someone thanks to hockey, you need to give him a debt. I try to do it in whatever capacity I can.

The agent of the head coach of the football "Spartak" Massimo Carrera Marco Trabucchi said that he started his sports activities since helping you and Andrey Khomutov move to Switzerland in the early 1990s…

He was a translator and at the beginning of our Swiss career he helped us take the first steps in new country because he knew French and Russian. Marco is a good friend of mine. I know his family. By the way, he recently got married.

When Massimo Carrera first arrived in Russia, there were rumors that Marco Trabucchi introduced you and you gave him advice on how to adapt in our country…

It definitely wasn't like that. I never talked to Carrera. But if he and Marco asked me for advice, I would not refuse to communicate and would be happy to suggest something. I am always for communication and exchange of opinions. At one time, I came across another head coach of Spartak, whom I knew in Switzerland, Murat Yakin. I met him in the lobby of the hotel in St. Petersburg, where he lived when he worked at SKA. Spartak also settled in it during an away match with Zenit. Accidentally met Yakin in the hall, but did not approach, he was shy.

Grigory Rodchenkov, the ex-head of the Moscow Anti-Doping Laboratory, who fled to the United States, said that before the Sochi Olympics, he offered to test some drugs on the players of the hockey team. But the head coach Zinetula Bilyaletdinov and the team's doctor Valery Konov severely stopped this. Were you offered something similar when you headed the national team?

There was no such thing. We had a slightly different experience. Back in the day, it was popular in the NHL to breathe gas. And I don’t know through whom it came to our team, but one day I saw some spray cans in the team’s location. In general, having joined the national team and gathering the entire staff, I drew the attention of the medical corps that I categorically forbid such things. He warned everyone: “God forbid I find out that someone, somewhere, is offering something to someone, this information will fly out with fanfare immediately to all the media.” I am by no means a supporter of finding such easy ways to win. But either in the first or in the second year of my work in the national team, someone brought these spray cans. This gas was not even included in the WADA list of prohibited drugs at that time. But Zakharkin and I made inquiries about this drug and realized that with its help a person is simply intoxicated and stops thinking. And we needed thinking players. And I warned everyone that anyone who comes again with these spray cans can return with them to where they came from.

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Glory - that was the name of a young boy from Chelyabinsk, the son of a washerwoman and a tailor. Being already stronger and matured Vyacheslav, he, as a player, led his native Traktor forward, and then CSKA with his native team. We know Vyacheslav Arkadievich as a coach who gave us greatest victory in the history of Russian hockey and one of the culprits of the memorable Vancouver fiasco. What mark did the most titled Russian hockey coach leave behind? Hero or outcast, real mentor or sentry on the bench? Only history can give answers to these questions, and we will only recall the main milestones in the career of a player and coach. One way or another, he is the most discussed and controversial figure in modern domestic hockey. His person does not leave indifferent, and this is a sign of a great personality.

The story of the future triumphant of Quebec and Berne began in Chelyabinsk. The Ural land gave a lot of talents to Russian hockey: Sverdlovsk brought up Pavel Datsyuk, Nikolai Khabibulin, Alexei Yashin, and among fellow countrymen Bykov such masters as Evgeny Davydov, Sergey Gonchar and of course Sergey Makarov. With Makarov, perhaps best player in the history of Chelyabinsk hockey, the Bykovs are about the same age, but they did not manage to cross paths in Traktor. In 1979, Bykov made his debut in the main team of his hometown, and Makarov joined the army just that season, going to CSKA.

Bykov's path to the foundation of Tractor lay through playing for the institute team, playing for the local Metallurg, and once he was noticed in the games for the football team of the region and tried to recruit him into football team, acting in class B of the USSR championship. Hockey won, and soon Vyacheslav went on promotion and ended up in Traktor, a traditionally strong team by Soviet standards. Two years before Bykov's debut in the Chelyabinsk club, in 1977, he began his coaching career at CSKA. Viktor Tikhonov. The legendary Soviet coach noticed the Ural young striker after Bykov's first season at Traktor. There was a change of generations in the army club, and the search for talents went on throughout the country, Tikhonov collected diamonds and brought the cut to real diamonds. However Gennady Fedorovich Tsygurov defended his player, insisting that Vyacheslav needs to get stronger and go to Moscow already being the real leader of Traktor. Over the next two seasons, Bykov scored 46 goals and became top scorers of your team. He was ready to leave, the Ural nugget was ripe.

Vyacheslav learned to shoot at school, according to him, he disassembled and assembled a Kalashnikov assault rifle faster than anyone in the class. Arriving at CSKA, he, like all his partners, took the oath in a real military unit and in 1982 became a private Soviet army. The future champion coach graduated from the Military Institute physical education in Leningrad, and as a CSKA player he rose to the rank of captain. In the army club, Bykov was always in the first roles, but he was still not destined to become the main prima. The 80s passed under the sign of other masters. Krutov - Larionov - Makarov ruled not only in CSKA, but also in the national team, and many rightly consider them the best trio in the history of domestic hockey. Together with Bykov, he went side by side for almost his entire career Andrey Khomutov, and next to them the coaches tried Mikhail Vasiliev And Nicholas Drozdetsky, but the trio of Chomutov - Bykov - Kamensky nevertheless entered history.

The striker played in CSKA until 1990. Seven times he became the champion of the USSR, in 1990 he entered the symbolic five of the tournament. Head coach CSKA Viktor Tikhonov, who then headed the USSR national team, since 1982 began to attract Bykov to the national team. During the Soviet period, the forward won four world championships (1983, 1986, 1989, 1990) and the 1988 Olympics. Bykov the player became famous not for his heroic strength and physical pressure, but for his smart game, vision of the field, high speed of skating and thinking.

In 1990 biography Vyacheslav Bykov divided into two parts by a bright Swiss line. When the compatriots of the CSKA center forward went in shoals to punish America in the NHL, Bykov and his partner in the army club Andrey Khomutov left for not the strongest and most respected hockey power. Then there were big doubts that the level of the Swiss championship would allow one of the leaders of the Soviet team to stay in the cage. Nevertheless, at the Albertville Olympics, he had a hand in the victory of the CIS team, and in 1993, as team captain, Bykov led the Russian team to the first “independent” championship. Then no one could have imagined that our national team would be able to return the title of world champions only 15 years later, and the captain of the 1993 team would have a hand in this victory.

In Friborg in 2000 passed farewell match Vyacheslav Bykov, in the same place, under the arches of the arena, a hockey player's game sweater weighs. In Switzerland, Bykov spent 10 years and there he was literally carried in his arms. The family of Vyacheslav Arkadievich settled in this country, the children of the famous player grew up in Switzerland, and his son Andrey not so long ago made his debut for the Red Cross team. coaching career also started abroad, but soon it was time to return home. In 2004 he was invited to CSKA. The club, to which Vyacheslav Arkadievich gave eight years as an active player, made a bet on a well-known hockey personality, but a young and mysterious coach.

Bykov had to make his debut in an extraordinary, non-standard season for Russian hockey. In 2004, the NHL and the Overseas League union did not agree on a new agreement and many players best league of the world rushed, including to Russia. The level of the Superleague has risen sharply, and the balance of power in the Russian championship has also changed somewhat. Then, after a year of absence from Columbus, he returned to CSKA Nikolai Zherdev, arrived Andrey Nikolishin, Oleg Saprykin, Oleg Kvasha And Alexander Frolov. However, despite a fairly strong line-up, CSKA Bykov did not make it to the playoffs.

The first pancake turned out to be lumpy for Vyacheslav Arkadyevich, but, despite the unintelligible result, the young coach was remembered for his methods of work. Over the years spent in Switzerland, Bykov has become in many ways a European person, in terms of thinking and mentality. He offered a new approach to training and relationships with the players. Democrat Bykov failed to achieve great heights in the coaching field on the move, but instilled in CSKA a recognizable attacking style. In that coach, who came from Europe to Russia with a suitcase of emotions and plans, it is hard to recognize Vyacheslav Arkadievich, whom we know today. He was not closed, his communication with the press was not limited to mutual injections. On the contrary, the young specialist sought to interact with colleagues, reporters, and fans with every fiber. However, Russian reality over time crushed the open coach.

The leadership of CSKA did not fire Vyacheslav Bykov and entrusted him with the team for the next year. The coach did not disappoint, and CSKA with him, despite a noticeable budget cut, took 5th place in the regular season, and flew out in the 1/4 finals, losing to Avangard Omsk. The first successes in coaching Bykov came along with his constant partner - Igor Zakharkin. This is now Igor Vladimirovich a media person and sometimes even coming to the fore in the now famous tandem. Then the face of their union was, of course, the former center forward of CSKA and the national team. A truly great hockey player was respected by both the players and the entire hockey community. Zakharkin, whom Bykov met when he was a player, complemented Vyacheslav Arkadievich, being a strong theorist and methodologist.

After the Russian team led by Vladimir Krikunov in 2006, she flew to the 1/4 of the World Cup from the Czech Republic, it became clear that changes in the main team of the country were inevitable. The great Soviet goalkeeper Vladislav Tretyak ascended to the post of FHR president, and one of his first steps in the new position was to invite Vyacheslav Bykov as head coach of the Russian national team. The decision is certainly risky, given the lack of experience and modest results at the club of the new national team coach. Many well-known and proven specialists had already worked in the national team by that time, but none of them achieved the desired result.

The Moscow World Cup was approaching, and to some extent Vladislav Tretiak went for broke. The Russian team led by Bykov and Zakharkin lost the Eurotour for the first time in three years, but won bronze medals on the new Khodynka. That's just given the circumstances under which the team took this third place, the language does not dare to call it a great success. That team could take gold, but a fatal mistake Alexandra Eremenko in the overtime of the semifinal match with the Finns brought down the hopes of millions of fans to win. Starting from the Moscow championship in 1986, the hosts of the world forums could not take the gold of the home tournament. Was no exception and 2007, when brilliant, spectacular game Bykov's team led only to bronze medals.

In the club, Bykov's business went uphill. In the same season 2006/2007 CSKA showed best result since 1992, stopping on the way to the title only in the semi-finals of the playoffs. Kazan's "Ak Bars" became an obstacle for the team of the national team coach. The team from the capital of Tatarstan met with CSKA the following year, this time in the quarterfinals. Bilyaletdinov's team was again stronger than Bykov's guys, and having successfully completed two more series, became the first owner of the Gagarin Cup. Three years later, Zinetula Khaidarovich will replace Bykov as the Russian national team, but first there will be an almost fabulous transformation of Kovalchuk in Quebec 2008 and a much more thorough, self-respecting victory in Bykov's almost native Switzerland just a year later.

hunger for big victories V hockey Russia sometimes turned into apathy and a kind of doom. Almost no one believed that the curse that haunted the national team for a decade and a half would ever break. Moreover, few people bet on Bykov's team in enemy Quebec, in the year when the IIHF turned 100 years old, and the Canadian team was determined to celebrate this anniversary beautifully. Celebrate, of course, with your victory. They just didn’t take into account that their rival in the final match was the Russians, whose glory Slava Bykov tried to revive, who was still a part of the famous “Red Machine” as a player.

Many blame Bykov for the lack of deep tactical knowledge, the inability to manage the team during the game. Perhaps there is some truth in these words. However, it was he who revived the brilliant attacking hockey that was characteristic of CSKA and the USSR national team, which included Vyacheslav Arkadyevich. In addition, Bykov always found a common language with his wards and knew how to reach out even the most stellar and highly paid players in world hockey. The situations with Semin and Kovalchuk can be called indicative. In the case of the Washington striker, who was expelled from the national team before the Moscow World Cup for being late for the training camp, an invitation to the team for the next year followed. In the future, there have never been open conflicts and public claims between the coach and the player. Ilya Kovalchuk one of the most talented Russian players modernity, throughout the entire tournament in Quebec, he could not distinguish himself, was subjected to merciless criticism, and missed the semi-finals due to disqualification. What happened in the final, it would probably be superfluous to remind. Alexander Semin also scored a double then.

Quebec-2008 will forever remain the peak of Bykov's career. Perhaps, after that triumph, he became more flexible and wiser as a coach, perhaps, on the contrary, his methods ceased to work, and as a coach he lost control over the team. But it is with the first victory at the world championships in 15 years that the surname will be associated in the future Vyacheslav Bykov.

In Bern, Radulov and Bryzgalov shone, the team's game became a little more restrained and reasonable, and the emotions from the victory no longer went over the edge. The second victory in a row convinced the Russian fans, and perhaps the members of the national team themselves, of their own greatness. Vancouver and the Olympics, which took place in this Canadian city, promised another rise to the podium, as well as the next and most long-awaited duel with Canada. The Vancouver quarter-final and the score 3:7 became the most significant trump card of the opponents Vyacheslav Bykov, and to some extent this defeat became a black mark for the coach.

The Olympics is the peak of a career for both hockey players and their mentors. Stay on top long years even the greatest specialists fail. Having reached a kind of Everest, Bykov could not stay on it, and his work in the national team could no longer be the same as before. Even novice journalists did not hesitate to pry on yesterday's hero, fans mercilessly criticized, colleagues made claims. Under increased pressure from the hockey community, the silver medal in Cologne and fourth place in Bratislava were seen as a failure. four seasons Vyacheslav Bykov as the head coach of the national team ended on a minor note, unfairly shading past victories.

Despite notable successes at the international level, Bykov could not achieve real success in club hockey for many years. Having headed the ambitious and wealthy “Salavat Yulaev” from Ufa in 2009, Vyacheslav Arkadyevich attracted many more angry reviews. But at the same time, the transition to work in new club with almost unlimited possibilities has become a real challenge for the coach of the Russian national team. "Salavat" under Bykov became famous for its bright and, in some places, even reckless hockey. In his first Ufa season, Bykov again stopped Zinetula Bilyaletdinov, and the KHL received a brilliant semi-final series of Ak Bars and Salavat. There was a rumor about the inability of the club from the capital of Bashkiria to play for the result, but a year later Bykov again met Bilyaletdinov face to face and emerged victorious from this coaching duel. Despite serious problems at the start of the season, Salavat turned out to be really the strongest club in the KHL. Failures in the national team overshadowed the fact that Vyacheslav Arkadyevich to some extent managed to step on the throat of attacking hockey and subjugated everything final result. “Vanguard”, led by Jagr, was bursting with scandals, the defense of “Locomotive” was bursting at the seams, the wealthy St. Petersburg SKA was collapsing, and “Salavat” was progressively moving towards the long-awaited cup.

The pinnacle of justice is that two-time champion world took the same Gagarin Cup and became the last this moment, a member of the elite club of coaches who became national champions. No matter how you feel about Vyacheslav Bykov, but our Mentors cycle would be incomplete and incomplete without him.

Surprisingly, a champion coach, a specialist in his prime, will start next season in the status of unemployed. Vyacheslav Arkadyevich, expelled from the national team and suddenly no longer needed by Salavat Yulaev, returned to his family in Switzerland. Having worked for many years at a distance from his wife and children, Bykova is now entering a stage where each free minute he can give to his family. But for some reason I can’t believe that a hockey man to the marrow of his bones, which he certainly is, will be left without job offers for a long time. Let's hope that the leaders of the KHL clubs have the number of our hero in their notebook, because all of us will miss Vyacheslav Arkadyevich and he hardly deserves to be left in the margins of history.

The owner of the hockey Gagarin Cup SKA St. Petersburg and coach Vyacheslav Bykov reached an agreement to terminate cooperation for family reasons. His assistant Igor Zakharkin also left the team. The resignation came as a complete surprise to fans and experts, who immediately began to build a conspiracy theory.

Family bonds

“The club thanks Vyacheslav Bykov and the coaching staff for their work and contribution to historic victory SKA in the Gagarin Cup. A mean message posted on the SKA official website is like a thunder among clear sky. It is not often that a coach leaves a club in the wake of success after a big win. According to the terms of the contract concluded a year ago, the specialist had to work at the club for at least one more season. But he decided to leave in English. Without explaning the reason.

More precisely, the reasons were named. But they look extremely ridiculous and seem to be concocted on the knee. “Our tandem with Igor Zakharkin was invited to St. Petersburg to solve specific problems and achieve certain goals. Now that this task has been completed, unfortunately, for family reasons, I am forced to interrupt cooperation with the club, ”the SKA press service quotes Bykov.

The specialist also expressed hope that the potential and the achievements that have been achieved during the period of his work in SKA will help the club to fight for the most high places and win the Gagarin Cup more than once. Bykov noted that he had gained important experience in St. Petersburg and thanked the hockey players, staff, employees, management, loyal fans. In addition, the coach said that in the near future he did not intend to work in the clubs of the Continental Hockey League.

It seems that all this came as a surprise to Igor Zakharkin, the coach's faithful squire. “Vyacheslav Arkadyevich called me and informed me of his decision. I thought that in this situation, in accordance with ethics, I should also leave the club. We came to SKA together and completed our task by winning the Gagarin Cup, and we are leaving together. I think I did the right thing,” says Zakharkin.

According to him, everything happened very quickly, so at the moment he is not ready to say what will happen next. At the same time, the specialist did not rule out options for independent work.

Photo: Alexey Malgavko / RIA Novosti

The club's management, represented by its vice-president Roman Rotenberg, expressed regret over Bykov's decision. “We are very sorry that Vyacheslav Arkadyevich left for family reasons. Family always comes first. The club thanks him for his work. Bykov is a legend of Russian hockey. He will always be a close friend of SKA. We will see him at many matches in St. Petersburg, ”TASS quoted Rotenberg as saying.

According to Alexander Medvedev, a member of the club's board of directors, SKA will decide on a new coach by the end of June. “The decision was unexpected for me, as well as for everyone else. Nothing foreshadowed such a development of events. Vyacheslav Arkadyevich was preparing for the next season, drawing up a training plan. It is a pity that this happened, but family values ​​​​are in the first place. We wish Bykov all the best. We hope that he will return to active work,” Medvedev said, urging not to look for pitfalls in what happened.

Second wind

As family circumstances, Bykov's desire to spend more time with his grandson can be considered. Last December, the coach's daughter Maria, who lives in Switzerland, had a son. The specialist himself compared this event with the opened "second wind". The intention to devote time to the family, on the one hand, is quite understandable. The hockey season for any of its participants is the hardest marathon, requiring both physical and moral costs.

On the other hand, Bykov made his decision based on its results, and not immediately after winning the Gagarin Cup, but two months after it. During this time, you could safely relax with your family for a year ahead. The desire to “finish everything here” looks especially strange in the light of the preparations for the new season that have begun. Officially, hockey players leave on July 10, but Bykov has already taken part in agreeing on a plan for pre-season training camps, one of which, by the way, was scheduled to be held in Switzerland.

In connection with the above, a version of the conflict with the leadership is put forward. Anything could be the reason - for example, the desire of the coach to receive an increase in salary. Indirectly, information about problems in relations with functionaries is confirmed by Bykov's mother, who said that she talked with her son three days ago and he did not say a word about his intentions to resign. That is, the decision was spontaneous and, perhaps, made on emotions.

Photo: Dmitry Lebedev / Kommersant

As for the possible replacement, the media immediately remembered the current head coach of the Russian national team. “Oleg Znarok is the main contender for the post of SKA head coach, the last consultations are underway, the meeting between Znark and the SKA management has already taken place in Moscow, if the final decision is made in favor of this specialist, he will combine work in the national team and the club for the successful preparation of the national teams to the home world championship, ”R-Sport quotes its sources in the club. The SKA press service, however, quickly denied this information.

In conclusion, let us recall that this is not the first time Bykov has committed such hard-to-explain actions. In 2011, the coach in exactly the same way, after winning the Gagarin Cup, left the Ufa Salavat Yulaev. The only difference is that then he refused to extend the contract expiring at the end of the season. On the sidelines, it was rumored that the specialist had requested a salary that was inadequate from the point of view of management.

They don't. They do not get rid of a top-level specialist without finding an adequate replacement for him and without resolving all issues with at least some kind of continuity.

But, apparently, this is not about CSKA, where the dismissal of the head coach after three victories in the regular season. If not routine. There was a man - and there is no man, what's so surprising? The current president of CSKA once upon a time, in the late 90s, had a whole club. And under him, this club did not exist. And no one, except for the "Wings of the Soviets" themselves, was not disturbed then.

They say that the president of CSKA was forced to fire Dmitry Kvartalnov, almost stepping over himself. Because, they say, Vyacheslav Bykov will never come to the place occupied by someone. Another thing is that Bykov himself is in no hurry to leave his Swiss comfort zone, and there are a number of explanations for this.

Firstly, Bykov perfectly understands the system of work of domestic hockey. And he understands that a coach of any level in this very domestic hockey cannot be anyone else but. They quickly ran, agreed, did the job (won the Gagarin Cup), divided the due bonuses, shook hands and fled again. It is pointless and useless to build any long-term plans in the continuous environment of those who can ask, in the complete absence of those who are responsible for something.

Secondly, Vyacheslav Bykov cannot but understand that after the flight of the national team under the leadership of Znark, which is possible at the 2018 Olympics, he will be strongly attached to this very team. But to fasten only in order to, after any number of titles and medals, in case of missing the podium, to be thrown out of the national team, like a naughty cat. To save warm jobs for those who appoint him there (they themselves, perhaps, are responsible for the failures?).

With the current formula, that at the World Cup, that at Olympic Games when you need to win several matches in a row, regardless of the opponent, a one-time miss on the podium is just a matter of time. And you can have any guarantees, build any long-term plans, but they will be instantly reset to zero, as happened once. Yes, yes, both with Bykov and Zakharkin. And the same people who unanimously voted for their appointment to the national team, after five years and two championships, without raising their eyes, raised their hands for early dismissal.

Is it any wonder, after everything that happened, that Bykov, comprehending hockey zen and not at all intending to get into our internal showdowns? Which, since his last Gagarin Cup, have also managed to turn into a showdown of serious structures. Why does he need it? Win the regular season and get 30 minutes of penalty time per game in the playoffs? As it happens with certain rivals of a certain hockey club right now.

Probably, Bykov will still be pulled into the KHL, where, of course, they will immediately be merged with Zakharkin. Who it will be is still unknown. At the very least, it's premature to place all bets on CSKA. The army team has the most chances, but even there there are considerable questions. In any case, if Bykov returns, it will most likely be a one-time promotion for one season again.

And this means that such a return will not bring any serious benefit to domestic hockey.

The correspondent of "Soviet Sport" after the match of veterans met on Khodynka with Vyacheslav Bykov, who told what he was doing now. He denied rumors of a return to the KHL and sharply dismissed the possibility that he would become a head coach somewhere without Igor Zakharkin.

Bykov did not go out into the street immediately. He asked the guards who were trying to get in the way to let him into the pantry. And left there a stick and a trunk with a uniform.
- Why, Vyacheslav Arkadyevich? I asked. - It's a club with autographs of all participants in the match?
No, this is my work tool. I always keep a club and a form in this closet, - Bykov explained. - Ever since I coached the Russian national team.

“BURNED THE EARTH? TO BE SOWED SOON…”

- When you were invited to the veterans' match, did you immediately agree?
- I didn't think for a minute. Immediately bought a ticket and arrived in Moscow.
Why didn't you go through the mixed zone? Didn't want to talk to the press?
I have a plane at 19.30 to Switzerland. It is now the middle of six. I'm afraid I might be late.
- Why don't you take a flight later, didn't you stay for a banquet?
- For what? I saw old friends in the locker room, warmly talked to them. It is most important.
- Who are you most excited about?
- The whole team in general. For me, this meeting is like a balm for the soul. After all, I went out in my favorite trio with Valery Kamensky and Andrey Khomutov.
- When you watched the Super Series-72 as a child, which of the hockey players did you like more?
- I was 12 years old then. We boys imitated everything! And Phil Esposito, who sat on the penalty box and showed that he would cut someone's throat. Parise, Ragulin, Mikhailov, Yakushev... To the whole glorious generation. I am happy that I saw such hockey. This made it possible to fall in love with this sport. I grew up on the Super Series-72.
- You said you were glad to see everyone in the locker room. But what is it like to sit in the same room with Alexander Kozhevnikov, who constantly criticizes you?
- I just enjoy these meetings.
- But it was said that after you and Igor Zakharkin, scorched earth was left in the Russian team.
Did they burn the earth? Soon they will sow, - Bykov laughs.
- Another of your critics and partner in the veterans team - Vyacheslav Fetisov - admitted that he had already made peace with Bykov. You almost became friends.
- We agreed to meet on the day when the 65th anniversary of our hockey and CSKA was celebrated. Fetisov and I had a very good heart-to-heart talk...

"THIS IS NOT WHAT IT HAPPENED WITH THE SHUPLER!"

– Tell us about your future. People are waiting for you to return to our hockey. When will you become the head coach of CSKA - from next season or already now?
- These are all rumors. I don’t know who benefits from dissolving them, exaggerating my name in the press. I just do not know.
– Does it bother you?
“I don’t understand why this is necessary.
“But that's good. Looks like you're in demand.
- So, Zakharkin and I left something behind. Even scorched earth. Let them at least remember this.
- Avangard appointed a new head coach the day before the playoffs. In fact, it eventually failed. Is it theoretically possible that you will lead CSKA right now?
I don't take this situation as a whole. I don't even think about options. And I don't understand much. The story of Julius Shupler, for example, is very wrong. I'm sorry that my colleague was kicked out of the club like this.
- What is wrong?
– It is difficult for me to explain these actions and decisions.
–Did the new management of CSKA call you at least once?
- No.
- "Barys", "Salavat Yulaev" - is it also empty?
Rumors, just rumors.

“I WILL NOT WORK WITHOUT ZAKHARKIN”

- You spent the season without work.
“I had a lot of fun talking with family and friends. I rested, I spend a lot of time with children, I go to hockey. My time is busy enough for me to get positive emotions. No feeling of heaviness!
- They say about hockey players who have not played for a year: “They are rusty ...” Does this apply to coaches?
- No. Well, I say that I help the local club Fribourg, where my son plays.
- Igor Zakharkin did not come to the matches of the Russian national team in Stockholm. Probably, your assistant would feel uncomfortable there. Are you planning to come to the World Championships in the capital of Sweden in one status or another?
- Basically, I thought about it. But it's hard to plan right now. It doesn't matter to me if it's hard or not. There is no psychological burden. This is a purely organizational moment, nothing more. I still don't know what I'll be doing in May. But I always went to the World Cup, received invitations ... I am a fan of the Russian team.
– Assess the likelihood that Vyacheslav Bykov will work in the KHL next season. From zero to one hundred percent.
- Half a percent.
- Why?
- I really look at things.
- Still, there is an unspoken directive that Bykov should not work in the KHL?
- No no. Even if there was something, now it is irrelevant.
- It is true that they say to you: “Slava, we will make you the head coach in our club. But only without Zakharkin? And you don't want to betray a friend.
- I'll tell you frankly: whoever wants to see our duet in their team, I will consider this proposal. Don't even bother with the other options!
"Aren't you going anywhere alone?"
– I am already 51 years old. And at this age, look for a person whom I can completely trust, turn my back on? What's the point of testing someone else? For what? On the other hand, Zakharkin and I proved that in a duet we can achieve results. If you don't like it, then don't. I'm not forcing anyone.
- Bykov does not work separately?
- No. I won't! This is both human and professional. We complement each other well. I'm not ashamed to admit it. I am a supporter of building a team around myself strong people.
- When you are in next time will you come for your club and uniform?
- It's hard to say whether they will invite me to another match ... Let's wait and see! - said Bykov, waved his hand and hurried to the airport.