Zankavets vows to reform ice hockey in Belarus

The new coaches of the Belarusian national ice hockey team on April 9 started a news conference with hand shakes with journalists. Head coach Eduard Zankavets and assistant coaches Alyaksandr Andriyeuski, Uladzimir Tsyplakou and Andrei Husau vowed reforms in the Belarusian hockey.

The atmosphere of the press conference was very informal and friendly. The coaches promised to pass this mood and the confidence in the victory to the whole team. Eduard Zankavets said his task is to bring the team to the top eight countries of the world.

Belarus is scheduled to play Slovakia who is now coached by former Belarus manager Glen Hanlon from Canada. However, Eduard Zankavets has no fear of his colleague and former boss. It is worth noting that the both coaches conratulated each other with their new positions. When asked by the European Radio for Belarus, Zankavets noted that it is very interesting to compete with a man who uses his own tactical tricks.

But Zankavets stressed he was not going to copy the methods and the style of the Canadian specialist. Instead, the new coaches are to come up with their own program. The team's game will become more aggressive but with a tough discipline in the defense.

The new coaches also stressed that focus would be shifted towards developing new young stars, so they would search for new talents among juniors.



Photo and video: Valera Ruselik