a year Ago, a whole country was in the ice hockey fever. The people were so intoxicated that you posed for in the morning, 5 o’clock, the alarm clock to the Olympic final. There with expectations, according to Russia and, quite surprisingly, Germany. The game developed into a Thriller, three minutes and 16 seconds before the end of defender Jonas Müller met by the Eisbären Berlin 3:2 for the outsider. “I thought that’s enough to of Gold, and said: Come on, guys, we can do this,” said Müller in a recent Interview with the daily mirror to the greatest day in German football history.
With the Olympic victory it was but then nothing, the Russians made up for in number of 55.5 seconds before the end and met in the extension to the 4:3-victory. Nevertheless, the disappointment continued after that, only short, the German football had won the silver more than the biggest optimists in their daring had expected, wildest Dreams. The team was chosen at the end of the year, Germany’s sports team of the year, Müller in Berlin, even to the individual athlete of the year. “Silver, in ice hockey, to stop,” said Müller afterwards. Exactly a year later, the question of whether this is actually so.
A small Boom took place is undisputed, silver has paid off financially for the Association. The funding from the Federal Ministry of the interior was invested in new Trainers. Also in the young, the Olympic effect is noticeable: The German hockey Federation (DEB) reported for the first half of 2018, a significant increase in new registrations.
Jonas Müller from the polar bears made in Germany at the time, even Gold dream
Sporty, however the silver so slowly. After the Olympic Coup, several veteran players such as captain Christian Ehrhoff declared their withdrawal from the national team. Success coach, Marco Sturm followed, the reputation of the best League in the world and is now assistant coach for the Los Angeles Kings in the National Hockey League (NHL). Under his leadership, the German team had to get in the world Cup in may, their limitations highlighted, and the quarter-finals missed.
victory smile. The former Federal trainer Marco Sturm, who has since hired in the NHL.Photo: Monika Skolim/dpa
Meanwhile, the Finn Toni Söderholm play for the national team is responsible, it will show whether he can motivate the group of the German North-American legionaries to participate in the 2019 world Championships in Slovakia. It is already clear that Germany will not play for medals. The Olympic games in Pyeongchang in this respect, an outlier, because the Topnationen were apart of Russia only with third-rate Teams without professional players from the NHL at the Start. That is also why DEB-President Franz Reindl is a little wistful when he thinks back to the Olympia: “this is something that happens only once in a lifetime. This will not repeat again.“
Ehrhoff, Sturm and soon Reindl? The heroes of 2018 are coming soon all the way
Reindl has made during his tenure, the German ice hockey deserves. With Marco Sturm of luck, he managed to grip on the national coach Post, the reform program “Powerplay 2026” bears his signature, and led to early success. Medals were actually targeted for the medium-term future. Whether this is more than just wishful thinking, however, is questionable. A fortiori, as Reindl will give up to 2020, his position as DEB, the President, and it could be exchanged for the presidency of the world Federation IIHF.
Reindl has opened doors, he was the face of the Association. One of the many people to do something could, because he belonged to in 1976 to the Team that the biggest success to date with Olympic Bronze could retract. His successor could take over Stefan Schaidnagel who is currently sports Director in the DEB, but already now the General responsibility of the Association.
but in the end it are the players that are in focus. In this respect, Germany has with Leon Draisaitl, a top Star in the NHL. With 36 goals in one season, he is today the third-best scorer in the North American League. With his Team, the Edmonton Oilers, he threatens, however, the Play not to miss-offs and would allow the national team at the world Cup. Whether he plays there, but that leaves Draisaitl. He says, could follow other players and Söderholm had a Problem. Thus, the Boom in the German ice hockey lasts longer than a few months, but permanent success necessary. For example, a premature new Olympic qualification.
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Interview with Berlin’s sportsman of the year Jonas Müller: “The silver has to”
Claus Vetter
“Now you have to see how that goes,” said Jonas Müller in December. Well possible that it will need in the future in German football again, to dream bold dreams, from realists to optimists. (with dpa)
