The youth rides on the World Cup with a sign. He brought to Latvia to the top division a trip raises logical questions. Firstly, as Bragin and Znarok get along together, who even conducts team training,

The youth rides on the World Cup with a sign. He brought to Latvia to the top division

The trip raises logical questions. Firstly, how will Bragin and Znarok get along, who even conducts team training, and secondly, how can he find an approach to teenagers? And if Valery Bragin is dealt with the first point, then you can not worry for the rest – Znarok began the coach just from the junior and youth teams. And even sought some success.

After the 2001/02 season in the German Hailbronne, Oleg Znaroko maintained a uniform with Riga, which ultimately invited him to try in the Latvian championship. But because of the problems with the knee, he could not play, so he stood on the bench as a second coach-to help Leonid Beresnev.

Then Znarok did not yet know that he would not return to the ice: ordinary doctors assured that they had to be finished, sports – that the knee was getting older, and it would be possible to play. But he was definitely not going to train then:

“If I don’t play anywhere, then I can’t exist for the money that I am earned here. Therefore, I will go to Germany and issue disability there. But after they give disability, you can still play. So practiced. I know people who play like that. In the meantime, I can’t even walk normally. I am developing so much, but no shifts ”(delfi.lv, interviews taken in the summer of 2002).

But everything changed quickly – at the end of August, Znarok announced that he was ready to return to the national team, and no longer a player, but a coach. Although a year earlier he abandoned Latvia’s citizenship to continue his career in the German championship. There was a terrible scandal and great grievances. But there was.

Oleg Znarok twice recognized as the best player of Freiburg (1997, 1998)

Znarka was immediately included in the coaching council under the Latvian hockey federation, and also connected to the national teams-he helped Mikhail Beskashnov with youth in the first division of the 2003 World Cup, and then he was taken to the Court of Lindstrem's adult headquarters. The candidacy was clearly imposed by the leadership: the Swede did not know anything about the colleague, and Znarok in an interview called Lindstrem a physical school.

He received independent work the next season: Znarok trained the Riga “prism”, entered the headquarters of youth and drove the Latvian team of the U18 at the World Cup in the first division. Before the tournament, he explained: “The main thing is that in the future at least four or five of these guys play in the national team.”

It turned out well. Latvia became the fourth in its group, but the coach's debut was appreciated as a successful one. And then seven hockey players then played from that team in the main team: Andersons, Bartulis, Galvins, Arthur Kulda, Daugavins, Pechura, Saulietis.

The ambitions of the Latvian hockey federation were generally modest: in December 2003, the youth team, in which Znarok still helped Mikhail Bezkashnov, took fourth place in group A of the first MCM division (there were two equivalent groups of 6 teams), and the result of all Arranged. Yes, Latvia lost only Slovenia, and finished the tournament with the difference in washers 35-19, but still it was far from the highest division.

Before the MCM-2005, the youth was already entrusted with the banner, and it was still not attributed to the favorites-Denmark, Ukraine and Slovenia were quoted above. “The victory of Latvia in the entire tournament would be incredible success,” wrote the official website of the IIHF, although hardly any of the players and coaches of Latvian youth knew about this.

Znarok well prepared a team, half consisting of his junior-2004. After four matches, Latvia was the first in the group (victory over Denmark, Ukraine, the defeat of Estonia and a draw with Poland). The last game-with Slovenia-turned into a battle for going out to the highest division, and it turned out to be epic: 6: 5 in favor of Latvia, a hat-tricks of the scotter and Karsums, who pulled out this match in a hat-trick in the third period, despite 10- Minute removal in the second.

Martins Karsums will debut after the adult national team of Latvia, 2008

After that, Znarok in Latvia turned into the Messiah-in 1996, it was his goal in the decisive game with the Swiss brought the main team to the highest division of the World Cup:

“These two tournaments cannot be compared. Then I was a player of the national team, I could help her directly on the ice. And here you can only stand behind the side and watch everything. In this case, the nerves are left much more ”(Gorod.lv, December 2004).

The exit to the Higher Division of the Ministry of Councils of the Ministry of Emergency Situations was a historical event for Latvia. Sports officials even wanted to turn to the president in order to award the Znark and his guys the Order of three stars – the highest state award, but limited themselves to a letter of thanks for special merits in sports and contribution to the development and promotion of youth hockey in Riga.

It was clear that at the first opportunity the banner would be given the main team, but so far he was already entering her coaching staff, while preparing his guys for the MCM-2006. He started in the summer: a two-week collection with three training a day in a 30-degree heat in Kandava-Viktor Tikhonov’s beloved Latvian place. “Everyone should go through the kandava,” said the coach of youth, who collected here even those who played the ocean.

The purpose of Latvia at the MCM-2006 is to remain in the elite division, but in a group with Russia, the Czech Republic, Sweden and Slovakia it was impossible, no matter how much you train. The debutants spent the most worthy match with the Slovaks – although they lost 4: 7, but at least they transferred the opponent. The Russian team did not torment the Latvians – 3: 1; Moreover, 2-0 by the 5th minute-Malkin and Lemtyugov were scored.

Znarok won the only victory in Vancouver only in the comforting round – 4: 0 with the Norwegians.But both of these teams eventually left the elite.

The youth team flew out, but Znarok expectedly went to increase – six months later he was already appointed head coach of the main team: Peter Vorobyov could not combine work in the Chemist and in Latvia. The next MCM team was taken by Leonid Beresnev, and Znarok did not return to youth hockey.

Forward, who for the first time in history brought Latvia to the Elite of the MCM, Martins Karsums a few years after the match with Slovenia recalled in “Soviet Sport”: “Znarok is … Znarok. I played with him in the junior team, then in the youth, now in the main one. Personally, he taught me the impersonal and perseverance, which he himself was famous for. His strongest quality? Closed! No matter how the game is developing, he forced us to always go to the end. ”

There were never problems with Bragin with this. But maybe the ostrics will add yet?