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Ted Sator about Team Hungary and the MOL League

Date: Jan 27, 2010

- Mr Sator, you have been the head coach of Team Hungary for four months. What is your experience: what are the strenghts and the weaknesses of the national team? Who are the most important players?

 

- We shall look at the center of the ice and for the defence, the goaltending should be very solid. I think when you are looking at the national players you need to look at their size and their speed comparing them to an international level.

I think the most important position is the goaltending. You need great goaltenders to win. They are very confident. You need to score goals and you need good defence as well. You can’t be successful if these things are not in place.

 

- You have tried some young talents in the national team. What do you think about these players? Are you going to give them opportunity in 2010?

 

- We are going to give the opportunity for the best players. Of course there are some certain players like Palkovics, Tokaji, the Vas brothers and Ladányi but we are going to have a look and feeling up the rosters. Well, we had the core of the team and then we had a tournament with Alba Volán in last September and more candidates were chosen after that. For the upcoming tournament we are going to give more chance for the young players so we can see what they can do.

 

- As you are an EBEL coach you can often see the AV19’s games, but how much attention can you pay for the MOL League?

 

- We are in a sport event right now I mean if I have free time I try to watch some of the games. We are going to have a training camp with the best MOL League players. I have contact with the coaches and J.P. MacCallum from Dunaújváros Steelbulls joining us in February.

 

- Which MOL League’s players have a chance to join the national team?

 

- Some of the boys of Dunaújváros play very well and obviously I’m looking at the Budapest Stars as well. I talked to Lajos Imre, the leader of the national team and he told me which players we shall keep an eye on. We also have to check some young defenders. I think we have a good list of names and candidates.

 

- What are your plans for the Challenge Cup? What kind of result would you be satisfied with?

 

- I want to go with the best team with young talents to see what they can do in an international level. It’s a good test for them. This is the last chance for them before the final camp opens on the 1st of April.

Well, I would like that the team do well but it’s more important for me to find out who is going to be a good candidate for the final camp.

 

- In April there is going to be the Pannon Hockey Cup with strong teams. What are your expectations vs Austria and Norway? What is going to be more important: the result or the game?

 

- There are two good „A Pool” countries, whoever Austria dropped out from the top division last year. When you get ready for the final week you need a good competition. It will be really good for us.

 

- What’s your opinion about our World Championship rivals?

 

- They are all good! All the teams are with their best players. This is the most exciting time of the year.

 

- Finally, I have to ask this question, because for the Hungarian fans this is the most important thing: will we be able to go back to the „A Pool”?

 

- That’s our goal but even for the other teams. We are going to work hard and we are going to be prepared, we try to play the best hockey what we can but we can not guarantee the success.

 

Text: Zsolt Sándor

Photo: www.nso.hu

 

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