Training camp in Füssen under a new coach / “There’s not much time left”
Short, but intensive – this is exactly the motto Christian Künast imagines the short course for the U20 national team in Füssen will be based on. Starting today, Monday, the national coach will ask his 23-man squad to take to the ice four times until Wednesday. In addition to Künast, Steffen Ziesche and Benedikt Weichert are also on the ice as assistant coaches.
“On the one hand, we want to see how far the boys have come, and on the other hand, we also want to promote the team structure,” says Künast. It is obvious that the short course is of great importance. Every free minute should be used to prepare for the Ice Hockey World Championships in Vienna. In November, while the national team was in Augsburg for the first time Deutschland Cup the U20 will also go to a four-nation tournament in Slovakia.
Künast: “We have the World Championships coming up in Vienna in December, so there isn’t much time left to work together. That's why we called this mini camp. This is extremely important not only for us coaches, but also for the players, so that we are as coordinated as possible in time for the World Cup.”
The U20 World Championships in Division 1A will take place from December 13th to 19th, 2015 at the Kagran Ice Sports Center. In addition to Germany, Austria, Norway, Latvia, Italy and Kazakhstan are taking part. The goal is direct promotion. Not an easy task, as Künast emphasizes: “Latvia and Norway are our biggest competitors, but Austria also has an advantage in front of its own audience.”
In Füssen, the coaching team would particularly like to try out the “special teams”. The main focus is on playing with fewer numbers and working with the keepers. However, Künast cannot rely on his entire squad. In addition to the North American legionnaires, Max Kammerer (Düsseldorf) and Kai Wissmann (Berlin) away. Both will be needed by their clubs for the Champions Hockey League games tomorrow, Tuesday.
Künast: “I spoke to the sporting managers of both teams. If Max and Kai get playing time and match practice at such a high level, then that is of course the best way. In this case it is absolutely okay that they are not here in Füssen.”
Although Künast would like to dose the training, one thing applies above all to all players: new coach, new opportunity. The competition begins. Künast also explains: “I told the boys that no one has a regular place yet. They have to earn their chances again.”