Center is bursting with enthusiasm / After a long period of suffering, finally free of symptoms
The man is brimming with enthusiasm. During the national team's first training session on Monday in the Czech Republic, Marcel Goc left no doubt that he feels really comfortable in his job again. “Now being on the ice and being part of the German selection is a lot of fun for me,” confirms Goc.
That was too rarely the case last season. Finally, the striker experienced the Adler Mannheim A horror scenario, so to speak, for a professional athlete: Almost ten years after his return from North America and 699 games in the best league in the world, the 32-year-old attacker actually wanted to fully attack Mannheim after his return. However, this plan was already canceled after the second game of the season against EHC Red Bull München thwarted.
Goc injured his leg after “a completely normal duel”. The original downtime of a few weeks ultimately extended to a full five months. A temporary comeback also set Goc back. Even worse: The center even had to use crutches for months and was not allowed to put any weight on his leg. Ice hockey was out of the question at that time. The comeback should finally happen in February. But in the first game Goc was again put out of action due to muscular problems.
“It’s frustrating when you spend the whole season hoping to finally be able to play again,” remembers the national player. “You go to rehab every day, but you don’t make any real progress. In terms of injuries, this was definitely my toughest year. Above all, mentally.”
Forgotten and over. Goc was back on the ice in the first playoff series and showed a strong performance in the series against Cologne. As if he had never been away. “Unfortunately it was of no use. We would have liked a better ending. Somehow it suited the season,” says Goc, who officially only played six DEL games in the 1/2015 season. Two of them don't even get to the end. Fewer than ever before in his long career.
Accordingly, he is keen on spending time with the national team. He took part in a World Cup seven times and was captain at the home World Cup in 2010. But for the first time ever he is taking part in a preparation. “In previous years I always came to the World Cup directly from North America. This is completely new for me.” So new, in fact, that unlike the established forces, he didn’t have any official team clothing when he arrived in the Czech Republic.
A new season is now beginning for Goc. “When you now see that the other teams are playing in the playoffs, you realize that your own season ended far too early.” Therefore, it was no problem for the left-handed shooter to re-motivate himself after a break of around four weeks. On the contrary. “As a professional athlete, you want to go into the summer break with a good feeling. “That’s why we want to do everything we can to ensure that we have a successful World Cup,” emphasizes Goc.
Personally, he feels completely fit. “The injury no longer causes any problems at all. I hope it stays that way.” A healthy Marcel Goc brings every team forward. National coach Marco Sturm also knows this, for whom the center forward is one of the leaders. There is no question that a healthy player of his caliber should be seeded at the 2016 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship in St. Petersburg (May 6th - 22nd, 2016). After such a long period of suffering, that's exactly what I want him to do.