With today's game in Krefeld's KönigPALAST against Slovakia, the Marco Sturm era ends DEB
Review. It was July 10, 2015, when the Deutscher Eishockey-Bund (DEB) surprised with the commitment of the 36-year-old German NHL record player Marco Sturm as the new national coach and general manager of ice hockey Germany. Pat Cortina had previously looked after the team, but did not achieve the desired success. The DEB So felt compelled to act.
“I am very proud that the DEB has given me this great responsibility and I am really looking forward to the challenging, exciting task and approaching it with high motivation. Ultimately, we want to move German ice hockey forward together,” said Sturm that summer. And Franz Reindl added: “We hope that his signing will provide an important, emotional impulse for our national team.”
Almost exactly three years and four months later, today marks the end of an era that has long since passed into history. Marco Sturm will be on the board one last time as coach when the national team comes to the end of the season Deutschland Cup 2018 will meet Slovakia in Krefeld at 14.30 p.m. It was quite an emotional event for Sturm, his companions and also for the players. That much is certain.
Since Sturm took office on that day in the summer of 2015, German ice hockey has been looking up. At the beginning he won straight away Deutschland Cup, which was followed by the almost sensational entry into the quarter-finals at the 2016 World Cup in Russia, where they lost to the top favorites and hosts. A year later, at the home World Cup in Cologne, the DEBselection again made it to the round of the last eight. Canada's star ensemble proved to be a bit stronger in the Cologne Arena.
Anyone who thought that the new national coach would be satisfied with this quota was, however, mistaken. In 2016, after the loss against Russia (1:4), he complained: “Of course you can lose against the Russians in their home country, no question about it. But we can play better and we haven't shown that. We have to work on that in the future, despite being proud of what we have achieved.” What Sturm meant by that: Just because you were able to record a respectable success again, you shouldn't become complacent.
Just a year later, the Germans celebrated in Cologne Fans Leon Draisaitl and Co. despite being knocked out by Canada. The national coach praised his boys afterwards, but nevertheless pointed out that they had ultimately wasted an opportunity, namely the semi-final. "Canada was strong, but we have to play more courageous hockey," said Sturm, not entirely satisfied. This time too, he wanted more and felt that the potential in his squad was far from being exhausted.
He should be successful with this attitude, which he repeatedly instilled in his players. Winning the Olympic silver medal in February 2018 was German ice hockey's greatest success. Sturm and his boys had managed to ignite a new euphoria and, at least for a few weeks, compete with king football. It wasn't the Neuers, Müllers or Löws who were the stars, but rather the Ehrhoffs, Reimers and Sturms.
Today we have come full circle. There is no longer any chance of winning the home tournament. The German team lost twice in the first two games. Once after extra time against Russia, yesterday after a penalty shootout against Switzerland. Defeats are part of it, said Sturm, “but the way we presented ourselves is important to me. The boys did a great job in this tournament.” Important advice for the future.
Today he can have at least 60 minutes with his players and the Germans again Fans enjoy. Give instructions again, get everything out of yourself again. A new adventure, namely the one in Los Angeles, begins for Marco Sturm when the final siren sounds in the KönigPALAST. It could end emotionally. “It’s a strange feeling, I have to admit,” said the outgoing coach and smiled. Just like always. But this time just to say goodbye.