Comprehensive restructuring at DEB: Toni Söderholm becomes new national coach / Sports director Stefan Schaidnagel leads DEB with general responsibility / Tobias Abstreiter trains the U20 national team
The Deutscher Eishockey-Bund (DEB) announced comprehensive restructuring in the sporting area at a press conference in the Munich Olympic Park this morning. Accordingly, takes over Toni Söderholm from January 1, 2019 the tasks as National coach of the national team. The 40-year-old has been with the club since the 2016/17 season EHC Red Bull München and was most recently a member of the coaching staff of the reigning German champions. In the course of this, he looked after the cooperation partner SC Riessersee as head coach. Last season the Finn was named “DEL2 Coach of the Year”. In his second year, Söderholm took on the role of assistant coach of the U20 national team at the Deutscher Eishockey-Bund. Finally he succeeded with the DEB-Selection of promotion to the top division.
Stefan Schaidnagel In the future, the management of the Deutscher Eishockey-Bund will be Sports director in general responsibility take over. The position of U20 national coach will be held by Tobias Abstreiter from May 1, 2019.
“Even after the historic ice hockey success year of 2018, we are continuing to give full throttle structurally and sportingly. In keeping with our sports concept POWERPLAY 26 and the DOSB competitive sports reform, we are strengthening it DEB with new management and the national team as well as the Young Talent and women's national teams with new national coaches," said DEB-President Franz Reindl during the press conference. “I am very happy that we can present Toni Söderholm, a young, professionally recognized national coach who has been working in the national team system for two years, as the successor to Marco Sturm. At the same time, I would like to thank Red Bull Munich for the extremely targeted discussions on behalf of the national team and the approval.”
“After we had developed a comprehensive requirement profile for the position of national coach, Toni Söderholm was on our list from the beginning and convinced us in the interview across the board. With him, we have an internationally recognized expert as national coach for the DEB obliged,” explains DEB-Sports Director Stefan Schaidnagel. "Toni will consistently continue the path we have taken together with the national team and will work with us to shape the future direction of further promoting German players. We are looking forward to working together!"
“I look forward to continuing to work with him DEB and am at the same time EHC Red Bull München “I am very grateful that they released me for this position,” explained new national coach Toni Söderholm. “It is a great honor and challenge to work as national coach for the German national team. I look forward to future collaboration!”
The U20 national team will be available from May 1, 2019 Tobias Abstreiter trained. The 48-year-old has already worked as an assistant coach for the German national team at World Cups and other international tournaments for the past three years. In the future, he will take over the duties of the previous U20 national coach Christian Künast, who will become national coach of the women's national team from January 1, 2019.