The U18 national team begins this week in Füssen to prepare for the World Cup tournament in the USA from April 26th to May 6th. U18 national coach Steffen Ziesche looks ahead to the adjustment phase and comments on both the difficulties faced by the year group this season and the team's sporting prospects.
Steffen, the U18 national team is starting to prepare for the World Cup, the highlight of the season. How difficult is selecting the squad in this unprecedented, complicated season with all the obstacles and uncertainties?
Steffen Ziesche (U18 national coach): “It's not easy because we lack a lot of measures where we could have seen players, where the players could have presented themselves. The pandemic also prevented us from having the usual tournaments where the players could have shown themselves internationally. The situation is like that, but we can start with a large squad from phase one - and everyone can show off. In phase two, the players who are still playing are added, whether in the DEL, the DEL2 or the Red Bull boys who are still in the play-offs.
What alternatives did you look for, how did you keep yourself up to date?
Goat: “Contact with players and clubs is generally always there. I was able to look at the players in various media, including Magenta Sport, and sometimes drove to Weißwasser to watch games. The academy in Salzburg also has a live stream. But of course there are also a number of boys who were unfortunately only in the training process and did not have this important competition.”
How would you generally describe the current situation in this age group?
Goat: “The majority of the boys have not had any games since November and in some cases no training with the team due to the regulations that only the squad athletes were allowed to train. As a result, team training has been canceled at many locations, which doesn't make it any easier, especially since the other nations were all playing significantly more. Other nations have this advantage because they basically still played and trained as a team. If there were cases, there was an interruption. We are actually the only nation that has not been allowed to keep playing games since November.”
Can this competitive disadvantage be compensated for in preparation or is there still a burden on the tournament?
Goat: “Of course you go in with a mortgage, because of course you don't compensate for the missing months of competition experience. All we can do is make sure we have a united team performance and that everyone really stands up for each other. Team spirit definitely has to be our top priority.”
Can you classify where the team stands compared to the international competition?
Goat: "It's difficult to say. I think if everyone can be there and stay healthy, we will see relatively quickly where the journey is going. Hopefully the two test matches against Switzerland will continue. Then we will see where we are moving and get the first impression of how big the gap is or not.”
Do the test matches from last summer in Switzerland still have any value?
Goat: “No, that is in the past, you can no longer draw conclusions from it. That was before the season, when there were already differences in the level of development due to the different holiday periods in the federal states. You can’t include these games at all.”
What can be said about the quality of this vintage?
Goat: “I think there are a few very talented guys there and we also have a good goalkeeper position with Nikita Quapp, who is already in the DEL in Krefeld and is doing a good job. That’s what we hope for the tournament too. We have some players up front who can cause a stir offensively. But our main focus will of course be on the defensive, that we play on a well-staggered, organized defense. The motto will be to stand safely and then take advantage of the opportunities that arise up front. If everyone stays healthy and we are spared the fate that the U20 had, then the team won’t be that bad despite the competitive disadvantage.”
How is it to be estimated that around half a dozen players have at least some first league experience?
Goat: “It's a special situation, which is of course good on the one hand, they play in the DEL. Now, on the other hand, you have to look directly, how much ice time do they get? They don't play on special teams like they would in their league. But nevertheless the training level is immensely higher, the challenge for the boys to prove themselves every day is immensely higher. They have to get out of their comfort zone, which is exactly the right thing to do and what the boys definitely need to develop.”
How is the preparation structured, what are the main focuses at the beginning?
Goat: “We have three phases and in the first phase we especially want to see the guys who weren’t the focus. This is important for us. In general, tactical things are definitely in the foreground. We have to make sure that we speak one language on the ice, that the boys know what we want to play and, above all, that this is automated in the processes. The focus on tactics plays a large part in the work and in everyday training.”
What will the days be like after arrival, what do you currently know from the USA, what are the quarantine regulations?
Goat: “We hope that we can get another test match on site where we can compete with the final World Cup squad and get the final touches. It's our turn to organize a game. As of today we have two days of quarantine and will have workouts in the rooms during these two days, which our fitness coach will take over. Then hopefully we can get on the ice and adapt to the North American ice surface. That’s why it would be good for us to have another test game under the conditions with the smaller ice surface.”
Spectators should at least be allowed in the arena where our team plays.
Goat: “It would of course be incredible if spectators were allowed there and I hope that the hygiene concepts will work and that we will get through the tournament well and that the competition there will not be disturbed or affected by any other stories. But I think the organizers are experienced enough to hold such a tournament. They’ll think something of it if they allow spectators.”
Who do you see as favorites?
Goat: “It's difficult to assess, but these are certainly the usual suspects who, as always, are playing for a medal in world ice hockey. The top nations are also the medal contenders.”
Photos: City-Press
