Donets’k is preparing for KHL

23 Apr 2012 | Davide Tuniz

Even if already not confirmed in Kontinental, club hires top coach Julius Supler and plans to build the biggest KHL arena

Ukranian champion Donbas Donets'k was eliminated in VHL semifinals and incredibly lost Continental Cup in January but even if the season can't consider positive, the club has great plans for the future. Ambitious President, the tycoon Boris Kolesnikov, during the post-season press conference announces the negotiation of Slovak coach Julius Supler for the next season, whatever will be the league where Donbas team will play, KHL - the club already submitted the application - or the current VHL. Supler, 62, coached Slovakia national team, Dinamo Riga for three seasons and CSKA Moscow last season before to be fired in January by army club. In last days Kolesnikov denied rumours about a possible dismissal of Donbas head coach Aleksandr Kulikov but earlier today Ukraine Federation announces the appointment of Kulikov as new national team head coach after the disastrous campaign at World Championship Division I in Slovenia, ended with the relegation of team. The hiring of Kulikov gives green light to Donbas to confirm Supler.
Kolesnikov also announces the team will have a budget of 20 million dollars for next season and the building of a new arena completely financed by the club to replace the current "Druzhba" arena. The new Donbas' home should be ready for 2015/16 season.
"I can say that this will be the biggest arena of all currently existing in the KHL. With regard to the construction site, we have three options. One of them is very good, but it is very difficult, and two fairly good. I think the end of May all will be clear.
Detailed project takes six months to be ready. We look forward to the mid-autumn to get a working draft, without which we can not get to work. This arena will belong to the club and completely financed by Donbas"