Sean Simpson interview

25 Dec 2012 | Roman Solovyev

The World Junior Championship will starts tomorrow in Ufa. Some teams have come to Russia and prepared for the tournament here. Head Coach of Swiss National Team Sean Simpson told R-Sport about the goals for this tournament, difference in working with A-team and Junior and his WJC as a player of team Canada.

- I’m working for the Swiss A-National team and consulted junior team last years, and we’re switched around by Federation and I’m coach of junior team too. My main job still is A-national team and I will be a head coach of this team at next World Championship in May 2013.

What difference in preparation for WJC and WC you’ve noticed?

- Juniors are little bit different. My preparation and coaching system is the same, I need to be little bit more patient with them, and teach a little bit more. Adult players are more professional. It takes more time to pull your system together and way you want that they will play.

It’s your first WJC as a head coach, but in 1980 you played for the Canadian national team. What do you remember from that tournament?

- Yes, I played in 1980 for Canada, and played every game. USSR was very strong team, because they had Vladimir Krutov, Igor Larionov, they were so strong and they won a gold medal.

In 2010 Switzerland promoted to semi-final of WJC by beating Russia in the quarter-final round. But in the next years you team didn’t show good results.

- In junior level you always have good and bad years. I’m sure that when Switzerland beat the Russians, they were as strong as them. Russia are much stronger this year, they were very good last year (2nd place in 2012), very good year before (1st in 2011). Junior depends on the strength of your years, every country can have good year of players. Swiss hockey is developing, we just need to stay in the main group, do anything. We can’t compete with such countries as Russia, Canada, we can’t compete at this level, that’s our aim is to stay in a group. It doesn’t matter if we will play in relegation round or not.

But, I consider that in your group three countries Czech, Latvia and Switzerland had equal chances to take third place…

- Czech could be stronger then we are, I think for sure that we will fight for 4-5 places in our group; we try to win a couple of game and will be at Top-9 to stay in top division.

Which players could be leaders for this national team that will play in Ufa?

- We have a solid team with six players that play in CHL; I supposed that these players could be leaders in the team, as 3-4 players that played in top Suisse league. And we have 10 well experienced players, we don’t have superstars, I hope with our solid team we can get a success.

Which players of other teams in your opinion could shine here in Ufa?

- Canada has Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and couple of players who could normally play in NHL. Russians have Nail Yakupov, who was first-overall pick last year. Both are picks of Edmonton Oilers, one from Canada, one from Russia. It’s interesting to see how they will play here.

Do you think that main rivalry will be between Yakupov and Nugent-Hopkins?

- I think Russia and Canada are two favorites team. Russia is a strong team that win 3 of 6 games in Canada at Subway Series, it’s not easy to do, they’re must be strong team.

Have you heard a story that Canada players took lamps to Ufa because they consider that here is always darkness?

- I didn’t hear this story. We come from Europe, it’s a little bit colder than in Switzerland, we need to dress up nice, nice hotel, nice dressing room at the arena, we’re happy. I’ve been many times in Russia, I was in Minsk when worked as assistant coach for team Belarus, was in Moscow at the World Championship. With Zurich some years ago we beat Magnitogorsk at Champions League, the city that’s the nearest to Ufa. I’ve been in Russia many-many times and I liked it.

You have been working for Swiss hockey for 10 years. What have changed for that time?

- We have a pretty good league; we could play better at WC. It’s tough for us to move up in world rankings. We work hard to hold up our position between 7 and 9 ranks. We’re 9 now, we dropped last year. Our young and kids program are good, but we didn’t have so much numbers of players that Russia, Canada, Sweden can have. We’re small country, there are not so many kids play hockey, but I think we do a real good job for people and players that we have.

Can you say more about local league NLA, why player like to join it?

- The Swiss league is very attractive league for players to come to. It’s a good hockey, they pay pretty good money and it’s a great place to be. Beautiful country and players can come here with their families and it’s nice.

In Russia there are some rumors that Andy Murray, consultant of Swiss national team, can join Russian CSKA. Have you heard something from him?

- Andy Murray is a very good friend of mine, I have known him for many years, he’s coaching now in University of Western Michigan, and he’s very happy there. I don’t think that he could come to Russia right now, maybe in the future, he had a three-year of contract in Michigan, and he likes be here, that’s why I think it’s still the rumor.

How will you react if you got an offer from KHL clubs?

- I would like to have this challenge but I’m very happy with my work now as Swiss national coach, it’s a big honor, it’s really good job to have. But if I will free and won’t know what to do, I would be very interested.

This Interview was also published at R-Sport, www.rsport.ru, in Russian.

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