2nd Interview with COACH BILL!

[Evgeny Oliker]

Alexander Shapiro (Sport-Express)

Translated by William Berg

Q : What is the reason for the absence from the final roster of Sergei Zubov and Vladimir Malakhov, two very experienced players, if not the best Russian defensemen in the NHL?
Bilyaletdinov : I don’t really want to talk about Zubov, you better ask this question to general manager Igor Tuzik. Concerning Malakhov : he put forward an injury.

Q : The 10-player list that was announced a few days ago by Viktor Tikhonov included Andrei Nikolishin. However he is not on the final roster. Why?
Bilyaletdinov : There is no doubt that Nikolishin is an experienced professional, but in my opinion, it is necessarry to have young players on the team. Such as Zubrus, Chubarov, Kvasha, Kovalchuk.

Q : Who led the talks with the players : you or Igor Tuzik?
Bilyaletdinov : After my appointment as head coach of the national team, I actively influenced the formation of the roster. I talked to Vladimir Yurzinov, Viktor Tikhonov, received their advice and gave them my opinion.

Q : Why doesn’t the list include Vyacheslav Kozlov, who became one of the most efficient Russian players in the NHL last season? Same about Sergei Brylin.
Bilyaletdinov : Regarding Vyacheslav Kozlov, I can say that he rarely expressed his desire to play for the national team, therefore it didn’t make any sense to invite him. Brylin is a center, whereas we already do have four high class centers in Zhamnov, Yashin, Fedorov and Datsyuk. It wouldn’t be reasonable to keep a such player in reserve.

Q : What if one of them gets injured?
Bilyaletdinov : Viktor Kozlov can be a winger, but also a center.

Q : Many people were surprised by the selection of players such as Chubarov, Valeri Bure, Vishnevski …
Bilyaletdinov : And what is so suprising? I got a very good report on each of them, that’s why they’re part of the group that will go to the World Cu

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[Evgeny Oliker]

i dont know if this guy can coach or not...but he does know how to pick a roster. i really like the fact that he didnt just pick the players that everyone expected him to pick. he could have went with the status quo and picked old guys like mironov and nikolishin but he realized that those guys are past their prime. he has a lot of guts for going with some more young and it will pay off! Nikolishin was on the 10 man roster cause TIKHONOV wanted him...but COACH BILL didnt give a damn what TIKHONOV wanted :lol
as for guys like s.kozlov and zubov, who didnt want to play...who needs a player with talent who doesnt want to play hard for his country...good ridance!

 

[wilka91*]

First of all, it was already posted elsewhere.

Second of all, I am William Berg.

 

[Evgeny Oliker]

well,nice to meet you sir. i didnt know it was posted elsewhere though. but i'm sure the guys on this board would want to read this too.

 

[Markov]

Wow. What an interview by COACH BILL!
:lol :lol

 

[Evgeny Oliker]

MARKOV you are going to get it buddy!
ok,so i'm a bit excited about this team...can you blame me? i've seen way too many RUSSIA national teams with no desire and no effort to show. i dont mind if these guys dont win ****, but i have a feeling they will at least put forth some effort. so with that said, go TEAM RUSSIA!

 

[Markov]

Ah you know I'm only kidding.

But I'm like you, I get tired of a great team on paper but when it comes down to they can't win or don't want to. I hope for once we can have a team that we can be proud of. And I'm thinking it might be this team.

 

[Evgeny Oliker]

ah,finally someone who sees some potential in this team...i think their only real competitor will be CANADA...canada looks scary on paper

 

[deathbear]

sweden looks just as frightening on paper as any other team.

 

[stockwizard*]

sweden looks just as frightening on paper as any other team.

Could the Sedins make team Canada. I don't think so.
And yes, Malty and Draper could make team Sweden if they wanted a kick ass checking line.

 

[MOGiLNY]

Brylin/Frolov/Zherdev/Korolyuk/Saprykin should've been in there instead of Zubrus..

 

[wilka91*]

Frolov should have definetly been here. Korolyuk probably too. But I'd keep Zubrus anyway because he's strong, fast and can hit like a truck!

 

[The Mighty Duck Man]

Brylin/Frolov/Zherdev/Korolyuk/Saprykin should've been in there instead of Zubrus..

Maybe this has been cleared up and people have been forgaven, but after Zherdev left for Columbus, there'd be a few problems with him playing on the national team I'd think. I assume the Russian coaching staff treated his leave as a defection.

BTW, if this is all wrong, Zherdev and everyone in Russia have made up, and the only reason he didn't make it was because of skill level, my bad.