RB Salzburg Coach McIlvane on the biggest opponents on the way to the title – Hockey-News.info
With a team that has been at the top of the table by a wide margin for many weeks and, not least with the recent signing of Brian Lebler, can be counted among the top favorites for the championship, Matt McIlvane, who has been the Red Bulls team boss since 2019, could This year after two seasons shattered by Corona, go for the big hit.
Matt McIlvane on…
The strongest competitors in the championship
One of the most important facts for me is how tight the league is. I think that’s especially true this year when you look at who’s been beating whom. So it’s really hard to identify the closest competitors. The table also reflects this more broadly. A win or a loss can lead to big changes. We also have to be prepared in any case.
The third Corona season and the basic round
Since I’ve been head coach, I’ve been dealing with Corona. In the first year the playoffs were canceled, in the second year we had to deal with that as well. In fact, the second time you experience something like this, you’re better prepared. Players are no longer thrown when a game is postponed. It is no longer uncommon for one or more players to be quarantined. This year we can all handle it better. In interesting war the course of the basic passage. We got off to a good start, then in October and November we found ourselves with eleven missing players due to Corona, which gave the youngsters chances. With them we were able to maintain a high level and that helped us get back on track as the pros gradually returned. That brought the team together. We are on course.
The development of the (former) academy players in the professional team
You have all taken a step forward. If you look at a Kilian Zundel who is now a ‘full time’ player with us. The same applies to Lukas Schreier, who has taken a big step and has become more and more stable. Paul Stapelfeldt went from being a pure AHL player to an up and down between AHL and ICE that gives us stability. The same applies to Paul Huber, Aljaž Predan, Lucas Thaler, Danjo Leonhardt and Jakub Borzecki. All of these ‘kids’ have changed personally and help make the team better as a whole.
The secret of his team’s success
I don’t think we have a big secret. From the beginning of the season we tried to form a team with a stronger Austrian core. The boys made progress, we brought players into the team with great leadership qualities. From this mixture we formed our ‘brotherhood’ and constantly developed as a community. We’ve set standards for how we want to play and the lads implement that. We have an attitude of always going forward and working on the development process. No matter how many games come in a row or whether a game is won or lost. We have the club light.
His third year as head coach of the Red Bulls in Salzburg
My family and I feel very comfortable here, much more than in the first year, which is heavily influenced by Corona. The larger community that has developed over the years gives us a sense of family. In terms of sport, my first year in Salzburg was also my first ever as a head coach. I had a great mentor [Don Jackson, Head Coach Red Bull München] and was part of many beautiful events. I personally learned a lot from my first to my second year as Head Coach. From all the circumstances that Corona has brought with it in the last two years, I have emerged as a stronger coach. In addition, I get all the support from those around me. Not least from my fellow coaches Kerschi, Ben and Daniel. But at the top is a fantastic team that is just fun to train with. As a coach you can’t ask for more, I love my job here.
www.redbulls.com, photo: GEPA pictures/Thomas Bachun