– Tell me, as a hockey expert: are you interested in the duel between Alexander Ovechkin and Wayne Gretzky?
“I don’t think it was just the press that made the buzz. For us, it’s definitely a cool race. Our hockey player in the NHL will soon be the first. Of course, in Canada, they hope that Connor McDavid will be the next to break records. And they will do anything to bring it up. But for a while, Sasha will always be number one.
– If Ovechkin scores 1000 goals, it will be comparable to the footballing achievement of Pelé.
“In America, they will quickly find something. They’ll add playoff games and say only the regular season doesn’t count. But Ovechkin will always be king of the hill.
– Interestingly, the NHL protects Russians in every possible way, but the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) has eliminated Russia at all levels. Why is that?
– It’s not about hockey, it’s about politics. Obviously, the NHL is tied to trade. And they do everything to protect the superstars. You look at how many Russians at each NHL club are playing in the first or second ties. They are in the lead! And the defenders of the first and second pairs. Few perform in third. I’m not talking about the Russian goalkeepers at all.
Our hockey players in North America are followed by people, so they will be protected. Well, the IIHF doesn’t like it, or just doesn’t need it. They have no money, but other priorities.
– That is to say that we are ousted from European hockey. Does the same thing happen in European football?
– Without a doubt. We just have more clout in hockey. And I heard that Russia remains in the ranking. Participation has been suspended, but if our team returns, they will be third. But in football they just kicked us out, that’s all.
– Maybe it’s a good idea for our football to go to Asia?
I take this negatively. We’ve never been there and I don’t see the point. First of all, it is not economically profitable. Tell me, has anyone considered the economy itself?
– I do not know.
– And when they counted, I think they realized that it was not a good idea. Also, consider the television factor. It’s hard to watch the European Champions League here. Some matches fall at 23:00 Moscow time. Not to mention the regions where top football is shown at night.
We have half the country living in another era, the same Far East. Asian matches will be watched there. But the European part is not. The timing is bad. And will it be interesting for advertisers?
– What do you think of the plot in the football championship? Can Spartak catch up with Zenit?
– Zenit dominate, but everything will depend on how Spartak start in the spring. If he imposes some kind of struggle, gets addicted, wins the first four games, then maybe the storyline will begin. At the same time, Zenit must lose something. Otherwise, I think it’s unlikely we’d expect a cool race.
– What do you think of Artem Dziuba?
Will he find a new team? It’s probably all about the money right now. And the closer to the beginning of the spring period, the less appetite Dzyuba will have. Maybe he will have time to get along with someone.
But it is not yet known which team will be interested in him. Probably, now it turns out that this is only one of eight second RPLs. But will Dzyuba himself go there?
– He used to go even to the Arsenal in Tula.
– So it’s to prepare and go to the world championship at home. Then Artem finished his task. And now a career is at stake. If Dziuba doesn’t play for more than six months… Maybe someone will take him this summer. But when you’re 34, it’s better not to take such a break.
– Do you have any idea of the return of Russia to big sport? In hockey, in May, the IIHF congress will once again consider the question of Russia. There’s a chance they’ll come back.
– And in football this issue is not even discussed. But they will focus on what is happening in other sports. Where Russia has a lot of weight. Of course, it’s a hockey, gymnastics federation…
– Here are the Russians in tennis as they played, so they play.
“But they are all about money. Many of our athletes are in the top ten. It is very important and interesting for the tennis federation that our athletes perform. Also, in this way, in tennis, they protect their own, without losing the authority of the sports family.
– In general, you don’t expect good news in football?
– If we talk about 2023, I don’t think they will change anything. If only the ice broke with others, in the same box. We have no authority in football. Previously, our interests were represented by Vyacheslav Koloskov, but who is now part of the circle of international leaders? Therefore, in football it is now difficult to count on a breakthrough.
A source:
Source : MatchTV
I’m Emma Smith, a dedicated journalist and avid storyteller. I have been writing for news websites for the past 5 years, reporting on hockey news and delivering in-depth analysis of the sport. In my current role as Author at Athletistic, I write about hockey events from around the world to keep followers up-to-date with what’s happening in the sport.
