"If the coach doesn't have the courage, the hockey players won't have it either"

Recently, Sport-Express conducted an anonymous questionnaire of general managers of KHL clubs, and one of the questions was about the best coach of the league of all time. The victory of the three-time Gagarin Cup winner at the head of Ak Bars Zinetula Bilyaletdinov, who had previously won the domestic playoffs twice (with Dynamo and Kazan) with different names, could have been assumed, but with such a preponderance! He received 13 votes out of 22 who participated in the survey, while his closest competitors received no more than two. Although the rivals were more than serious, it is enough to name Oleg Znark, who won twice with Dynamo and once with SKA plus reached the finals with HC MVD, and Vyacheslav Bykov, who took the trophy with Salavat Yulaev and SKA.

On the eve of his 70th birthday, the 1984 Olympic champion, six-time world champion and decorated coach gave a long interview to Izvestia and Sport-Express.

It's time for young coaches

— In what mood are you approaching the anniversary, Zinetula Hajdarovich? How and where are you planning to meet?

— In a normal way! I'm going to meet you in Moscow, with my family and close people. No large—scale events are not my thing. It is more comfortable for me to do this calmly, without pathos, in the circle of those whom I know best and whom I trust most. I don't like big parties.

— Do you miss coaching and do you plan to return to it?

— Yes, it's already good, haha! I said the same thing at the end of last season at a press conference, and nothing has changed since then. It's a hard work. And in order to deal with it well, you must have the strength, courage, and a great desire to win. You have to think about it 24 hours a day. It is impossible without it.

I will highlight the word "courage" in particular. We talk about it in relation to players, but for some reason it is very rarely heard in relation to coaches. This is wrong. If the coach doesn't have the courage, the hockey players won't have it either. And then the spectator who comes to the arena after work, tired, and expecting to get pleasure and positive emotions, will leave disappointed. My task as a coach was to maintain that courage in the team. But he's gone, and so you don't have to fool yourself and hockey.

— You were almost forced to return to Ak Bars last time. Nevertheless, in the first season, having replaced Oleg Znark in the middle of the season, you reached the finals.

— That's how it was. A difficult situation arose, and I was asked to return. My conscience is clear before Oleg. I didn't want these changes because Znarok is a good coach who has worked very hard, won and proved his level in many places. I wanted him to have a result, but something didn't work out. I was asked, I was a little embarrassed, I hadn't planned anything like this.

I liked the job as a consultant that was offered at Ak Bars, and I felt it, as they say. I came, talked with the Expert and his staff, dealt with some situations. I had more time to rest, and at the same time, I participated in the process. In general, I think that if you take the work of a consultant seriously, it can be useful for everyone. I'm interested in working with coaches now, including young ones, and passing on my experience to them.

But in that situation, it turned out the way it turned out. I was asked to return to the steering wheel, and I did what I could. We were a little unlucky in the last match, although the team played very well. In the seventh match of the finals, we lost to CSKA, an adult, accomplished, and well—played opponent with technically very strong hockey players. We played well against him.

— Sergey Samsonov told me that the great coaches he worked with in his career always radiate powerful energy, which they transmit to hockey players every day. How have you been squeezing this energy out of yourself on a daily basis for so many years? Where are the energy reservoirs?

— Speaking of dried apricots, I meant exactly that! At any training session, I couldn't stand by passively and watch what was happening. He had to move all the time, shout something, prompt. I wanted to participate in everything with the players, I felt that I just couldn't do without it. It was necessary for both me and them to feel that very energy. It's the same at meetings. That's why my voice sometimes sounded louder than it probably should have. By doing so, I showed interest, a desire to be inside the process. But it took a lot of energy, which, of course, I shouldn't have shown to anyone.

— When did you feel that the old energy was gone?

— When I quit coaching the previous time. I have already turned 65, and I decided in advance that I would finish coaching by that age. Because it's difficult to work the way you used to — with that energy, with that dedication. I can't say that I didn't try, but I did everything in my power. But still, something was missing. Besides, there was a pandemic, which complicated everything. I felt that I had had enough. Then Dima Kvartalnov joined Ak Bars. But life turned out in such a way that I had to work for another period. But that's definitely it now.

Now I look at the young coaches who have entered the profession, and I think: now is their time. Anvar Gatiyatulin, Igor Nikitin, Lesha Kudashov, Andrey Kozyrev, Lesha Zhamnov, Andrey Razin, Viktor Kozlov. New, fresh guys, each of whom came with some of their own innovations and changed something. They were trusted — it's great and interesting, and they give good results. I look at any of them and at some point I think: "Well done, boy!" But I felt that I had enough and left at the right time. Then, when it was necessary.

Mozyakin and I have a good relationship.

— I liked that Gatiyatulin went to Vancouver for an internship last season, and now Znarok is spending the whole season in the Philadelphia system. You worked in the NHL for several years. Did it help you?

— It helps a lot. I went overseas as a novice coach, although I had already worked as an assistant with Vladimir Yurzinov and Peter Vorobyov. I saw a lot of new things there, and the NHL has become a very serious school for me. Sometimes I didn't immediately understand what was going on there, but then I digested and analyzed it, and it became serious food for me.

I had a lot of questions. But when you step inside this kitchen, a lot of things become clear. In the NHL, the style of work is such that everything is built on constant communication. We talked all the time, sorted out some situations, and were together. That job, whether it was at Winnipeg, Phoenix, or the farm club, helped me enormously and enriched me professionally. I came to Russia with a lot of baggage of what I saw there.

Therefore, it's great that they went there, and they will certainly apply something in their work. When they say that hockey is hockey everywhere, I object: yes, there is one puck, one stick, but there are nuances. And you need to know these nuances, because it is through them that you can beat an equal opponent. So don't be shy about asking.

— Who and about what?

— The head coach, his fellow assistants. The NHL taught me that you should always ask questions. That's what I did there. Why is this the case here? Why is it different there? The word "why" was the key word for me. I don't want to give unsolicited advice to anyone, but curiosity is one of the most important qualities that, in my opinion, should be characteristic of people in our profession.

And it was even more important then. Now you can find lectures on a particular topic on the Internet, there is a lot of information, but at the same time there was none. And once I was in North America, I saw a lot of new things for myself, both in the training process, in team relations, and, let's say, in working on face-offs. And the overlap of links? We haven't had this before. And these nuances, of course, were not thoughtlessly copied, but analyzed and adapted to my views, and then I began to use them in my work. In general, I consider this word "nuances" to be very important.

— In the NHL, you crossed paths with many foreign stars — Keith Tkachak, Jeremy Renick, Mike Gartner, Teemu Selanne. What do you remember about them?

— It's another lucky thing in my career to look at these people up close and see how they work. They're all colorful. We had a bunch of crazy Villagers in Winnipeg –Jamnov-Tkachak! I remember the season is ending, we don't get into the playoffs. In Russia, as a rule, all the players leave at once, and we, the coaches, sit and discuss how to live on. A week has passed, and Tkachak arrives. He changes clothes and goes cycling. I think: wow! "What are you doing?" I ask. He explains with vivid facial expressions: they say, the lower you go down on vacation, the more difficult it is to climb up later. But the guy was already decently experienced, part of the best three of the team. And this attitude and approach to the profession have become indicative for me.

We, the coaches, also have to learn from the players. I've remembered that example for the rest of my life, including his words. Later, I also explained to the guys why it was necessary to do "physics" in the offseason. And it's no coincidence that Tkachak's two sons achieved a lot in the NHL, joined the U.S. national team, and one won the Stanley Cup. And they have fatherly personalities.

Renick came to Phoenix from Chicago, he was beautiful, he flew, he snapped the puck, the infection, so that it couldn't be seen at all! Gartner, who has now become president of the Hockey Hall of Fame, is solid, always neat. Simple, but correct. The villager is friendly and easy to talk to. There was another cool guy, Finn, defender Numminen. Everyone is different, and everyone has their own flavor. And everyone left a very good impression.

— Do you think that as a head coach you have always had enough flexibility in your relationships with the stars? If there was an opportunity to overplay something in relation to someone, would you act differently?

— It wasn't always enough. I've made mistakes, that's for sure, I've been wrong more than once. But the analysis takes place when the job is already done and the train has left. I'll skip the examples here and say one thing: I've never held a grudge against anyone or turned professional disagreements into personal relationships. I hope that the guys have the same attitude towards me. Especially for those who became a coach and were able to look at the relationship with hockey players from a different angle.

— Do you regret the phrase in Sochi after the quarterfinals with Finland that Mozyakin would not have reached the gate there? It seems to me that you were just fed up with this topic and you lost your temper. Like Valery Lobanovsky, when he was tormented by questions after the 1990 World Cup about why he did not take Fedor Cherenkov, and he abandoned that departure to the club of the second French division speaks about the true level of the player. Although I actually treated him with respect. Did you have the same thing with Mozyakin?

— I think so. The same thing happened after a lost match. I said that phrase, but I was provoked. I have a good relationship with Serezha. We are still meeting, and there is no personal misunderstanding. He's a smart guy and understands perfectly how and what's going on. That's how many players of the Canadian national team should be offended by the coaches for not taking them?

— For example, Mark Messier, who was swept past the Olympics in Nagano in 1998.

— Yes, there are plenty of them, enough for several teams! A player who is not hired always believes that the coach is wrong. The coach's figure is the easiest target to pick up and kick. They don't talk about players who do something wrong, they always talk about coaches.

Viktor Tikhonov didn't take me to the Olympics in 1988, even though I knew one hundred percent that I was going there. Yes, I was offended. But what now, am I going to be offended by Viktor Vasilyevich and keep it to myself all my life, calling him this or that? Only a half-wit would do that. These grievances are biased. Tikhonov had the right to do so.

Morozov has always been a decent man and was friends with his head.

— Are you watching the NHL a lot now? Alexander Romanov's grandson, Alexander Ovechkin, whom you worked with in his youth, and other familiar players?

— I see that I have certain programs. Of course, it's difficult to keep track of everyone, but I'm so happy for Sasha Ovechkin! What a great guy he is! A lump, just a lump! I want everything to work out for him and he will overtake Gretzky as quickly as possible. He is not just a great craftsman, but also a decent, sociable person. He has a lot of positive things.

— And what is more important to you — to win the national championship five times, as you did, or to be named Ovechkin by the coach who had the greatest influence on him? I heard it from him with my own ears, and I remember how surprised you were by this assessment when I gave it to you a few years ago.

— It's different, you can't compare such things. I have always been happy about our victories, because they are a lot of work behind them. This includes the work of the coach.

— As you said to the Ak Bars players after the victory in 2018: "I always told you: only honest work ... will lead to the Cup!"

"Haha, do you know that?" My motto! I thought: why did they post this?!

— Yes, it was wonderful and real! As the young people of today say, it's terrible.

- Yes? Well, they calmed me down. Every training session, every game, every victory is important for a coach. I don't know a coach who wouldn't be happy about victories and upset about defeats. What can we say about the championships!

But you're also happy for the hockey player who played for you and then achieved a lot. Sasha... I remember Ovechkin leaving for the NHL, and before him, Andryusha Markov, Lesha Zhamnov, Darius Kasparaitis, Sanka Karpovtsev, Sashka Khavanov — guys from my coaching youth. I always looked at them. And I was very pleased when I received another piece of good news.

— Markov and Khavanov are your first championship Dynamo in 2000.

— I still remember everyone! I see some of them, and my soul sings. When Khavanov, for example, comments. I am glad that he says the right things: I often think the same way, I taught them the same way. So I heard it! He played for Mikhailov at SKA, then moved to Severstal, and then at some point he was going to graduate. I invited him to Dynamo, and we talked. Maybe he doesn't remember anymore, but he said to him, "Sasha, let's try. You're still going to play in the NHL." And he worked for me, and then he went to St. Louis - and he was very good there!

They all did a very big job for the team and for hockey. I am very happy when the guys who played with me achieve something, and not only on the ice. The same Lesha Morozov became the president of the KHL. The player who was my captain and lifted the Gagarin Cup.

— And scored the winning goal in the seventh match of the final of the first Gagarin Cup.

- yes. And my first captain at Dynamo was Lesha Troshchinsky. Danis Zaripov with the letter C went out, Sasha Svitov. They all did a very good job and helped me a lot.

— Could you imagine that Morozov would grow up to be the president of the KHL?

— I knew that Lyosha could rise high. He was always a decent, thoughtful man, always a good friend. It was no accident that he was chosen for such a role. He's studying, he's getting an education, he wants to grow. Zaripov is now a deputy of the State Council of Tatarstan. The guys are reaching a new level, it's very pleasant. And I always remember the fantastic goals Danis scored, and no one could figure out how he did it.

You should have seen the kind of eyes Ovechkin worked with at the age of 17-18.

— As a coach who worked with Ovechkin at the very beginning of his career, what do you think about the essence of his phenomenon? Is it pure talent, a unique body structure, or something else?

"Eyes!"

"What about the eyes?"

— You should have seen the eyes with which 17-18-year-old Sasha worked. He was looking into my mouth. He's also, as they say, an ugly duckling — kind of tall, but even thinner. I was worried about him. He was still unhappy that he wasn't playing enough, and I was afraid that nothing would happen to him. Because yes, he had a great desire, he stood out, lived hockey, loved it and was devoted to it to madness. He was completely invested in every game situation. But he was still a boy, and grown men came out against him. And I held it because I was afraid they would break it.

— Will Wayne Gretzky break the record this season?

"Why not?" He will resolve this issue. As a coach, I say: if he has such motivation in his head, then he will do it. I'm just sure of it.

— You played against Gretzky at the Canadian Cup. Including when the Canadians were beaten 8-1 in the final. How was he stopped?

— Fuck it, I'm sorry, you're going to stop him! The greatest player. I still remember how I tried to meet him in another match. But it didn't work out for me, and I slipped through. He was here just now, and where he is now is incomprehensible.

— Do you keep in touch with Ovechkin somehow?

— Not on a permanent basis. A couple of years ago, the guys, including him, came to Kazan (for Zaripov's farewell match in 2023. — Izvestia), I exchanged a few words with him. We were supposed to meet at dinner, but unfortunately I couldn't make it there. Everyone goes about their business.

— When we were talking about working with young Ovechkin, you told me how he came to Cyprus to visit you, where you were vacationing with your grandson.

— I even have photos, I'll send them to you! Imagine, he was probably on vacation somewhere, not very far away, found out that I was nearby, and came. Nice to meet you! He didn't want anything from me, and he, who has already become the Ovechkin the whole world knows, comes on vacation to the coach who once worked with him. Such communication is remembered forever.

— And for my grandson, who now also plays in the NHL and is the number one defenseman for the New York Islanders in playing time, it was probably an inspiring moment too.

- of course. This photo is for life. Young Ovechkin and his grandson are still a child.

— By the way, where do you put this grandson, Alexander Romanov, among the Russian defenders? Compared to Orlov, Gavrikov, Provorov, Sergachev, Nikishin.

— I'm not a fan of doing this. I see his good qualities, he has a lot of them. There are disadvantages, but he is a good athlete. Honest, hardworking, does not spare himself. That's the best thing about him — he's a good guy, a hard worker and devoted to the game. And everything else will come.

— Don't you think that he, like many of our other defenders, is being transformed into a homebody in the NHL?

"He has to do what he's told. You know what the NHL is. The best hockey players in the world play there. And in such a company, he should not engage in amateur activities. As a coach, I say that he needs to fulfill the requirements that are imposed on him. And he should be able to do everything. The coaches there also change quite often, and one has one tactic, the other has another. Sasha's task is to be ready for anything. This is the professionalism of the player.

— What role did you play in his upbringing?

— Sasha was born in 2000, lived in Moscow, and I left for Kazan when he was four. He went to study in Odintsovo, then to Krylia, and finally moved to CSKA — I've been working at Ak Bars all this time. I didn't see much of him and could only give him hints in words. Of course, his dad, Stas Romanov, played a crucial role in who he became.

— During the time that you have not been actively involved in coaching, have you not visited your grandson?

— No, my parents are there now. I'm still in Moscow.