Ivan Senichev: whole world supported Icelandic soccer team. Traktor could be the same

WE WANT TO KEEP GATIYATULIN AS HEAD COACH FOR YEARS

Will the appearance in the playoffs be a success after the mediocre last season?
We have to be in the postseason by default. This season, however, will not be a walk in the park. Experts have Magnitka, Ak Bars, Salavat Yulaev, and Avangard penciled for the playoffs because of the budgets of these teams, while a minimum of six teams will be fighting for the other four spots. Even Metallurg Novokuznetsk could get there after Sergei Zinovyev became the team’s general manager. The league’s newest team, Kunlun Red Star, could also be a factor in the Eastern Conference.
As far as the playoffs go, there are a lot of factors involved, and not always does the favorite trump the underdog. One of the recent examples is UEFA European Championship when Iceland beat England. The whole world supported Iceland because they were a solid team that fought until the last drop of blood. We want Traktor to be the same; Chelyabinsk fans know their hockey and might forgive a lot of things, but not lack of will of win.

Do you understand what went wrong in the last season and how to correct it?
We made necessary conclusions as far as last season, and it all resulted in naming Anvar Gatiyatulin head coach.

Is he capable of restoring Traktor’s prestige?
We certainly hope that would be the case. He has our trust; we are perfectly satisfied with his approach to coaching Traktor. During the last season, when he was appointed, he almost managed to drag the team into the playoffs. Of course, there was sizeable risks linked with this appointment, but we made this decision based on several factors.
Gatiyatulin reached some success with Belye Medvedi; he was an assistant coach of the U20 team Russia. After that, he wanted to raise the bar. He could have joined another KHL team, but we kept him. He is well respected in Chelyabinsk. When we needed to make a decision, we only asked him whether he was ready for it, and he said "Yes”. Gatiyatulin has all the tools to be one of the best young coaches in the league. We see him as Traktor’s head coach for years to come.

A couple of months ago, news made the rounds that Traktor’s management set the objective to win three Gagarin Cups in three years.
There was a mistake. Obviously, we are intelligent people, and it’s pretty clear that this objective is plain impossible to fulfill. But hey – at least that got Traktor in the headlines, right?

KOLTSOV’S RETURN SHOULD HELP TRAKTOR

How big is Traktor’s budget for the upcoming season?
It’s an average one, not in the league’s Top 10. Don’t forget we have the hockey school, Belye Medvedi and Chelmet that require financing. Of course, we could have stopped financing our farm teams, which would have given us enough money to sign five more players for the main roster; however, we respect our traditions and our legacy, therefore, it is important that every year the team get several local players. In our current financial situation, betting on local young prospects is our chance to be successful.

Do you consider the 2013/2014 team as a template?
Yes, this is a great example. Sure, guys like Kuznetsov, Nichushkin or Nesterov are few and far between, but it is within our power to help the young talent get better so that they can help Traktor in return.

How real is it for Traktor to get Chelyabinsk-born free agents like Yevgeni Medvedev or Danis Zaripov, whose contract with Magnitka expires in 2017?
It all depends on the financial capabilities. We systematically track every hockey player who has had any connection to Chelyabinsk. One of our achievements is the transfer of Kirill Koltsov. Sergey Gomolyako wanted him here since the last season, and I believe it is a very good acquisition because Koltsov has a lot left in the tank. His return to his hometown should help Traktor a lot.

NOT A SINGLE ONE HAS SALARY OF $ 1 000 000

Does anyone in the team earn a million dollars for the season?
No, not a single one. Actually, our salaries are pretty balanced; apart from the young players who earn modest money, the difference in salaries is not that big.

Which elements does the team budget consist of?
We work with plenty of small-caliber sponsors, including the regional budget. This is, of course, thanks to the Governor of Chelyabinsk Oblast and Traktor President Boris Dubrovski. I would like to reiterate – apart from Traktor, there are the hockey school, Belye Medvedi and Chelmet that require financing.

Is it real then to keep the leaders and compete financially with the richer teams?
Well, it depends. Sure, we wanted to keep Popov and Glinkin, but it is near impossible to make a better offer than Ak Bars. This is how the market works. Nonetheless, it is not to say that in the world of sports where money makes it go ‘round, it is impossible to successful. Look at Leicester, current English Premier League champions, or Rostov, runner-ups of the Russian Football Premier League. Who would have predicted their success?

THERE WAS NO OTHER WAY TO HANDLE THE PERVYSHIN SITUATION

Why was Andrei Pervyshin let go? Who made this decision?
I would like to keep the details, but believe me, team’s management and coaching staff were united in this decision. There was no other way to handle it; even if it were Alexander Radulov, he would get the same treatment. We have already replaced Pervyshin with Nikolay Belov, and we are still looking for a D-man and a center forward to join Traktor.

Was there a way to keep Deron Quint in Traktor?
We wanted him to be a D-man coach, but he said that he wanted to be an active player for another year and went to Europe. He promised to be back though; I don’t know what will happen in a year, but I know that Deron had an idea to create a hockey training center for the kids. This is an unprecedented idea, and we will see if it pans out.