Interview with the coach

David: “We have to find our way again”

Ice hockey league champions Salzburg are causing a sensation in the Champions Hockey League, most recently winning 2:1 at the Lahti Pelicans. In the league, however, the cracks of Head Coach Oliver David are lagging behind. The US-American spoke to the "Krone" about the differences and what the league needs now.

Mr. David, how proud are you as a coach after a 2:1 win against the Lahti Pelicans?

The players have shown that it means something to them. It should also mean something to them when you play internationally. We showed team spirit and our field hockey. It was a very proud moment for all of us.

What will be important in the second leg?

There's still so much time until then, we have to take the next right step. To be honest, we have to press the reset button.

When you see performances like this, you have to ask why things aren't going your way in the league?

If you get on a plane and go to Finland for a big game, and everyone is fit and ready, and then you're not motivated, then you're in the wrong job.

When we play in the league, we sometimes have a habit of starting the game a bit slow or thinking that if something goes wrong, we'll get it right.

Oliver David

So there's a lack of motivation in the league?

When we play in the league, we sometimes have a habit of starting the game a bit slowly or thinking that we'll get it right if something goes wrong.

How do you get to grips with that?

We talk about it a lot. Of course, every coach says that you have to start on the dot, but we have to manage to actually get it right. Because the league has priority, of course.

What needs to happen in the next few weeks?

If we want to be competitive, make it into the play-offs and achieve something special again, we have to find our way again. We're trying every day, but we're not there yet.