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At a media conference, Nati coach Fischer and Nati director Weibel spoke about Fischer’s contract extension.
The timing of the contract extension could raise questions. Ultimately, the ice hockey team is caught in a negative spiral and has now lost 11 games in a row. “We felt a headwind on the ice rink, it wasn’t always easy,” Fischer admits frankly.
When we have the best players together, we are very dangerous.
This makes him all the more emphatic about the association leadership’s signal to extend his contract right now. “It’s very good to feel the trust,” says Fischer. There was a lot of speculation. «We haven’t had an easy few months. This is now also a signal to the team. We stand together and continue on the path. Now we have peace and quiet.”
Legend:
Are convinced of the common path
Lars Weibel and Patrick Fischer.
Freshfocus/Claudio Thoma
The learning curve on the Euro Hockey Tour
In view of the current crisis in results, Fischer doesn’t want to be talked down to about anything. You always have to take the circumstances into account. “We have won 18 of the last 21 World Cup group games. When we have the best players together, we are very dangerous.”
Nati director Lars Weibel also emphasizes this: “We won the group twice at the World Cup. The basis is there.” On the Euro Hockey Tour, on the other hand, you have to pay a lot of money, especially since you usually weren’t able to compete with the best possible squad.
“But we can learn a lot from it. This brings us further in our development than competing against our peers. It’s a tough sell for us, but we are 100 percent convinced of this path.”
A performance curve must be visible.
The contract has been extended until 2026, when the Olympic Games in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo as well as the home World Cup are on the program. “That’s a huge motivation,” said Fischer, especially after the cancellation of the 2020 World Cup due to Corona. He experienced the euphoria at the home World Cup in 1998 when they made it to the semi-finals, “but I still know that today not how”.
No blank check for fishermen
Both parties confirm that the contract also includes exit clauses, without going into detail. There’s still a long way to go until 2026 – and Fischer won’t get a blank check either. “A performance curve must be visible,” says Weibel with regard to the 2024 World Cup in Prague.
Although you can’t always determine everything based on one rank, “we have a performance culture and very high goals.” This means surviving the quarterfinals. “That’s what we’re working towards and that’s why we set the course early.”