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Christian Wohlwend’s wait for a new contract continues.
Marcel AllemanReporter ice hockey
It’s actually the same as always when you talk to Christian Wohlwend. The 45-year-old is bursting with energy, is enthusiastic when he talks about his team and describes how they got back up after the 2:9 smack against Sparta Prague in the Spengler Cup, defeated IFK Helsinki 3:2 the following day and made the semi-final clear.
But when you ask him about his contract situation, he suddenly turns pale and his voice almost cracks. “It bothers me,” says Wohlwend thoughtfully. No talks are currently taking place. It was also “clearly” stressful for his daily work and dealing with the players to still be in the dark at the end of December. “But I have to accept that as part of the business.”
Gianola: “We’re not under pressure”
Actually, the “contract file Wohlwend” at the HCD was scheduled for the end of November. “But we decided to postpone this because we wanted to see how the team works under pressure.” Back in November, Davos went through a difficult phase, also due to a lot of bad luck with injuries, and lost eight out of nine games in the meantime.
Before the team caught up. It is currently in 6th place in the National League. Only 6 points behind the ZSC Lions and 3rd place. But also only 10 points ahead of the SCL Tigers and 11th place.
After the Spengler Cup, a tightly packed program with ten games awaits the people of Graubünden in January. The start of 2023 is not only a test for the team, but above all for their coach. Because in January, the HCD also wants to decide on “Contract File Wohlwend”, as Gianola says. “We are not under pressure to make this decision now.”
Reasons for and against new contract
Wohlwend is in his fourth season with the record champions. Has great merit for being able to stabilize it remarkably quickly after the crash when Arno Del Curto’s era ended. And the way he led HCD to a 4:3 win against the SCRJ Lakers in the last playoff quarter-finals after a 3-0 deficit shows that the Engadin native is capable as a coach.
But in the environment of the HCD one also hears that Wohlwend is very exhausting. And that the horses keep running away with him. The whole nation witnessed his legendary bottle toss in the final playoffs. There should also be regular emotional outbursts of this kind in the internal circle. And the relationship between him and the team is said to have suffered as a result.
To put it in a nutshell: there are good reasons to renew with Wohlwend. But there are also good reasons to end the collaboration after four years. And take a new path. What would Wohlwend do now, Mr. Gianola? “It’s helpful for him if the staff and the players are behind him, then the good results will follow automatically.”
Even the head of sports is not a fan of the coach
If you look at HCD’s delaying tactics, hear Wohlwend’s and Gianola’s words in your head and ask around in Davos, you can’t shake the impression that Wohlwend isn’t looking good. Especially since sports director Jan Alston should not be a fan of Wohlwend.
However, he will not decide anyway, but CEO Gianola and the board of directors around President Gaudenz Domenig. And if this body comes to the conclusion that a change of coach is necessary, it cannot be ruled out that this will happen early this season. Similar to the recent example of the ZSC Lions.
It’s bubbling behind the scenes of the record champions. The relationship between Wohlwend and the team has obviously suffered. And according to reports, Alston is not particularly popular with him either. It’s all the more amazing how well the team still works. The glue within the team must be extraordinary.
National League 22/23
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team |
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1 |
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2 |
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3 |
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4 |
0 |
0 |
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5 |
0 |
0 |
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6 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
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7 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
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8th |
0 |
0 |
0 |
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9 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
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10 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
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11 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
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12 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
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13 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
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14 |
0 |
0 |
0 |