Jaromír Jágr during the media meeting for the Winter Classic project
Vlastimil Vacek, Right
–
Can you guess when you will jump into the first league matches?
I didn’t set an appointment. With regard to the tearing of the calf muscle from the holiday basket, there was no time to prepare for hockey. I was out of the training process for a month and a half. In fact, I’ve been doing things off the ice all summer with the priority of securing the club, and only now am I starting to focus on my performances. So far, I lack a comfortable feeling of playing and I can only jump in when I am valid for the team. But Pleky said that he only signed the contract on the condition that I return to the ice and put it together, that is the motivation for me.
So will you rush to the ice?
It’s about getting in shape. It’s quite frustrating when, as a player, I’m used to some certain performances and they don’t come … On the other hand, I don’t have such a big ego that I only have to go to play if I’m great. I do things because they make me happy, not because I have to look good with them. But of course it’s not pleasant when twenty-year-old boys overtake you on a steamer.
The owner of Pardubice sponsors the Winter Classic with Jáger, but he cannot support the Knights
–
Are you worried that the coronavirus pandemic will clearly affect this season as well?
I take it that an unpleasant situation has arisen for everyone, which I cannot influence in any way. Nobody has any idea if the first league will be completed at all. The season can be quite special, which is why I thought it would be better to play it without the playoffs, but I respect the different opinion of most clubs.
How did the August Quarantine affect the Knights?
Hygiene also closed our winters, it seemed strict to me, but part of the team went through the infection and now we are all as healthy as beet. You know, covid-19 only attacks people, and every alien is in Kladno (laughs). No, I’m kidding. I read every day that a club is reporting a coronavirus, but I think we need to start playing and postpone matches to quarantined teams.
–
Jaromír Jágr, owner of hockey Pardubice Petr Dědek and Andrea Bársony from the organizing agency during the media meeting for the Winter Classic project
Vlastimil Vacek, Right
As the owner, did you have to adjust the club’s budget a lot?
The advantage for Kladno is that we have rather small sponsors who did not go down so much with the money, so we are still going at the level of the carrying capacity. But I would advocate easing restrictions on spectators, because the factor of how many can be in the stadium is important for hockey.
How many people can currently come to Kladno for hockey?
We will reach the capacity of less than three thousand fans, but I am still worried about attendance, because people are afraid to go to enclosed spaces and there is not much cheering with the veil. Maybe all the measures will save something, but they will destroy something else. The NBA and NHL play in front of an empty auditorium because they have huge money for television rights, but for some clubs, the money from the entrance fee is a major income.
Confirmed! Plekanec returns to Kladno. We will do everything we can to advance to the extra league, Jágr said
–
From this point of view, as a co-organizer, are you afraid of the December open-air event in Špindlerův Mlýn, where Kladno is to play the first league match with Vrchlabí and then the extra-league duel Hradec Králové – Sparta is planned?
It is not an easy time for anyone now, we do not know what will happen in a week. But hopefully further measures will not endanger the project and everything about coronavirus will start to improve, so we will gradually have the life we had before the covid. As for the Winter Classic, however, we could not meet anything better than that the successful businessman Petr Dědek (owner of hockey Pardubice – author’s note) chose to support this unique event and boldly stamped it with his money. He lives and does business in the region, which is why his company D + D Real has probably become a titular partner.
–
Jaromír Jágr at the press conference
Vlastimil Vacek
In addition to two league matches, there will also be an exhibition of Czech and Slovak legends in Špindl, as well as an interstate meeting of para hockey players from these two countries. But what is the truth about the gossip that Kladno could play another competitive match with Vsetín there?
Different variants and ideas lie on the table. When I see a huge interest in tickets, I would say that it will be sold out two and a half months before the event. If everything was normal and people were allowed to come in the maximum number of 7500, there could be some more matches.
When we talk, Miloš Říha’s funeral is taking place in Pardubice. What is your personal memory of him?
I never played under it, but for me it was always a coach. He had a huge charisma and his vision, which he pursued despite various doubters. I was pleasantly surprised by what hockey the national team under his leadership presented itself in terms of results and the game. Sadly, he left at a relatively young age, but unfortunately that is life.
– .
