Alexey Isakov: "I am sure that it is not easy for any coach."

      The head coach of "Torpedo," Alexey Isakov, under whose leadership the Nizhny Novgorod team reached the second round of the Gagarin Cup this season, has signed a new two-year contract with the club. This happened last Friday, just before the start of a press conference where the results of the main hockey team's performance in the region were summarized and outlines for the upcoming off-season were discussed. After the press conference, Alexey Isakov answered several questions specifically for "Nizhny Novgorod News."

      - Alexey Gennadyevich, your debut season in the KHL coincided with a personal anniversary. I remember before the All-Star Game you mentioned that you were expecting a special gift from the team. In the end, did you receive what was promised, or did the team "gift you a tie" for your 50th birthday?

      - The gift for me was making it into the top 16. "Torpedo" indeed became a participant in the Gagarin Cup playoffs, so the team pleased me for my anniversary.

      - If you compare your last two seasons (the victorious one in the VHL and the one that ended after the second round of the KHL playoffs), which one was more energy-consuming?

      - The essence is, of course, the same – you have to win. But in the KHL, the level of responsibility for the coach is much higher. There is a completely different interest from the city and the media space, so it was much more challenging to cope with the pressure that came from everywhere in the KHL. The first couple of months, I was getting used to the new league, its requirements, and features, and then everything fell into place. Many questions disappeared about whether the debutant Isakov would be able to keep the "Torpedo" team at a certain level, and we, the coaching staff, just worked, doing what we know how to do well. The team entered the season with a specific goal: to improve the result in the "regular season" and advance further in the playoffs. In general, "Torpedo" achieved this. Of course, everyone wants more - to achieve that, we need to go further. The coaching work must change; over the past season, I gained good experience to understand what is needed for that. This includes unpopular measures, such as changes within the roster. We have already started working seriously in this direction.

      - How did your more experienced coaching colleagues treat you during your debut season?

      - If you are hinting at a conflict with the head coach of Magnitogorsk's "Metallurg," Andrey Razin, then everything has already been discussed both in the press and personally by us. In this case, the reason for the conflict was, in my opinion, not due to my status as a KHL debutant. As for how colleagues react, coaches have little opportunity to interact. Post-match press conferences in the KHL are held separately, and during the match and after it, there is no time for conversations – except for a handshake. So it's hard for me to say anything. Yes, throughout the season, various opinions from active coaches were periodically published in the press. As a rule, I see them adhering to a clear work ethic: there are no negative statements about colleagues. The situation is different with experts. Opinions have varied and continue to do so. Well, they have the right to defend their position. I see it this way: talking and working are different things.

      - In your second season in the KHL, when you will no longer have the "debutant" label that could justify certain moments, will it be harder or easier to work?

      - I am sure that no coach finds it easy. Every season must start from scratch, achieving sports results anew, and everyone is in the same conditions. I don't think there will be additional difficulties here. The question is only in our preparation – how ready we are for this.

      - Does Coach Isakov have a list of players he would like to keep for the next season and is ready to advocate for them with the management?

      - We definitely haven't had that kind of dialogue with the management. We proceed from the fact that several "Torpedo" players will become unrestricted free agents during the off-season (Andrey Belevich, Maxim Letunov, Sergey Boykov, Mikhail Naumenkov, Denis Alexandrov, Shane Prince, Dmitry Shevchenko, - note by N.Sh.). The club retains sports rights to all other players, and we are in dialogue about each of them. And to be completely honest, since I signed a new contract with the club just recently, the significant work is all ahead. This also applies to the coaching staff. We will discuss each coach, and I will also talk to each of them. I don't know; perhaps one of my assistants will come and say, "I want to move to another team next season." In any case, I am grateful to each coach – they undoubtedly contributed significantly to the result that "Torpedo" achieved this season. Communication among coaches is a complex issue, but we certainly did not have moments that negatively affected the overall atmosphere in the team. There was a good working environment with discussions and joint decision-making.

      - Ahead of the Torpedo players is a break. When does the head coach's vacation start?

      - From personal experience, I can say that during the summer vacation, one can rest for a maximum of ten days. Everything else involves constant phone negotiations, watching potential newcomers, organizing the training process, preparing for training camps, which takes a lot of time. Therefore, coaches rest little during vacation. For me, rest means just going to the sea, swimming, and sunbathing. But while I prefer the sea, my wife prefers the mountains. We try to find an opportunity to visit both places.

      Interviewed by Nina Shumilova. Photo: vk.com/torpedonn.