Today ends the first visit to Ashgabat, two-time champion of the world and Europe, the silver medalist of the 1998 Winter Olympics, as well as a two-time Stanley Cup winner in the US teams New York Rangers (1994) and New Jersey Devils (2000) Sergei Nemchinov. During it, a 55-year-old well-known Russian specialist spent nine days training intensively with the Turkmenistan national hockey team. After the last training session, Sergei Nemchinov gave an exclusive interview to Turkmenportal. 

– Sergey Lvovich, tell us how the two-time Stanley Cup holder ended up in Turkmenistan, where hockey began to develop only recently?

– We contacted the Hockey Federation of Turkmenistan, agreed that I should come to Ashgabat and watch the national team of Turkmenistan. Now it’s very easy to get in touch, there is Internet, e-mail, phones, so everything happened very quickly.

– You yourself offered your coaching services?

– I knew that the Turkmenistan national hockey team needed a coach, so we went out on top of each other.

– What attracted you to hockey in Turkmenistan?

– The fact that hockey is developing. Hockey as a whole is developing in Asia, and Asia is a large continent, it is China, the Republic of Korea and other countries. I worked in the Republic of Korea, where it was very interesting. I saw how hockey develops there. Hockey is also developing in Kazakhstan, now in Uzbekistan and, of course, in Turkmenistan. And recent successes speak of this: in a short period, Turkmen hockey players left the lower (Division IV – approx. edition) division of the IIHF World Champonship and are now playing in the Division III. They have assigned tasks, they want to go to a higher division. Therefore, it is interesting to work here when there are such tasks.

– What can you say about hockey infrastructure in the Ashgabat and about the level of Turkmen hockey in general?

– Ashgabat has a very good hockey infrastructure, there are several ice arenas for hockey. All this is the result of great attention on the part of the President of Turkmenistan to the development of sports and hockey, in particular.

If we talk about the level of Turkmen hockey, then you need to know what to compare with? While in Ashgabat, I saw only two friendly matches that were played this week. Played teams that fight for prizes in the national championship. So hockey is developing. And here is what I paid more attention to. If in other countries, in the same Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, China, and the Republic of Korea, many foreigners play, then in Turkmenistan only local guys play in the national team. And this, honestly, pleases!

– Are there any weaknesses that you still have to work on in the national team of Turkmenistan?

– Of course. We have already talked with the head coach of the team, brought it to the guys. First of all, it is skating. To win hockey, you need to ride well on ice. Therefore, this week we performed various exercises in which the main emphasis was on skating.

– Have you reached any agreements between you and the Hockey Federation of Turkmenistan?

– The national team of Turkmenistan has a head coach. I will advise, come to Turkmenistan, conduct training. I will meet with coaches, and not only with the national team coach, but also with club coaches. I will conduct training with hockey players of a youth sports school.

– So, you will only be a consultant coach in the national team of Turkmenistan?

– Yes. I will train the national team of Turkmenistan, which now has a head coach. We will prepare a team together and be responsible for the result together. We will prepare for the IIHF World Championship in the Division III of Group A, which will be held in Luxembourg in April 2020.

– What are the prospects for the national team of Turkmenistan?

– As I already said, the team of Turkmenistan for a short period of time rose from the lower division to the Division III (Group A). Therefore, the task is to rise even higher.

– Do you already have a plan for preparing for the 2020 IIHF World Championship?

– Yes, there is a preparation plan. There will be two training camps: the first – in late November – early December, the second – in late March, before the 2020 IIHF World Championship Division III.

– Where will the training camp take place?

–  This will be decided by the Hockey Federation of Turkmenistan.

–  You said that hockey is very developing in Asia. Turkmenistan’s team will play with the DPRK team for the first time at the 2020 IIHF World Championship Division III (Group A). You worked in the Republic of Korea and you probably know the level of Korean hockey. What can you say about the future rival of the Turkmen hockey players?

–   I have never seen the DPRK national team in the game, but about the Republic of Korea I can say that hockey is developing very quickly there. The team of this country participates in the Asian Hockey League, played at the Olympics, in the top division of the World Championship, and now is fighting to get into the top division. This year, at the IIHF World Championship in Kazakhstan (Division I of Group A), the Republic of Korea took third place, leaving behind only the teams of Belarus and Kazakhstan.

–  In your opinion, the national team of Turkmenistan in strength can take first place in the 2020 IIHF World Championship Division III (Group A)?

– We can do it, but we need to prepare for this.

–  For the growth of sportsmanship, maybe the Turkmen teams should play in the Junior Hockey League (MHL) or tournaments of a similar level?

– It would be very good for the development of hockey in your country. But this is a question for the Hockey Federation of Turkmenistan, and not for me. Of course, Turkmen hockey players need training, friendly matches before the 2020 IIHF World Championship. It is necessary. In addition to fees, I will also come to Ashgabat, we will assemble a team.