"Canada and We Played the Most Beautiful Ball Hockey," Reflects Slavomír Švancar on the Championship

The men’s national team came close to winning gold at the World Championship in Switzerland, but in the second overtime, it was the Canadian players who scored the winning goal. Assistant coach Slavomír Švancar reflects on the entire championship and also touches on the future of the coaching staff.

"I Still Feel Great Disappointment; I Didn’t Have These Feelings Two Years Ago"

Coach, with the men’s national team, you defended the silver medal at the World Championship in Switzerland. Has the initial disappointment subsided, and do you view second place differently with some distance?

Honestly, no, it hasn’t subsided. I still feel great disappointment. After the World Championship in Canada two years ago, I didn’t have similar feelings. Back then, we lost in the final just like this year, but we had to admit that Canada was the better team and deservedly won. This year, we matched them completely, and I even think we should have beaten them. So, I must say that finishing second feels just a little better than being dead.

You didn’t lose a single game in the group stage of the championship, and you carried that great form into the playoffs, only faltering in the final against Canada. How would you compare the performance of the Czech team to the other national teams?

Even before the tournament, we knew we had an extremely strong group, which was confirmed especially in the matches against Switzerland and Finland, where the victories were hard-fought. I can’t say we played excellently in all the games, but it helped us in the next phase of the tournament, where we played as we had envisioned. To compare the other teams to us briefly, I’d say that unlike the other teams, except Canada, we play creative ball hockey at high speed, dominating possession and creating many chances. All teams had excellent individual players, and the home team, for example, was known for their fighting spirit, but I think our team and Canada played the most beautiful ball hockey, which everyone must have enjoyed.

The final against Canada offered a great spectacle, going into the second overtime with chances on both sides, and the game could have been decided earlier. What was it like to watch this match from the coaching bench?

Ironically, I was more nervous before the semifinal game against the USA. From my experience in Košice, I know how tough it is to beat the same opponent twice in a tournament, especially after a decisive result in the group stage. By the time we played Canada, I was relaxed. The game was like a roller coaster—at times, we dominated, then Canada put us under pressure, but the best players on the ice were the goalies. I’m still convinced that we should have scored in overtime. Of course, it’s clear that such games don’t help my blood pressure much (smile).

"After This Final Loss, I Feel Like There’s Unfinished Business"

During the championship, you had a day off when you went to Eggishorn mountain and played an exhibition match against Canada. Was this an experience you’ll remember for a long time?

A day off during a tournament is always nice, but coming up with a program that’s fun and still primarily focused on player recovery is a challenge. Here, the organizers did an excellent job. The event was well-planned, and I think both teams will remember it. Even Zdeněk Král liked it, and those who know him understand that’s a real compliment for the organizers (smile).

The next World Championship will be held in less than two years in Ostrava. What is the future of the coaching staff? Are you interested in continuing with the national team?

The future of the coaching staff is not in our hands at the moment. Our mandate ended in Visp, so any continuation is out of our control. To answer whether I’m interested in continuing, I’ll put it this way: after this final loss, I feel like there’s unfinished business, so I’d like to finally see it through to the end.

You finished your role as a coach of the Kladno A-team after this season. Will you continue coaching at the club level with another team?

After finishing in Kladno, I want to enjoy a bit more free time after all these years, and I’ll just be watching ball hockey as a spectator. I’m looking forward to the role of the guy who knows everything and has all the answers from the stands (smile). We’ll see how long that will satisfy me.