General Director of SU Rinat Bashirov: “Let’s assume that we were unlucky last season”

According to Mr. Bashirov, the main task facing the team in the upcoming season is to win the Gagarin Cup.

- I asked the players not to pay attention to the failures of previous seasons, - commented the general director of HC Salavat Yulaev. - Conclusions, I hope, have been made, it will be interesting to watch the transformation of the team. We are confident in it. We have a lot of young people and a new defensive line.

The reasons for the failures in the last two seasons, according to Rinat Rashitovich, were different.

- There were problems, and they were talked about a lot, including in the media, - the general director states. - It still had a negative impact, I think. Although the hockey players say that they did not pay attention to it, but nevertheless I think that it still had an impact somewhere. Secondly, the mistakes of the coaching staff, who admit that they wanted the best.

The general director admits that the team was not fully prepared for the last playoffs. Players, including the goalkeeper, had injuries.

- Probably, they got tired somewhere, - he thinks. - And when the experts tell you that the team is one of the contenders for the Cup, it seems to you that the first and second rounds will go as if it were a given. But then something doesn't work out and a little panic sets in. You start thinking negatively and playing, although we could easily beat Traktor and go further. Let's consider that we were unlucky.

However, according to Rinat Bashirov, before the first game of the season “the excitement was huge, and tickets were sold out almost immediately.”

- If we let everyone into the ice palace, then all the steps between the stands would be occupied by people, - he noted. - The fans are bored.

The head of the Ufa club added that the hockey players themselves missed the games, admitting that "finally a game and a worthy opponent." Because the training process, in their opinion, is still a routine.

“I still want a game and adrenaline,” noted the general director.

Speaking about the new legionnaires, Rinat Bashirov said that they are slowly getting settled in Ufa.

- They walk around, take photos and then send them to their foreign relatives, - he commented. - They say that Ufa is clean and beautiful, there are no homeless people on the streets. You can go out at any time of day and it will be safe. Our stores are open until the evening, unlike in Europe. Here you can buy goods that they cannot buy in their own country. They were very surprised by the Bashkir honey.

Commenting on the transfer policy, Rinat Bashirov said that, first of all, they looked at the losses that occurred in the team this season.

- We had losses, - he said. - For example, Ivan Drozdov is the leader of our attacks, a fast, purposeful forward. So without him, the team would probably be different. We were looking for fast forwards like Ivan. So we invited foreigners. They have a good history. Maybe not everyone has gotten into their groove yet, but considering that the season in their countries starts at the end of September, they are surprised that they have to play hockey in the summer.

Speaking about the creditor debt to the republic of 1.2 billion rubles, which the government of the Republic of Belarus helped the club pay off, Rinat Bashirov noted that the KHL asked to enter the season without debt.

- This debt was not dangerous for us, it was not in front of suppliers who could sue us and hinder our activities, - the general director emphasized. - But still, for the KHL it looked negative.

According to him, the head of Bashkiria, Radiy Khabirov, met the club halfway. Rinat Rashitovich hopes that the financial situation will improve from next year and HC Salavat Yulaev will be able to return to the financing parameters that were in place before 2020.

“From that time until today, the club’s funding has been cut by one billion rubles,” he complains.

Rinat Bashirov admits that he supports the team like an ordinary person.

- I understand that as the general director of the club I have to keep a straight face, but I can't, - he says. - Sometimes I think about it, but often I can't contain my emotions.