Markov interview (good)

[Habs77]

This time Bozo from *Rus really deserves some props... for finding this interview and having the software to translate it effectively...

July 2003  

Interview with Andrei Markov  

Soviet Sport  

Pavel Lysenkov  

Andrey Markov, considered Montreal's chief defender, gets a lot of playing time, but... he does not have a contract to replace the one which expired on 1 July. However, the ex-Dynamo player conducted a successful season, so now the Canadiens for sure will try to agree with Markov.  

I AWAIT PROPOSALS  

- Andrey, are contract negotiations moving forward?  

- A couple of months ago I met with my agent Don Meehan and we planned our strategy - what contract it would be desirable to obtain. Since I performed rather well last season I think I can count on the desired money. I had been signed to a three year rookie contract, according to which I earned 700 thousand dollars. So far we have had no proposals from the club. The Canadiens recently appointed a new general manager - Bob Gainey, and this did not accelerate negotiations. However, there is no reason for uneasiness. I think during July-August we will examine the specifics. I look ahead to the future with optimism and I really want to continue my career in Montreal.  

- Could it not be worthwhile for you to sign an "insurance" contract with one of the Super League clubs?  

- Why? I don't hide the fact that I want to play in the NHL. I've played there for only 2 years, and if I leave now, to return to the league will be extremely complicated. I will play in Russia only in the case of a lock-out, which, as they say, will last for a year. It would be desirable to return to the Dynamo.  

- Why did you not come to play in the WC?  

- At the end of the regular season we played against Carolina. On one of my shifts I seriously injured my elbow. The doctors said that it would take not less than a month to heal. Therefore it was necessary to forget about the trip to Finland. They permitted me to start training only in June, and I have already been training with one of the Moscow teams.  

- How often did the team call you?  

- Twice. But once I suffered the injury, the calls stopped. Everything turned out so absurdly! It's a pity that I could not help out. Watching on TV they seemed to control play. Not for me to judge, but it seemed that our team did not have their top game. Teamwork was not sufficient, everyone wanted to save Russia by themselves.  

AUTOGRAPH  

- Recently your colleague from Saint- Louis, Aleksandr Khavanov said that he knows of only one Russian defender capable of giving a precise pass from 40 meters away - you...  

- It's pleasant to hear that Sanya said so, but I don't think that I'm so unique! Precise passing... In my childhood Vyacheslav Fetisov's game greatly impressed me, now embedded in me are "fetisovskiye" manoeuvres (he laughs). Not that I am his equal. He was always the best he could be.  

- In the past season you, as they say in America, made the jump from farmhand to one of the leaders in Montreal. What can you tell us about that?  

- First, I built the foundation that summer in Novogorske, when I trained with Dynamo. In the second place, coach Michel Therrien began to trust me more, and my game immediately improved. It was as if I had grown wings. Thirdly, I avoided injuries for the most part. During September I couldn't participate in the exhibition matches because of back spasms. And I damaged my elbow when the regular season was almost completed.  

- Did anything change when Therrien was discharged and Claude Julien was appointed?  

- I think in the upcoming season Julien will introduce much that is new, but back then there was no need for a revolution. Even practices went according to the previous scheme. My playing time even diminished, but only at the end of the season. It became clear that Montreal was not making the play-offs, and Julien began to give more ice time to the younger players.  

- During the season one heard that you could be traded...  

- I pay that no mind, such talk always circulates. They rarely exchange young, promising players in the NHL.  

- In what language you do deal with the press?  

- Now in English. I no longer need a translator by my side. I should still study and learn French - nevertheless I request that interviews be in English (he laughs). But if there are tricky questions, which it's hard to understand, your correspondent Gennady Boguslawski helps me. But it makes me happy that I go running to him less and less.

- The Montreal press - a powerful force?  

- Certainly. Indeed the newspapers report everything, and there on the front page - hockey. Journalists shape public opinion. If you play badly, they will scold you, which is no small thing.  

- Do they write much about you?  

- This season - yes. Both in the Canadian periodicals and in the newspapers. This is good: indeed the better you play, the more attention the reporters give to you. It's possible to say the same about popularity in the city. More frequently people begin to recognize me on the streets. Ask for autographs, wish success. But some fans so love hockey that they hunt for my autograph... after each game! (he laughs.)  

THE SKIRMISH vs MARIO  

- Can you be called a power defender?  

- That is not my style - I prefer to punish the opposition with goals. But if they beat on me, be assured, I will answer the call.  

- This brings us to the fact that in the past season you fought with Mario Lemieux!  

- Well, the fight - if you want to call it that. Usual game situation. Lemieux for some reason reacted sharply and came at me with his fists. But the matter didn't reach any significant level - referees pulled us apart.  

- In the league is it unacceptable to touch such stars as Lemieux?  

- Mario doesn't have special rules. Is it written that one must not prevent him from scoring goals? No, in the game all are equal.  

- What regular season games do you remember most?  

- The all-Canadian derbies - against Toronto and Ottawa. For example, in the autumn we won 5:1 against the Leafs.

- Which forward is it most difficult to play against?  

- It's possible to manage against them all, but Peter Forsberg creates many problems. Powerful versatile forward.

- Do you have a nickname on the club?  

- They call me Mark(?) - an abbreviated form of my surname. Generally in Montreal in this sense children are not very inventive. True, we had the veteran Gilmour, who all called "Killer".  

- What do you do in your time off in Montreal?  

- By the way, in this city there are many Russian stores, cafés, disk libraries. It sometimes seems that I'm in Moscow. I associate with compatriots. I love to surf the Internet. I read news from Russia. I frequently go to the "Soviet Sport" site.  

- What question is posed to you most frequently?  

- For sure about the goal on Boris Tortunov in the 1999 final (he laughs)! It is good, let me tell it one more time: I looked at the score clock - a few seconds remained to the end of the match. I shot from my half of the rink, on net to avoid icing. And it went in (he smiles). But this is the most important goal in my career. Nevertheless, we lost that encounter.

- What other sports do you love aside from hockey?  

- Football and very much tennis. My cousin's brother has a court in Voskresensk. I play with him or with my buddy Leo Berdichevskiy. Unfortunately, this year because of the injury to my elbow I have not yet taken a racket in hand.  

- Is it true that in childhood you were a forward?  

- Yes, up to age 17 I played centre. On the team there were many injuries, and the coach asked me to play defense. There I was, same as Sergey Fedorov. And there I remained. Too late now to change my line of work (he laughs).  

- How is your son Daniel?  

- He is good! He's already one year and 10 months. He lives in Voskresensk. I miss him a lot during the season. Active, enthusiastic boy. He loves football. I don't know if hockey will interest him. Let him find out for himself, when he grows up.  

BY THE WAY  

Andrey Markov's photograph will hang on the main page of the official Montreal site - the club, which is called the Mecca of Canadian hockey. This big honor, had also been extended to Saku Koivu, Jose Theodore and Richard Zednik. Markov said that this news was a pleasant surprise.

INTERESTINGLY  

As became known to our correspondent in Montreal Gennady BOGUSLAWSKI, negotiations on Markov's contract, and also Saku Koivu's, will only begin during August. At the moment Don Meehan is occupied with placing UFAs. Montreal reserved rights to Markov, by giving him a qualifying proposal, and it will do everything in order to come to agreement with its leading defender.  

- http://nhlstars.kulichki.net/players/markov_a/6.html