Wow, pretty incendiary Russian interview given by Kovalev

[bobby]

Don't have a link, read the translation on another board. He basically says that the Russian players have no chance in Montreal because Carbonneau is biased against them and towards Francophone players. Probably a bit of truth there, but I'm surprised the team didn't suspend him or try to trade him if they got wind of it. Sounds like there is a real rift developing between the Russian players and management in the dressing room. Kostitsyn said some pretty inflammatory things in his interview with a Belarussian journalist as well, recently. Stay tuned!ctrl-v

Edited March 2, 2007 by bobby

[Dirty Harry]

If this is true it is pretty bad. I wasn't going to make any kind of damning verdict on Carbo in his rookie year, but it seems like he is really losing the confidence of a significant part of the team.

[Oleg Petrov]

Hard to react to this without being able to read it.

Please go to wherever you read this interview, highlight the browser bar at the top of your browser (right now it's got a HW symbol in it), type Ctrl-C on your keyboard, come back and edit your post and type Ctrl-V to put the link in there.

It kinda looks like you're making up random rumours unless you do this, so this could save you a little flaming grief. Unless, of course, you're trolling, in which case do nothing and leave your post as is.

[blaze53]

Can you find the link? But it's pretty likely Kovy actually said it.

Edited March 2, 2007 by blaze53

[Tony]

European papers always have these kinds of "interviews".

The way I see it, if there were any truth to this it would already be in the Montreal paper with scandalous headlines.

[bobby]

The info is at www.hockeysfuture.com in the Montreal Canadiens message board section in a thread entitled "Could we get anything for Kovalev?". I can't vouch for the veracity of the translation so you have to draw your own conclusions.

[Oleg Petrov]

http://www.football-hockey.ru/7_269/article_9283.shtml

As hilariously translated by a feed-in-feed-out translator:

("Command" means "team", I think. Now I believe I know what Yoda would sound like talking hockey. This interview is beautiful, and I love Kovalev even more after reading it.)

ALEKSEY Kovalev: TO PRESENT YOUNG PEOPLE DOES NOT A LITTLE BE SUFFICIENT HEAD the highly experienced captain team Russia Aleksey Kovalev on 24 February it noted his 34-1 birthday.

I think, no one argue not will be: napadayushchiy itself realized completely to this age. However, it not be maximalist, nothing b left. One in Moscow would not survive, where it they invited from Togliatti by 14- summer young fellow. It would not become one of the brightest stars NKHL. Not he would be indisputable authority in the composite. The forced pause, connected with the injury, allowed Kovalev to finish celebrating date in to the family circle and friends. Now before forvardom new task. It "Montreal Kanadiyens", as it was explained, not only gnaw internal strifes. The russkogovoryashchiye players, even caliber of Kovalev, most titled command NKHL encountered the prejudice of trainers and associates.

Regina SEVOST'YANOVA - the position of "Montreal" in the turnirnoy table constantly changes. How this to explain?

- it is simple fatigue. Therefore removals there are many. Command is sufficiently young. Therefore, can, some fatigue is shown. But here last three matches won. Maybe, this some there was the decrease. I hope, now everything will go to the reverse side.

- i.e., command is decisively disposed to the entry into the play off and in its forces is assured?

- well certainly. But what there can be versions?

- A a quantity of injuries will not influence negative the course of events?

- A now in all commands of injury. Not we some such. In this of any special danger no this one of the things, which be present in the hockey. The organism already helps mount toward the end of the season; therefore people will be traumatized. From other side, apparently, already from the following month complete command will play.

- your of neighbor is geographical and according to turnirnoy table - "Toronto". What you will say about this command? It is similar to your?

- perhaps, no. "Toronto" plays into the more open hockey. He tries more to attack. But "Montreal" - from the defense.

- you very this style does command? - yes to whom it can be pleased? If we my work drive in goals, as it me can command? But 4 I cannot anything here do. Because this is the plan of the game of command, and it is necessary it to adhere to. Indeed this is the command form of sport.

- you this does not prevent from being opened in "Montreal"?

- 4 I indicate that it is heavy to show itself completely. Because we play into the defensive hockey, it is necessary to sacrifice other qualities. Certainly, it is heavier so to play.

- by this is explained the sharp decrease in the game in Sergey Samsonov?

- I think, the decrease because they little entrust to it. It took here, they required something other from it. But not that that it knows how. Somewhat more than time was required it, in order to be adapted. Indeed this is entirely another work. Not that, to which it privyk. But time to it they do not give sufficiently. It was lost.

- you were always characterized by correct commentaries. But as you did react to the statements of Sergey, when it did openly criticize the policy of the management of command?

- A whom this will arrange? 4 exactly I consider that man must openly speak about this. What sense - to hold in itself? If he feels, something not then, it is necessary to attempt to correct situation. And if you had a talk with the trainer, and this especially gave to you nothing, then completely it does not be worthwhile to hold this in itself. He so said that it it does not arrange. Two times requested exchange into another command. We indeed are also interested in our reputation being not spoiled. Indeed how many hockey players still we could play and play, and they were forced to conclude only because now one young people come out. It is heavy. It is desirable to play, to show result. But to you they do not give this to make. It becomes offensive. To it not 40 years, and even not 30. Even young. It is desirable to be the player, to whom they entrust, which shows result.

- beginning from the game s the "Rangers" to you raised Grabovskiy from the pharm- club they attempted to make a russkoyazychnoye component. there was chance in this troika?

- yes chance was, simply here never this they will give to make. In me this sensation, and many speak about this - the journalists, fans, that this trainer does not love Russians. This in reality so... this is evident on how it relates to us. In comparison with the fact, as it relates to the "Frenchmen". And we can make anything. How often since the beginning of the season they indicated about me that 4 blanket to itself I pull. And 4, in my opinion, only, who nothing this answered. Always silently I walk, although all around only they speak about me. Therefore it is sometimes necessary to already speak out. 4 to journalists so it explained: "if you want to force people something about me to think, you this will make. And 4 in no way not to smog this to influence ".

- A you yet did not arrive to ask exchange?

- there was this idea, honestly speaking. From other side - I love fight. For example, it is possible to fall into a good command. Not about which not to think, simple to play and to win. But it is possible to find the possibility to show itself in the weaker club. Well, if in some of command there is no chance to fall into the play off, and you by svom by the labor of it there let us assume will derive. This is considerably more complex, but also it is more interesting. And in me such qualities exist, I assume. Certainly, many experiences were, doubts. But pereborem. Not the first time.

- now into "Montreal" they again raised Andrey kostitsyna, whom already the third season they hold in the pharm- club. How you do think, this is not that case, when, it can, it does be worth trying to return to Russia?

- I do not think. It even young and, most likely, it will attain its. Always it is possible to return in Russia- that. But here here to fall, to play a little on this level more heavily. Therefore it is necessary to try to use the allowed possibilities. But then already it is possible to leave. But the case with The the kostitsynym - this is is one additional example of that, about which I spoke. It, by the way, best player AKHL they again recognized. But when began injuries in the command, they upward "raised" other entirely hockey players. Either trainer does not love us or it does not please itself this style. 4 I will not astonish, which as soon as someone will recover, precisely, Kostitsyna will send back into pharm, and not someone of other two players, whom now they also "raised".

- I know that the frankogovoryashchiye players in "Hamilton" behave provocatively with respect to others. In "Montreal" they, at least, this do not make?

- Frenchmen - they always such. They protect each other, are held together. In that and the problem of these commands: separation begins. Europeans separately, Americans - separately, and frankofonov have their association. Who whom "will survive". It is heavy to work with this. Because entire concentration not on being gathered together and winning. But on what 4 is better you and public me more greatly loves. People begin to work exclusively on the public. Nauseatingly already at this to look. We must with another command fight, while we fight each itself for ourselves. We compete between themselves.

- in this case, they speak, Russians on the command measures do not be present.

- of course not, this lie. We attempt to be held together with entire association. And we always be present at the general meetings, because this simply cannot be avoided. For this penalty.

- in the beginning of season in you one of the leaders was young Of kristofer Higgins. Now appear rather well Guillaume Latendress, Maxim lap'er... In the winches appeared Yaroslav galak, who interrupted to the turn of the defeats of club. What can say about this young people?

- oh, well what to say? They only played a little, only their public fell in love - they behave, as if years ten V OF NKHL they play. At this nauseatingly to look. It is necessary in the place to place them. But when this you make, they closely to the heart receive or so they do not understand. Sometimes young listen to the veterans, and there are such - by themselves. Them that not tell - as about the wall pea. Their public loves, and this only, which interests them. Talent- that exists, but here head a little does not be sufficient. 4 I do not know, how many years already I play, so much young people it saw, of which heroes made earlier than the time. And then years their no one already and will recall through the pair.

- on the fact that you say, is created impression that pleasure from the work in this command you do not clearly obtain...

- well what it is possible to obtain pleasure, if you want to fight and to attempt to win Stanley's goblet. But we fight, this sensation, against each other - 4 already he spoke about this. We explain, who in our command is better. Here about me there they speak something, but this does not interest me. 4 points I collect, and this all which disturbs me. Yes, about us they indicate that we out of the hockey as family. But when into the cloakroom we come - each itself for itself. This is so evident... You attempt to make something. 4 even in that year with his partners in the troika he talked: with Finn and Czech. It attempted to explain that not the personal indices, but that interest me, so that we would play well by entire component. So that we would be the best troika and they helped the command to win. But not so that I would drive in the goal - and this all which to me is necessary. 4 such things I sometimes tell the children, with whom I play. Well I attempt soak partners to change something so that our component would be one of the good. 4 he always thus said: in whatever command 4 it played, I want so that my troika would be best. What me this not cost. And here so. You look at other commands - they play for each other, they help each other. But they do not see, or they do not want even to see. Clogged goal - and all. It is possible to conclude. And to the end of the match even not to doigryvat'.

- in this case so many discussion centered on your new trainers. That they ourselves for "Montreal" played, they must fix the matter. Succession of generations, so to say.

- yes this nothing means. This reputation very rapidly spoils. When people conclude to play at this height, and they then behave thus at the trenerskom post - entire good rapidly is forgotten, and begins to be accumulated negative. Personally I consider that also very much depends on trainer. Trainer must be the part of the command, but not separately from it, not above it. To say: "here in you are a captain the assistants of captains, make, that you want" - this is very simple. Trainer must enter into the association. But that at it looks and discusses young people then thus: "well, trainer- that nevertheless. Then to me nevertheless ". Trainer must be interested and it must show this interest. Here as an example. 4 with Vyacheslav Bykov it played. As his trainer I do not know, but, judging by how composite now plays it is apparent that the children try. What it attempts to find approach to the players, and those in turn to it they pay by the same coin. There is some coordination between the trainers and the players. There must not be so that trainers separately, and players separately.

- in this situation, can, to you better there was b not to fall into the play off, but to arrive into Moscow to the championship of peace?

- certainly, to fall on the championship of peace it is good b. But 4 zh I cannot but play or do everything so that the command would not fall into the play off. Vice versa - the whole point is that the interest in me is large. I want so that the command would fall into the play off and would win. Certainly, with the pleasure I will always play for the composite, if they invite. But there now so much young people it plays. And command comes out rather well in this year. It can come out so that and "Montreal" into the play off will not fall, and me in the composite they will not take.

- on the sensations: "Montreal" has chance to play off to solve these internal problems?

- 4 I do not know, this is very long work. Immediately this does not occur. Usually is time-consuming itself when people will understand. 4, of course, I always hope for better and I try for this something to make. This zh not the individual form of sport or command of three-four people. Some make as follows: you will say something to it, it to you will look, it will nod. Only you will turn away, he will say: "that it generally to me adhered?"

Regina SEVOST'YANOVA

This is my favourite bit, where Kovalev explains why he just ignores the constant braying from everybody that he doesn't try every night:

How often since the beginning of the season they indicated about me that 4 blanket to itself I pull. And 4, in my opinion, only, who nothing this answered. Always silently I walk, although all around only they speak about me. Therefore it is sometimes necessary to already speak out. 4 to journalists so it explained: "if you want to force people something about me to think, you this will make. And 4 in no way not to smog this to influence ".

Yes, Alex. Always silently you walk. And in no way do you smog it to influence.

[Mr. Nasty]

Here is another translation. It is hard to follow but during the question period he explains that the coach doesn't seem to like their style of play. He uses Kostitsyn as an example because Milroy and Lapierre were given more opportunites. At least this is my understanding of the translation. Maybe Kovalev doesn't understand the importance of guys that are willing the get their nose dirty and go hard at the net...unlike his russian counterparts.

http://www.google.com/translate?u=http%3A%...=en&ie=UTF8

[Oleg Petrov]

I can't wait for Renaud Lavoie to pin Kovalev in the hallway to try and get the cutting edge exclusive, and ask him, "Alex, is it true that you said 'They neither say-as wall peas.'? Or did you really mean to say 'Them that not tell - as about the wall pea.'?"

Edited March 2, 2007 by Oleg Petrov

[Punkned]

Man, Kovalev considers Carbonneau as racist against the russians... I hope this is not the case... Or we'll loose Markov...

Nonetheless I consider that Carbo is giving Perezoghin alot of oppotunities to prove himself. So maybe this is just Kovalev's biaised perception...

Or this article was made up...

He also says that the team spirit is bad and people are selfish... That'd explain much...

What did Kostitsyn said that was inciendiairy??

Edited March 2, 2007 by Punkned

[mathieu30]

Thanks for that translation Oleg.

Looks like those frankogovoryashchiye players are evil..

[BTH]

Man, Kovalev considers Carbonneau as racist against the russians... I hope this is not the case... Or we'll loose Markov...

Nonetheless I consider that Carbo is giving Perezoghin alot of oppotunities to prove himself. So maybe this is just Kovalev's biaised perception...

Or this article was made up...

He also says that the team spirit is bad and people are selfish... That'd explain much...

What did Kostitsyn said that was inciendiairy??

I don't think Carbonneau has given Perezhogin many opportunities. I mean, he's benched him many times. He's played Murray and Downey over him. That being said, Perezhogin hasn't done much with the few chances he has gotten. But then again, his confidence has been rattled by all the benchings. It's an endless circle.

[bobby]

The fact that Markov leads the team in playing time kind of undercuts his theory about Carbonneau. But there is some unsettling stuff in there. Kovalev should have made like a "wall pea" and kept his fat stupid yap shut.

Edited March 3, 2007 by bobby

[Bacchus]

Don't know how real this is ... unless the translator is really bad, there are too many obvious errors ... farm with a PH?

However, the article does ring some truth. The obsesssion with french players in Montreal is racist. A lot of fans would prefer to have french players, like Lecavalier (who do not want to play in our city), than the actual stars they already have. And they criticize foreigners much quicker than they will criticize a french player - they will criticize a french player if they are really heartless, but the amount of forgiveness given to a guy like Rebeiro, compared to the amount of forgiveness given to Koivu, speaks volumns.

Also, Carboneau has been favouring French players, and players who play a similar style to what he played: hardworking two way defensive minded people. The little amount of time given to Grabovski was ridiculous.

At the same time, some people will scream racism way to quickly, like Fedorov did in Detroit. He wanted to be celebrated like Stevie Y, but he didn't realize that Stevie Y left his heart on the ice every night.

Also, Plekanec and Samsonov have also been given vast amounts of ice time. So if Kovalev did say these things then it definitely seems like he is sour grapes about something.

It will be interesting to know how real this article is. If it is real, then their is a serious rift in MTL, and we might lose some serious talent.

Edited March 3, 2007 by Bacchus

[PB]

Nice find guys,....and the translation gives it a certain '' je ne sais quoi ''.

The content is rather sour and disconcerting.......in line with our team's performances

during the last two months......a rarity thought as it raised many questions.

I am not concerned with the fans and their favorites nor with the medias and theirs......they

are emotionally biased and rarely fair......this is a difficult invironment for players to play in

and despite of it all......they have to become a team and care for one another.

Because of the relative unfairness of the fans and media the coaches have to be clearly on the side of

his players at all time. I remember Therrien on his first year how he was able to bring together a

captainless nobody team to not only grabbed a much unexpected playoff berth but to beat Boston in the process,...this was almost a miracle.....part of it was Therrien's familly concept at work.

Gainey upon starting brought instant trust from his players during training camp when he wildly

named the Brisebois boooooers bastards and told them to stay home if they didn't care about the CH team.

When Julien started he was already respected by some of the rookys he had already coached, he was an excellent stragegist and was stoic with the press, he was a rooky like Therrien and like Therrien he had a depleted team and a ground zero Hamilton team as re-enforcement........yet like Therrien he brought the team to the playoffs and managed to go throught Boston again.

Those coaches where both rooky in the NHL, the press and fans where not sold to them at all.......but to their credit they never flirted with the press and fans,.....they where clearly siding with their players and the team.

Carboneau unlike them had a roster with some excellent attributes to start the season and moreover

he had a choice of some very special players waiting in the wing in Hamilton.

There is no reasons for this team to have collapsed the way they did when they where only 5 points

behind the eastern leader at some point..........how can such desintegration be explained ?

I think the teams earlier successes might have not contribute to focus Carbo's attention to what matter

the most.........the team's unity.

His mind has not produced an adequate strategy that would best exploited the talents within our team and our organisation and his words and actions have lacked the etics required to gather the players around him and around themselves.........his job is to be tacfull, intelligent and earn the respect.....not of the press or of the fans but of the players.

In my view he had a boat full of talents compared to what Therrien and Julien had during their first year with

the club......they both created a cohesive team with what they had.....they did more with less.

Anyway I dont like what I have been earing from crasy Ron Fournier and some other sport personality lately,

some are denigrating anything with a russian name and even pretending that Carbo share their stances.....will

the CH stand as Carbo and the Hookers in the futur ?

[Prime Minister Koivu]

It was a tough read but this is what I got out of it:

-Carbo forces a defensive style which does not fit the team.

-The locker room is very divided (by nationality).

-Players like Higgins who had some early success get a free ride.

-Carbo does not act like a member of the Canadiens but as above or better than that.

-Francophones get special treatment.

I agree with all of this. Francophones always have and always will get more attention on the CH, especially from the media. Watching Carbo all season long, he definitely carries the air of "my shit don't stink" about him.

Carbo should at least try a more open offensive system but he won't.

[bobby]

A Russian, Andrei Markov leads the entire team in TOI over the season. Kovalev himself leads all forwards in TOI, and plays the majority of most power plays. I don't want to do the math, but I bet Kovalev is one of, if not THE LEAST PRODUCTIVE PLAYER IN THE NHL in terms of points per minute of playing time, and power play time. He can flap his fat lips all day about what a "fighter" he is, but the numbers do not back it up in any way. Nor is it remotely evident to anyone who watches him play pond hockey with himself out on the ice game after game. He was disliked and run out of a couple of cities before he landed his jet in Montreal. Nothing new as far as Kovalev is concerned, and it won't change until he steals his last dollar from an NHL owner and goes back to Russia.

[Jean]

If Kovalev gave his heart to the team game in, game out I would take his comments more seriously (assuming that translation is correct, which we arent sure about) .

Mr Kovalev, you are paid like a superstar, have the natural skills of one, have the attitudee.. how about showing it on the ice during an actual game mr smartass?

[Nesquik]

Kovalev should shut his mouth, he doesn't know what the hell he is talking about, he played 1:55 minutes last game on the powerplay, he's got only two more goals then Lats and he has way more time on ice then him, Kovalev has a big mouth and I really don't think Carbonneau leans too much towards Francophone players when we only got 4 on the team. The Fans lead more towards Francophone, well the French fans because they actually get to understand them on TV and stuff...

Edited March 3, 2007 by Nesquik

[revin5]

I blame Kovalev for the slump. He tried to do too much for the team by playing hurt and made himself next to useless by doing it. That void he created in the lineup hurt our team alot. Since coming back, he has played how we expect him to play.. he can turn, he can shoot.. he makes those moves that can get him into scoring position. He's exactly what the team needs... he just has to realise that if he's huurt and he can't do what we need of him.. then he's hurting us.

[Punkned]

I blame Kovalev for the slump. He tried to do too much for the team by playing hurt and made himself next to useless by doing it. That void he created in the lineup hurt our team alot. Since coming back, he has played how we expect him to play.. he can turn, he can shoot.. he makes those moves that can get him into scoring position. He's exactly what the team needs... he just has to realise that if he's huurt and he can't do what we need of him.. then he's hurting us.

Yep Kovalev plays good hockey since he's back

[Easy Ryder]

Yep enought is enought what you are saying is that Carbo is coaching with ethnocentric?? give me a break.

All of the russians had their chances all year long and didn't stand.

Markov while playing ok is not creating scroring chances and not playing as he can.

Kovalev and Samsonov got all the chances they needed to produce and it didn't work. Yeah blame the coach.

Perezhogin can't play in the new NHL, period.

Blame the quebecers like Lapierre who got travelled between Hamilton and Montreal for cap space when we did't use the freaking space to get any player.

Blame Bégin playing is heart with a broken foot.

Blame Bouillon with broken ribs and sore knee.

Blame Latendresse at 19 years old learning to play the game.

OK blame Dandenault he is a veteran and he is a dummy with a hockey stick he should have gone for olympic skating but the money was better in the NHL.

Enought ofthese anti-french and accomodements raisonnables even in hockey.

[KoZed]

In that and the problem of these commands: separation begins. Europeans separately, Americans - separately, and frankofonov have their association. Who whom "will survive". It is heavy to work with this. Because entire concentration not on being gathered together and winning. But on what 4 is better you and public me more greatly loves. People begin to work exclusively on the public. Nauseatingly already at this to look. We must with another command fight, while we fight each itself for ourselves. We compete between themselves.

You know, I dont really have a hard time beliveing what's in bold. You've had cliques in the locker-room for a while: Koivu-Rivet-Souray; Theodore-Ribeiro-Dagenais, Higgins-Komisarek-Ryder... now you'll even have Kovalev-Perezhogin-Samsonov-Markov, Aebischer-Streit-Huet...

I have absolutely no problem believing that it would be true.

[shortcat1]

European papers always have these kinds of "interviews".

The way I see it, if there were any truth to this it would already be in the Montreal paper with scandalous headlines.

this is a major consideration...

the montreal hockey media, being as it is, would jump on this if there was anything solid about it...

they, like all media, seem to smell 'blood' and make the most of it...

in the end, we'll see...

GO :hlogo: GO!

[BTH]

You know, I dont really have a hard time beliveing what's in bold. You've had cliques in the locker-room for a while: Koivu-Rivet-Souray; Theodore-Ribeiro-Dagenais, Higgins-Komisarek-Ryder... now you'll even have Kovalev-Perezhogin-Samsonov-Markov, Aebischer-Streit-Huet...

I have absolutely no problem believing that it would be true.

You sure Aebischer would befriend the guy stealing his job?