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The starting position is clear: since the National League relegation is suspended due to Corona, the Swiss League champions can advance without league classification if they meet all the requirements. It’s a kind of Lex Kloten. Because when the light is on, only the inhabitants of the airport, even if Olten, Visp or Ajoie also have ambitions, they are economically and structurally equipped for it.
In the first year, the people of Zurich, who were relegated after 56 years in 2018, failed miserably. Last spring, they thought they were on the right track when they were suddenly stopped for the playoff miscarriage. At the green table they tried to get up. “We owe it to our colors to fight for advancement until the last moment,” says CEO Pascal Signer.
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Study guest: Nati coach Patrick Fischer.
Today at 14 o’clock BlickTV will broadcast the cup showdown between the two Swiss League giants, Kloten (leader in points) and Ajoie (leader in points per game) live on the broadcast. Both clubs have already won the cup: the Jurassic at last spring’s memorable ice hockey festival in Lausanne (against Davos), Kloten 2017 against his own appendix (against Servette). National coach Patrick Fischer expected as a guest in the BlickTV studio. The game is commented on by the duo Mathias Germann / Dino Kessler.
Although EHC President Mike Schälchli is working hard on the plans for the realignment of the Swiss League, he says: “After so many years in the House of Lords, we certainly must do everything we can to stand up again.”
“In the long term we are back in a different league”
The busy event organizer sees the club on the right track. “It can be felt in the whole environment, but also among people. We won the vote for our outer ice and topics like the debate on the album, ”he explains. “In the long term we will belong to a different league again. That’s clear. But we don’t pressure ourselves. Because normally you can’t win anything in a sport like this. “
But all the fans think: if not now, when? “I don’t know what is easier: a normal season with league qualification? Or this season without league classification, but with this virus? »Says Signer.
Captain Steve Kellenberger thinks: “The pressure is about the same every year. When you play at Kloten, you know the goals. “Coach Pelle Hanberg is emphatically great:” I can’t say I’m under more pressure here than before at Langenthal. I always push myself a lot. I always want to win. “
Problems against agricultural equipment
So far, the planes have not yet fully convinced. Against the agricultural teams GCK Lions (1: 2) and Ticino Rockets (0: 2) it was a bankruptcy, and also more recently against the EVZ Academy (7: 6 after 3: 5) they showed problems. “You have in mind that this agricultural equipment is bad. That may have been the case three years ago. But they take steps forward every year, ”says Hanberg. The Swede doesn’t seem concerned. It takes time to integrate new players, he says. “We lost twice, it’s not a big deal. I’d rather have some difficulties at the beginning than at the end. “
Schälchli is happy that after the years with millionaires at the top, for whom the club was a toy, they have more support. It is no longer just one, but rather “twelve friends” who intervene in the financial gap.
“We attacked with a budget of 11 million francs. This is no small thing. Most clubs in this league only have around a third available, ”says Schälchli. But that is also a process. You can only get up if you get back in shape. We passed the moose test with flying colors at the end of last season. Among the current
Conditions, it will also cost money this year. From two to three million, we have to liquidate that in the group of owners. “
“The cup is very important to me”
Despite the Corona, unlike other clubs, they refrained from demanding salary exemptions from players. “I have the feeling that EHC Kloten is coming from the wrong corner,” says Schälchli. “Wages have been debated for too long. We have a very fair and good salary policy. “The resignation would only become a problem as a last resort.” We want to put our hand on the players and hope they will do their part by spreading their bones and going into battle. “
Kellenberger, who had to give up wages twice in 14 seasons at Kloten, says: “We have had to accept wage losses several times in the last ten years. We appreciate him even more for not having to give anything during these special times. “
Today the 2017 cup winner faces defending champion Ajoie. “The Cup is very important to me,” emphasizes Hanberg. And at Kloten they had to experience first-hand that the Cup can give a team a boost. In 2018 the SCRJ Lakers won the cup and then beat Kloten in the league standings.
