Ice hockey coach Pavel Gross from the Mannheim Adlern is under discussion in the Czech Republic as a possible new assistant coach for the national team.
The general manager of the Czechs, Petr Nedved, told the newspaper “Sport” about a conceivable coaching trio consisting of the Finn Kari Jalonen with Miloslav Horava and Gross on the side: “There are several variants, but at the moment I think this is the best solution. “
The association separated from the previous coaching team around Filip Pesan a week ago because of the failure at the Olympic Games in Beijing.
Gross himself told the newspaper’s online edition that he was “terribly surprised” by a call to this effect, since he had been away from the Czech Republic for so long. “This is very fresh for me and I’m not in a position to share any reasonable conclusion at the moment,” said the 53-year-old Czech-born.
The Adler Mannheim confirmed the “Mannheimer Morgen” the interest of the Czech association in their coach.
Persistent rumors of separation
Gross’s contract with the top team in the German Ice Hockey League runs until 2024. There have been rumors of a premature separation for weeks.
One reason for a possible early departure is said to be the relationship of trust that has been broken since the end of 2021. Shareholder Daniel Hopp had distanced himself from Gross after the trainer had publicly criticized the measures to contain the corona pandemic several times.
Before joining the Adlern Mannheim, with whom he became German champion in 2019, Gross was a trainer for the Grizzlys in Wolfsburg. He had already moved to Germany from the Czech Republic in 1990 when he was a player.