The Polish Ski Association negotiated for weeks whether Stefan Horngacher should work again for the proud ski jumping nation. Ultimately, the PZN decided to make the long-time national coach the training coordinator. However, some board members still have residual doubts about the Austrian’s employment.
PZN official Wojciech Adam Fickowski made it clear in an interview with “Interia” that he does not agree at all with Stefan Horngacher’s return. “I had a different opinion than all my colleagues on the board who spoke out in favor of Stefan Horngacher. That’s the only reason I agreed to his return. I just don’t trust the guy, that’s all.”
During his three-year term as national coach, the Austrian lost his support, the Pole explained: “He simply took four of our people from the coaching staff. That’s why I don’t trust him anymore. I’m not saying that he’s not an expert. I’m just saying that I don’t trust him and, to put it bluntly, I believe in our Polish coaches.”
Ski jumping: Horngacher negotiations “were not about money”
Despite his immense doubts, the board voted almost unanimously in favor of the 56-year-old’s return, he explained. “And if everyone around me decides that it’s a win for us, then I’ll accept that too,” explained Fickowski, who classifies the former DSV coach’s work between 2016 and 2019 as “mediocre”.
“My colleagues convinced me that it would only be beneficial for all of us. ‘Okay, let’s do it, let’s get it done’ – that’s how I reacted. Because I believe that everyone should be given a chance,” added Fickowski, who emphasized that Horngacher “will not get a high-paying contract” in Poland. There had previously been “misunderstandings” regarding the terms and conditions of the deal.
As the “Interia” portal reported at the beginning of the week, citing its own information, the association had managed to reduce Horngacher’s salary somewhat. The high salary of the long-time DSV coach is said to have previously been a sticking point for those responsible in Poland. However, Fickowski clearly denies this: “It wasn’t about the money per se, but mainly about the action plan.”
