"He (Tarasov) squeezed every ounce of energy and performance out of his players. Even the slightest hint of self-importance was dealt with mmediately.
According to Tarasov, egoism on the ice was the gravest of all sins."
The Hockey Hall Of Fame
Time is running, years are rushing out with no mercy to anyone even if you are the famous ever hockey coach... The my yesterday question right answer is ANATOLI VLADIMIROVICH TARASOV, the first Soviet championship best scorer, the "father of Soviet hockey", the person who devoted all his life till the last days to the game named HOCKEY. Here are his photos through the years...
TARASOV. DECEMBER 1946
TARASOV. DECEMBER 1946
TARASOV. END 50s - EARLY 60s
TARASOV. 60s
TARASOV. 70s
TARASOV. 1991
Posts
I've always thought that Tarasov's role in the development of the Soviet hockey has been exaggerated. He was no more the father of Soviet hockey as a number of other people. As the national team head coach, he never won anything! During the Soviet winning streak of 1963 through 1972, Chernyshov, not Tarasov, was officially the head coach. Moreover, Chernyshov won gold without Tarasov in 1954 and 1956, whereas Tarasov, as the head coach without Chernyshov, lost all three WCs: 1958-1960.
ReplyDeleteEven his being the top scorer of the first Soviet championship is somewhat misleading. He played for VVS which didn't make the final pool (CSKA, Dynamo, and Spartak did) and played in the group for the 4-7th places where it was much easier to score goals.
Tarasov was by far the most flamboyant and bombastic Soviet coach, hogging the limelight, constantly talking to journalists -- Chernyshev, who shunned the limelight would never attend post-game news conferences. Tarasov, on the other hand, would never refuse, which contributed greatly to the mistaken notion that he was the head coach of the USSR team. Undoubtedly, he was one of the most important people in Soviet hockey, but only ONE OF.
As Nikolai Epstein, who used to feud with Tarasov, liked to say: "Anyone can coach CSKA, but let Tarasov try coaching "Khimik"..."
Any thoughts why Tarasov and Chernyshev left the national Team USSR after the 1972 Winter Olypics?
ReplyDelete"Anyone can coach CSKA, but let Tarasov try coaching "Khimik"..." yes, it's a great quote. however, first of all, not everyone can coach CSKA because not everyone would be appointed to such a position :-) then there are coaches that are better when dealing with the star teams and there are one that are better when dealing mid level teams. basketball phil jackson comes to mind who managed to deal great big time stars egos and motivations. there are coaches who are great with college teams but rather unsuccessful with the pro level. take rick pitino as a nasketball example.
ReplyDeletetarasov was innovator and players respected and loved to train under him. strategy, politics wasn't exactly his strength. chernyshev was much better in this area. together, they worked really well - that is something hard to argue about because of their medal count.
In my opinion it's not all about medals. I am not big fan of the Soviet system when the cost of human comes to "0". Tarasov was this kind of boss (manager, coach...) But I have to addmit - he is a builder of the Big Red Machine as a system, Tikhonov is his mental follower (I don't like his methodes as well, but..) And whole Soviet-Russian hockey came from those two, still coming...
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Watch ESPNs 30 for 30 presentation entitled Of Miracles and Men and form your opinion of Tarasov. The players who played for him are the ones who know his true value.
ReplyDelete