Red Bull München coach Toni Söderholm in interview before the Red Bulls Salute

Wednesday, 14. August 2024 | Red Bull München coach Toni Söderholm in interview before the Red Bulls Salute

Toni Söderholm in an interview: ‘We want to bring our mentality to the ice’// INTERVIEWAfter a week of ice training, EHC Red Bull München will get down to business for the first time on Friday at the Red Bulls Salute in Zell am See-Kaprun. Coach Toni Söderholm spoke about the state of preparation and revealed what he expects from his team.

You were recently in Lermoos for a team-building event, which included a joint trip to the climbing garden. How important is such an event in preparation?

Toni Söderholm: ‘We don't have that many new players, but we felt it was very important. We wanted to spend some relaxed time together and it was great for that. The conditions were excellent and the weather was also perfect.’

Today, Wednesday, it was back on the ice. What was the focus of the first week of training?

Söderholm: ‘We've kept it relatively simple so far. We've focussed on our two main topics. We want to be aggressive and reduce time and space on the ice for our opponents. You can already see that the group is growing together quickly.’

With Simon Wolf, Tobias Rieder and Adam Brooks, there are also three newcomers. What are your first impressions of them?

Söderholm: ‘It's already clear that Tobias and Adam are increasing the pace and skill level in training. They know when it gets serious. They also fit in very well with the team in terms of their personality, they always have a smile on their faces. Simon is a bit younger at 20, but he played very well in Salzburg last season. Now he has to prove himself every day in training. All three lads have got on very well.’

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Here we go again! The first ice training in the SAP Garden in pictures

Our first highlight of the new season, the Red Bulls Salute in Zell am See-Kaprun, is on the programme from Friday. A perfect starting signal to get back into the usual rhythm.

Söderholm: ‘We train to play. Training helps you reach a certain level in preparation, but it's the games that take you to the next level. This gives us a first interim assessment of what we need most as a team at the moment. And it's important for every player to get the summer off to a good start. We're really looking forward to the Red Bulls Salute.’

With the Växjo Lakers, we are facing a top European team right from the start. What do you expect from your team at this very early stage of the season?

Söderholm: ‘We want to bring our mentality to the ice, play fast and aggressively, with and without the disc. Little things like sprinting and checking are also part of it, of course. We also want to see a few technical and tactical things. It's about the simple things first.’

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