After the clear 4:8 defeat in Ljubljana, the EHC Liwest Black Wings Linz is under pressure. Before the away game in Budapest against Ferencváros, head coach Philipp Lukas demands a clear reaction from his team – and speaks openly to the “Oberösterreichische Nachrichten” about the current situation of the Upper Austrians.
“That was just frustrating”
After decent performances against KAC (2:3) and Salzburg (3:2 n.V.), a bitter setback followed in Slovenia. “That wasn’t what we expected. It was simply frustrating. We just weren’t good enough and couldn’t match the intensity and speed of the opponent,” said Lukas. The Linzers scored three more goals in the final third, but the coach didn’t want to see an upward trend in this: “Maybe it was balm for the ego, but actually nothing more than a cosmetic result. We definitely have to get off to a better start.”
Looking ahead – “Score quickly!”
The situation is anything but pleasant, admits Lukas. “We’re conceding too many goals and we need to stop that. We have to look forward – and finally score. Score quickly.” Despite the disappointment, the 44-year-old remains combative: “We had an excellent week of training. The team is better than the place in the table.”
No looking back
Lukas doesn’t want to focus on the parallels to the previous year – back then, Linz also got off to a rocky start and then fought its way up: “Every team writes its own story. The will is definitely there to turn things around. We could have won one or two more games, but now we have to find ways to move us forward.”
“It’s about willingness and intensity”
Before the duel in Budapest, Lukas is primarily calling for an improvement in the basic virtues: “Whether Ferencváros is new to the league or not, whether we are entering a new hall – that shouldn’t matter. It’s about our intensity. I am convinced that good things will happen again.” With one of his typical bon mots, Lukas gets to the point: “You have to earn self-confidence, it won’t fall into your lap. You can’t buy it for 5.99 at Hofer.”
Injuries are not an issue
Finally, Lukas made a clear appeal to his team: “We were too passive recently, giving up too much space and time. We have to change that quickly. We have to put the injuries aside.” It will soon become clear whether the Linz team will be able to turn things around in Budapest – but there is certainly no lack of motivation and clear words from the coach.
Image: BWL / Draxler
