Norbert Nederlof nije više izbornik hrvatske hokejske reprezentacije.
Premda se očekivalo da će i u narednom ciklusu Norbert Nederlof voditi našu najjaču reprezentaciju ipak se to neće dogoditi. Norbert se odlučio za novi hokejski izazov. Time je Hrvatska ostala bez iskusnog izbornika, staroga kova, ali nevjerojatno jasnih i prosperitetnih novih ideja.
Norbert Nederlof vodio je mušku reprezentaciju Hrvatske u razdoblju od četiri godine u kojem su postignuti odlični rezultati. Prvi puta Norbert je upoznao i vodio našu reprezentaciju na Svjetskoj ligi u Zagrebu u lipnju 2018. uz odlične nastupe naše reprezentacije. Uspjeh na Gibraltaru 2019. kada je premoćno osvojeno prvo mjesto i ulazak u višu jakosnu skupinu smatra se jednim od najvećih uspjeha i najboljih izdanja hrvatskog hokeja uopće.
Nakon toga postojali su veliki planovi da se nastavi i podigne hrvatski hokej na još viši nivo, a onda je došao Covid19 i sve je nekako zastalo, prekid natjecanja ostavio je traga i na seniorskoj reprezentaciji, nismo se uspjeli vratiti i radnu temperaturu postaviti na nivo na koji je Norbert zahtjevao. Neki igrači su u tom razdoblju izgubljeni, premda se to nije očekivalo. Ali, unatoč tome nastup na Europskom prvenstvu 2021. u Poljskoj odrađen je vrlo dobro, bilo je prilike da se postigne i bolji rezultat, ali neke nijanse odlučile su suprotno.
U dvoranskom hokeju 2020. u Švicarskoj smo zauzeli 4. mjesto u B skupini, a ove godine 3. mjesto u Portugalu, tik do najboljih i mjesta do ulaska u najjaču skupinu europskog hokeja.
Može se reći kako nas je Norbert odlično osjetio, upoznao naše slabosti i naše vrline. Jedan je od rijetkih trenera stranaca koji su osjetili duh hrvatskog hokeja i hrvatskog čovjeka.
Svojim znanjem i iskustvom bio je u stanju postaviti igru i izvući od igrača najviše moguće, te jasnim instrukcijama ekipi i pojedincima poboljšati igru u nevjerojatno kratkom vremenu.
Norbertov rad s našom reprezentacijom nije bio motiviran novčanim prihodima, jer mi to nismo mogli pratiti na adekvatan način. Želja da pomogne jednoj maloj reprezentaciji bila je jača od interesa, mogli bi reći da je svo ovo vrijeme to radio uz velike emocije, što je bio najjači motiv u radu.
U ime Hrvatskog hokejskog saveza, svih igrača, članova stručnog stožera i prijatelja hokeja hvala ti Norberte za vrijeme provedeno s nama, hvala za sve što si nam pružio, za sve što si nas naučio, za sve lijepe trenutke koje si nam podario. Igračima i svima oko reprezentacije ostaješ trajno u srcima. Čast nam je bila što si bio naš izbornik! I žao nam je za ono što nismo uspjeli ostvariti zajedno s tobom.
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Thank you, Norbert. A lot.
Mr Norbert Nederlof decided to finish his path as a Croatian national team head coach. Although we expected to see him continue leading the men's national team in the next cycle, unfortunately, our dear Norbert is taking on a new journey.
With that, the Croatian national team stays without an experienced coach, an old school coach with incredibly bright and advanced new ideas.
Mr Nederlof led the Croatian men's national team for a four-year cycle and achieved excellent results
His first touch with the national team was on Hockey Series Open held in Zagreb in June 2018. A few great and unexpected performances and results were achieved in that pre-qualifying tournament for the Olympics.
And that was just an intro for the EuroHockey in Gibraltar in 2019. The excellent and powerful performance of the Croatian side led by Norbert took the team to first place and promotion what could be considered as one of the greatest achievements and best performances of the Croatian national team ever.
After Gibraltar, big plans were made to raise Croatian hockey to a higher level. And then came COVID 19 and ruined all. Everything stopped.
Interruption in competitions left consequences on the Croatian national side. The team couldn't find any more a proper working temperature for a higher-level what Norbert was demanding.
Unexpectedly we got lost a few players in that sad period. But despite that, the appearance of the Croatian national team in the EuroHockey 2021 in Poland can be evaluated as very good. It was some chances for making a better result but some details chose otherwise.
In the EuroHockey Indoor Championship II 2020 held in Switzerland, the Croatian national side took fourth place. And this year it was even better. Third place right up to the best ones and to the promotion to the highest level of competition, to the European Indoor Championship.
It could say that Norbert had a great feeling for our team. He felt very well our weaknesses and most of all, our strengths. One of the rare foreign coaches who felt the spirit of Croatian hockey and Croatian man.
With his great experience and knowledge, Norbert was able to set up gameplay and took out the best from every player giving them clear instructions for developing individual and team performance in a very short period of time.
Norbert´s work with the Croatian national team wasn´t motivated by money income because the Croatian federation couldn´t have funds for that. But the will and desire to help one small national team were bigger than interest. And he did his mission with great passion which was his biggest motivation for work.
On behalf of the Croatian hockey federation, players, team staff and all Croatian hockey supporters want to thank you, Norbert, for your time spent with us and all nice moments, for everything you gave us and for everything you taught us.
All players and staff around the national team will keep you in their hearts forever. It was our great pleasure to had you as our head coach. And we are sorry for not achieving everything we planned together.
