"One of the best centers in the premier league"

Created: 05/20/2022, 19:13

By: Patrick Hilmes

Knows how to assert himself: At 26 years old, Lukas Koziol already has plenty of high-class experience.

© Juergen Kessler via www.imago-images.de

Pana Christakakis, the managing director of the upper league ice hockey club SC Riessersee, thinks highly of his latest commitment: Lukas "Katsche" Koziol comes with plenty of high-class experience.

Garmisch-Partenkirchen – Hans-Georg Schwarzenbeck was given many nicknames during his football career, which he devoted entirely to FC Bayern Munich from 1966 to 1982.

He was called the "loyal vassal", the "adjutant" or even the "appendage".

His position at that time also had a nickname, the pre-stoppers of his time were called “cleaners”.

His signature role.

Because Schwarzenbeck cleared everything that wanted to approach the goal at FCB and in the national team - always in the shadow of Franz Beckenbauer.

And because he didn't have enough nicknames, he was soon considered the "Emperor's Bodyguard".

But his friends called him something else, they called "Katsche".

From the coming season it will also resound over the ice surface in the Olympic Ice Sports Center, because from now on a "Katsche" will play at SC Riessersee - Lukas Koziol.

Otherwise, he has little in common with his nickname.

Koziol isn't responsible for the rough stuff, doesn't come from Munich, and has less to do with defense.

The 26-year-old is a striker, comes from Füssen and should give the SCR more playfulness and creativity on the offensive.

According to managing director Pana Christakakis, Koziol combines all the attributes for this: "He's at the best ice hockey age but still willing to learn and, in my opinion, one of the best centers in the premier league." Big words.

But "Katsche" has already proven his abilities - also at a higher level.

From EV Füssen, his path led him to Eisbären Berlin in his youth.

Among other things, he was on the ice four times in the DEL for the capital city.

He collected 55 further assignments in the German upper house with the Krefeld penguins,

played at the same time with a funding license in Duisburg and with the Lausitzer Füchse.

He then moved to Kassel (DEL2) for a year, including a loan to Adler Mannheim (five games).

In the same season he went to the Löwen Frankfurt, for whom he collected 68 points in 109 DEL2 games.

But then Koziol injured himself, and the corona pandemic also made the contract situation uncertain.

The Füssener was about to end his career.

He also canceled the SCR, who would have liked to have signed him back then.

"So I was surprised when I heard that he was playing in Rostock," says Christakakis.

Koziol had joined the Oberliga-Nord-Klub and completed an apprenticeship.

Now, two seasons and 93 points in 77 games later, the path still leads him to Garmisch-Partenkirchen.

Private reasons ensured that he wanted to return home.

After everything was clarified, Koziol calmly thought about it.

"Because in the past few years I've always made very quick decisions," he says.

But this time it didn't take long

Deal: Pana Christakakis (right) is pleased that Lukas Koziol has signed a two-year contract.

© SC Riessersee

With the SCR, everything fits together perfectly.

He likes the professional structures and the goals of the club.

In addition, the morning training is good for him, so he can also devote himself to his real estate studies – a German university with a virtual campus.

In the talks with Christakakis, one point in particular convinced him: "Pana was always honest, said clearly: 'We want that, we don't want that.'

Unfortunately, that doesn't happen that often anymore.” In addition, his former companion Felix Linden only reported positive things to him.

The question remains: why Katsche?

And then there is still a parallel to Hans-Georg Schwarzenbeck.

He got his nickname from Sepp Maier because there were already two Hans' at FCB.

At Koziol there used to be "four or five Lukas" in a team.