Before the important Friday home game against TEV Miesbach, the Geretsried River Rats received bad news: Coach Stefan Roth is leaving the River Rats for family reasons.
Former press spokesman Kevin Olivo will temporarily coach the ESC.
Geretsried – Peter Holdschik is not to be envied.
During the last Bayernliga season, he unexpectedly had to find a successor for coach Rudi Sternkopf, who had resigned for health reasons – and Randy Neal was a stroke of luck.
And even now, the second chairman of the ESC Geretsried has no choice but to start looking for a new coach: Stefan Roth asked for his replacement on Monday for family reasons.
"Unfortunately, a situation has arisen in which I can no longer concentrate 100 percent on ice hockey," explains Peißenberger, who only took office in the spring.
The current decision has nothing to do with the current sporting situation and was not easy for him, emphasizes the 42-year-old.
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Kevin Olivo, interim coach of the Geretsrieder River Rats
© Archive
"I very much regret Stefan's withdrawal.
But there are things in life that are more important than ice hockey," says Holdschik.
When saying goodbye on Tuesday, it once again became clear that the coach and the team were a good match: "He had a good standing." When looking for an interim solution, he once again approached Kevion Olivo: "He's my absolute joker. The former ESC goalkeeper and press spokesman have agreed to help out for one to two weeks.
"Unfortunately, he can't do more for professional reasons," regrets the ESC Vice.
He does not yet have a concrete plan for the search for a new coach: "If all else fails, we would have to find an internal solution."
As announced, Holdschik was also busy this week holding talks with the team as a whole and with individual players about the unsatisfactory sporting situation.
"Everyone is aware of what our situation looks like," was the realization of the second chairman.
He also critically questioned the performances of the players so far: "We will then see the results on the ice."
For the first time this Friday when the old rival TEV Miesbach shows up at the Heinz-Schneider-Eisstadion at 7.30 p.m.
Michael Baindl's team is considered a title candidate and has won five of six games.
Especially in attack, last year's runners-up have strengthened themselves with goalscorer Nick Endress (from EC Pfaffenhofen), ex-Geretsrieder Maximilian Hüsken and Czech Ales Furch.
"Who knows, maybe this opponent comes at the right time," Holdschik recalls the last duel against the TEV a year ago, which the River Rats surprisingly won 6:5 after extra time.
However, interim coach Olivo has to do without the injured Martin Morczinietz and Jakob Heigl (both knees) and Daniel Merl (concussion).
