"It was a gift that we were allowed to be there."

Yesterday morning, this chapter came to an end for Stefan Zisser as he left the Olympic Village. Afterwards, the 45-year-old took the time for a detailed interview in which he reflected on the preparations, the past few days in Milan, and the performance of Italy's men's and women's teams. S+: How have you experienced the Olympic Games over the past few days? Stefan Zisser: Since I was already there as a player in Turin 20 years ago, I had a pretty good idea of what to expect. I have to say that I'll be taking home nothing but positive impressions from Milan. I had some wonderful experiences. The Olympic Village, the transportation, the arenas, and the locker room area were all well-organized. The enthusiasm and the level of interest from the spectators were also very positive. It was a gift for all of us to be able to be there. Have the countless NHL stars lived up to expectations? Zisser: Absolutely. The level of play was incredibly high. We won't see so many top stars in one place again anytime soon. How do you rate the performance of the Italian men's team? Zisser: From a sporting perspective, we finished last. That's a fact, and it was somewhat expected. Nevertheless, we finished last with our heads held high. We showed that with ambition and fighting spirit, we can compete with the big teams to some extent. Our players improved and learned that they don't need to hide. The coaching staff did an outstanding job. Initially, we had major concerns about the smaller ice surface. But it turned out to be our best friend. If the numerous NHL stars had had even more space, we would have had an even harder time. What were the biggest problems? Zisser: We faced tough competition in every respect. We have a lot of catching up to do in terms of physicality and athleticism. That's something we need to work on. After all, you can influence your physical condition – but you can't learn talent. And we're also lagging behind the competition in skating. Another factor is the players' height. Unfortunately, we don't have the luxury of many players taller than 1,85 meters. What positive insights are you taking home with you from Milan? Zisser: First and foremost, the performances of both goalkeepers. Not only Damian Clara, but also Davide Fadani gave us the chance to win, especially against Slovakia. That was very positive. Likewise, the performance of Daniel Glira, who played a convincing tournament, and of Dustin Gazley, who delivered an outstanding performance at 37 years old. The World Championships will take place in Switzerland in three months. Is it possible to stay in the top division? Zisser: I hope we can build on the performance we showed in Milan and continue to develop it. Staying in the league is our goal; however, it will be a tough task. As a newly promoted team, we are the underdogs. Past experience has shown that three points are not enough. This means that even if we win the game against our supposedly easiest opponent, Slovenia, it's far from certain that we'll stay up. Just defending isn't enough; we also have to create chances. We haven't scored in our last two games in Milan. That should give us pause for thought. Will head coach Jukka Jalonen still be on the bench in Switzerland? Zisser: Barring any unforeseen circumstances, Jalonen will lead the team to the World Championships in Fribourg. Like all other FISG employees, he has a contract until June 30th. Because elections are being held this year, the new board will then decide on the composition of the coaching staff. Jukka will return to his native Finland on Thursday and come back to South Tyrol on March 10th. World Championship preparations will then begin on April 13th. Let's turn to the women. They have made history in Milan in many ways. What is your assessment? Zisser: This is very positive. Before the Olympic Games, we considered that we had the best chance of making a significant impact with the women's team. The federation leadership believed in this and did everything possible. Team manager Daniele Sauvageau was a stroke of luck for us. Together with her, we accomplished a great deal. Our clubs, with whom there were some discussions beforehand, also supported us and collaborated on this project. We currently have several good players and numerous talented youngsters. The dual nationals were a real asset to the team. I am confident that our women will be back at the Olympic Games in France in four years' time. The seven weeks of preparation in Montreal cost almost €200.000. Was it the deciding factor in the good result? Zisser: Absolutely. Of course, the entire preparation wasn't cheap. But in retrospect, it was money well spent. The women's previous performances motivated us to prepare for this major event as thoroughly as possible. All of this was only possible because the players made significant sacrifices, putting their families and careers aside for an extended period. Something like this wouldn't have been possible with the men, because the clubs would never have released their players for several weeks. The World Championships for Division I, Group A will take place in Budapest in just under two months. Is promotion to the top division possible? Zisser: After our performance in Milan, we can certainly envision promotion to the top division. Whether it will be enough in the end, I don't know. It's by no means a walk in the park. With hosts Hungary, Norway, and Slovakia, we're facing tough opponents. We mustn't forget one thing: we're a newly promoted team, currently ranked sixth and therefore last. Will the team and coaching staff stay together? Zisser: I sincerely hope the team stays together. The coaches don't have full-time jobs. Our head coach, Eric Bouchard, for example, works as an assistant with the Shawinigan Cataractes in the QMJHL. If his team is still playing in mid-April, he probably won't be available. Assistant coach Alexandre Tremblay could certainly take over his role with our women's team in that case. Who will be the Olympic champion in the women's category, and who in the men's? Zisser: The US women's team will likely win gold, as they have made the strongest impression so far. In the men's competition, only Canada can become Olympic champion, although the Czech Republic came very close to causing an upset in the quarterfinals.

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"It was a gift that we were allowed to be there."

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