More than 18 years have passed since ice first froze here. But Tomasz Jelinek (60), the former captain of the hockey team and the person of Sparta, now has to end his managerial career. The ice rink is melting and he is choking with nostalgia…
More than 18 years have passed since ice first froze here. But Tomasz Jelinek (60), the former captain of the hockey team and the person of Sparta, now has to end his managerial career. The ice rink is melting and he is choking with nostalgia…
“Tomorrow I will dissolve it and it will all be over.” Jelinek shrugs as he talks to Glitter. He left a piece of life in the very heart of Prague, from an experienced winger he became the “ant Ferda”, he took on any job.
Self-taught roller skater
A native of Sparta, winner of three bronze medals at the world championships and the equally valuable metal of the 1992 Olympics in Albertville, once turned to businessman Milan Vopicka: “Don’t you have something for me?” He received the answer at the Na Františku sports complex, which Vopicek’s company Sport-Technik Bohemia has been managing since 2004.
Milan said: you played hockey, so make ice here, learn to skate! I was self taught. Roller skates came here to show me how to handle the levers and ride home.” “Jelene” recalls with a smile the start of her second career. Otherwise, he is sad when he freezes …
Promises, promises
It was only last week that the site manager learned that due to an unannounced tender and high energy costs, Prague 1 had decided to close the ice rink on January 12, although the František skating rink would normally run until March.
“It was a big shock for me” he admits. Hockey legends with 49 starts for Ottawa in the NHL, no one asked anything! “I can assure you that people who sit in the office and do not move around the room have no idea what this is about, what it is connected with, what needs to be fixed …” Jelinek looks angrily at politicians and officials.
He hoped to finish the season on the ice or that the mayor’s office would extend the contract. “I’m sorry it was all false promises and nothing came true and I have to end like this” Jelinek will feel relieved before finally turning off the cooling on Thursday evening.
Source: Blesk