Heinz Kutin – “I would like to be the head coach of the team someday”
The move of the second national team coach Heinz Kuttin from the ranks of the Austrian Ski Association to Poland was a great surprise not only for experts.
Cut it out, world-class former ski jumper, with many successes in the international and national arena, he worked for the Austrian team for only one year. Now he is responsible for building the second Polish national team.
Even in late spring, Kuttin was working together with Stefan Horngacher and Hannu Lepistö, and at the beginning of June he signed a contract with the Polish Ski Association.
————————–
Panie Kuttin, after an undoubtedly successful year with the Austrian Ski Association, you have made your decision, which is a big surprise. Which was actually the main reason for taking this step?
“Naturally, this decision did not come so easily, this meant leaving the homeland. Several factors contributed to it.
It was, for example, a fact, that with the Austrian Ski Association I only had a so-called contract for specific work and I was working 150 days in a year. Officially, I was also only responsible for recording the jumps and analyzing them, so for a relatively narrow range. The Austrian squad also includes two Stef Horngacher and Alex Pointner, who (assuming, that everything will go according to plan) hope to take over as head coach, when Hannu Lepistö is gone. These are not the best prospects, if I wanted to be the first coach of the team myself”.
————————–
How the contact with the Polish union came about?
“I knew, that there was a job to be taken in the Polish union. I was looking for a contact and basically I applied for the position myself”.
————————–
The behavior of your ex-colleagues Horngacher and Lepistö towards you is the same, as before leaving? Were there any problems with it?
“In no case, there was nothing like that. Hannu helped me get in touch with the Polish Ski Association”.
————————–
What do your tasks look like?? Where are the differences compared to last year's work in the Austrian national team?
“My job is to introduce the young, Polish players to the world leaders. This is a long-term process, which may take up to 2005 – 2006 year and longer. In addition, I support the entire staff in matters of equipment. With Adam Małysz I work only on this. The main difference is this, that now I have practically a free hand in my work”.
————————–
How were you received in the team by the players??
“I was received without a doubt openly and friendly. so cordially, as you can only wish for. I am very happy with the current situation. I have to earn my trust. It's just a matter of weight control, behind which the jumpers probably won't hate me anymore. But it is necessary” , Kuttin says with a smile.
————————–
What was the level presented by the young players, when did you take over?
“The mass of expectations did not work particularly well. We are now working on improving strength and stamina first”.
————————–
For how long has the contract with the Polish Ski Association been signed??
“The contract expires after three years, then we'll see what's next”.
————————–
You could read it in the Polish press, that you earn much more than the first coach Tajner and you are the second best-paid coach in Poland (the list is opened by the coach of the national football team). Are these votes justified??
“Absolutely false information. This case was brought to the world's attention by one associate of the union, as the reason for my departure. I will not justify myself on this point and will limit myself to this only, to say, those numbers don't add up at all”.
————————–
You live in Poland, does it run between Poland, and Austria?
“I live as before in Austria, but now at the beginning of my work I am mainly staying in Poland. Currently it looks like this, that I'm training in Poland for two weeks, and next week I'm going to Austria. This is especially important, because then I have to sort out all the details of the training and carefully analyze it. Only then can I achieve it, if I'm going to practice that often, as possible”.
————————–
From the achievements of Wojciech Skupień during the Continental Cup competition in Garmisch-Partenkirchen (places 3 i 4) you may be more than pleased. How do you rate these items??
“Naturally, these results make me happy. Wojciech achieved more in two competitions than all competitors in the last series in total. We have to be careful now, so that expectations don't rise too quickly. We have a long and hard road ahead of us. Partial success is very important, but it must not be overestimated”.
————————–
How is it with understanding? Do you speak Polish?
“I have a very good second coach, Łukasz Kruczek, who speaks excellent German. I'm learning, but I can already say and ask about the most important things in Polish. With the answers and analyzes of the jumpers, Łukasz explains to me, because I don't understand all the details yet”.