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Alexanders Semjonovs
Latvian Alexanders Semjonov is Malmös latest addition. He has been in Sweden for six years so he understands much Swedish, but we will have this interview in English.
His playing style is both offensive and defensive or as he says himself "my roll is decided by the coach, I will play as he wants me to do"
How does a traditional Latvian Christmas happen?
"Christmas celebrations are not as big in Latvia as they are in Sweden. It was the first time recently that we celebrated Christmas with Santa and so on. The big celebration instead is for New Year. There we have big parties with lots of guests. There is lots of food, fireworks and so on."
But you and your family will celebrate Christmas in Sweden?
"Yes we will. We have two boys who are eleven and five, so we have Christmas presents and food. Our oldest is in school in Arboga so he has learned many Swedish traditions through school. We have lived in Sweden for six or seven years so now it is natural to celebrate a Swedish Christmas."
Latvias National hero
Alexanders is very popular in his homeland. He has e.g. his own website. He is one of the Latvian national team?s most important players and in the Olympic qualifiers he played a decisive role. In the final match against Belarus his team were losing 4-2 with 5 minutes left on the clock
"There were actually many of our own supporters who had left with five minutes left and we were losing 4-2. But happily we won the game 5-4 and I scored the wining goal. It was a fantastic experience, my careers high point, at least so far."
Are you a match winner type?
"Yeah, that is everyone who is involved in sports. We like to win and hate to lose. I am just as happy when we win and sour when we lose. When we lose a match I always analyse things and see what went wrong. My wife often says that I am very unsocial when we lose, I can sit for long periods in silence only thinking of the match"
Next is the Olympics in February. How do you see the preparations going?
"When we had a break due to the Rosno cup we played in the Lotto Cup in Slovakia against Slovakia, Switzerland and Canada Going by results a lone it went so so. But our coach sent a very young team so he could see who to bring to the Olympics. In the Olympics we will be using the NHL rules and so they decided to do the same for the Lotto Cup, and it was completely different, especially in defence. We spent nearly the whole game playing either box play or power play. There were different qualities of referees there; we could hardly touch our opponents without being sent out. I think that these rules will suit the cross Atlantic teams who play with these rules all season, once we get to the Olympics"
How big is hockey as a sport in Latvia?
"Pretty big and it is constantly changing. When we were at the World Championships in Austria we had around 9000 fans in the stands following us for the whole tournament, I think that was really good. It is hockey that is biggest along with basketball and football."
Leaving Arboga
There were a total of 20 matches for Arboga this season before he left the club. During his time here Semjonov got 18 (9+9) points. A result which is impressive when you consider Arbogas place in the table.
There was much talk that your only goal this season was qualifying for the Olympics and that was the only reason you left Arboga to join Malmö, to have as many good matches as possible. Is this so?
"Of course I want to be in good form for the Olympics, but it was far from the only reason as to why I came here. I am "only" 33 years old and will continue to develop as a player, I want to be a better hockey player, and I know that I would not have had the same possibilities if I had stayed with Arboga. As I see it Malmö have a clear Elitserien level. I will play in the Elitserien and so Malmö was a good choice. As a player I want to play in a good team, and now I am doing that."
Was it difficult coming to a new team in the middle of a season?
"It always takes a little time when you come to a new club and learn the team's traditions, the organisation and the playing system, but it has gone well. If one stays and plays in the one place too long it can stop your development and I will not do that. Now that I am here I will learn something new and that includes learning to play in a new system and what the trainer wants me to do"
Semjonov forms a line with Juha Riihijarvi and Kim Staal
How did you find your debut against Nybro ?
"So So, I can do better. I didn't have so many mistakes and defensively I think I did OK, but for the most part I want to be better offensively, but that will come."
The line with Juha and Kim. How is it going?
"Perfect. They are two talented players, so I think that it is going to work well. Give us a little time to begin with."
Osten describes you as a cohesive link in the chain. Is that a description that fits you think?
"Hm, I am that maybe," answers Alexanders after thinking about it for a bit..
You have chosen number 52 on your back. Why that choice?
"In my other clubs I have always played number 25 and for Latvia I had 27. In Malmö I know for sure that number 25 is a famous number, so I chose instead to just change the numbers around, it works just as good as me" (Kaj Olsson played number 25)
If you had not have played hockey what do you think you would have done?
"Oh, good question, I really have no idea. I have played hockey since I was 9 years old. It has always been in my life and I know nothing else. Both of my sons play hockey so it will always be part of my life. I can just hope that I will remain active and involved when I stop playing, as a coach maybe"
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