Kravets tells Barys fans to ignore petition against players

Barys head coach Mikhail Kravets has told supporters to pay no attention to a petition calling for some players to be dropped, after the 3-5 home defeat by SKA.

Fans discussed the petition after the previous game. Most of the criticism has fallen on Samat Daniyar and Kirill Savitsky. Asked about it, Kravets said: "I generally think that those who watch hockey on television and make such conclusions and statements should go and work as coaches, go into a school and bring on other players. They do not know what goes on in the dressing room, in training, what goes on inside a person. Yet they can analyse the game and say who should play with whom."

"Nobody should pay attention to these petitions," he said. "You have to back your own. If you want other players, grow them first. These lads are here now, and you have to work with them and support them."

He also dealt with a question about the lines. It was put to him that Omirbekov appeared to skate more often with Logvin and Simonov in the second period. Kravets said no lines had been broken up. "Watch the game more closely, friends," he said. Lyapunov began as the 13th forward, and once Sarkenov was given five minutes, Lyapunov came on and played in his own line. Kravets allowed that on line changes someone may have found himself on the ice with different partners, but said the combinations stayed the same.

On Asetov, whom the fans miss, Kravets said those who are better prepared play. "If Asetov stands out and meets the requirements the team needs, he will play," he said. As for the supporters, he suggested they invite Asetov round and ask him why he is not in the side.

This may mean that Daniyar and Savitsky keep their places in the line-up despite the petition, and that Asetov stays out until Kravets sees the preparation he is asking for.