FINNERTY LAYS IT ON THE LINE
Former Clan coach Ryan Finnerty has caused a stir after claiming the Elite League is better than some of the other ice hockey leagues around Europe.
Finnerty, now head coach of Clan rivals Manchester Storm, believes the British league doesn’t get the respect that it deserves.
The 38-year-old Canadian has been involved in the UK scene for just short of 12 years, having been a player, coach and a general manager.
And he reckons that the improvement of the sport in the country is unparalleled despite coaches and players departing overseas.
“For me in my situation as an outsider looking in, I love that the top teams are moving up a level or two and I know the ownership is so solid that we’re not the Super League,”he said. “
“They are more sustainable organisations that are operating within their means.
“It’s at a point where our league, by far, eclipses Denmark, Norway, France and the DEL2. They’re so far in our rear-view mirrors now.
“Don’t get me wrong, they have some excellent programmes and great organisations within those leagues, but from top to bottom, they don’t come close to what the UK provides.
“If the Elite League was operating in somewhere like Denmark, there would be endless talk about the resurrection of the Danish league. Because we’re outside of that bubble, we don’t get a lot promotion from within the EU.
“I’m not saying it to be disrespectful, but it’s the truth and we operate at a much higher level and the next step is the Austrian League.”
Another former Clan coach Pete Russell decided to depart Braehead for a role in Germany this summer.
However, Finnerty reckons he has moved to a weaker division, adding:“Now, I know there’s people in Europe that may laugh at that, but the truth is, it is what it is.
“We’re better than Denmark and way deeper than Norway, France, the second league in Germany and we’ve got better run organisations.
“If I’d said that three or four years ago, I’d have been tricking myself, but now I’m not. That’s the reality. Look at what we’re doing at the teams, from top to bottom. It’s a well -drilled league.”