Zhulin interview (new) | Golden Skate

Zhulin interview (new)

maureend

Rinkside
Joined
Dec 27, 2005
http://www.sport-express.ru/art.shtml?142177

Zhulin interview by Vaitsekhovskaya

┘Zhulin found time for our conversation at midnight,when he had returned home from the rink ⌠Central. (Maureen: TSKA? Not sure)

Re: TV version of SOI, will he skate in it despite training 3 dance teams?
⌠I haven't planned anything about this yet, because last year I was only working with one team Angelina Kabisheva and Nikita Katsalapov. The partner was in my group when Tanya, Roman and I lived in America. When I came to Russia, they asked me to take Anastasia Grebenkina and Vazgen Azroyan. Also, I got junior silver medalists from Ksenia Rumyantseva √ Natasha Mikhailova and Arkadi Sergeev.

Re: This changes didn't hurt your relationship with Russian colleagues?
⌠No, I know that Nastya and Vazgen were already having issues with their then-coach Aleksei Gorshkov, but these situations happen often in skating. Regardless, we all managed to make normal agreements. Moreover, when Sergeev got a serious leg injury and we realized that he can't skate for a long time, I went to Gorshkov in Odintsovo and Mikhailova began to skate with his athlete Andrei Maxsimishin. I've trained these guys 2 months. Although I felt terrible at first. It's very hard when a pair splits because of injury and you have to as they say ┘ (Maureen:hard to translate) cut someone off.

Q: Are you satisfied with the conditions ┘.
⌠Absolutely. I can't work 12 hours a day as I did in America, at ⌠Central. I can only get 6 hours of ice, which often isn't enough.

Q. I can guess how much you earned in the US and the coaching salary in Russia┘
⌠I can't say that I work here for charity, but of course, I quite feel the difference. Therefore, I don't exclude the possibility of participating in the second SOI on TV. If they invite me, of course. I'll work in the morning with athletes and in the evening practice for the show.

Q. In what role?
⌠I can't answer that question yet. After the first project, I rehabbed for a long time. I really felt that my mind and ambitions remain young, but my body can't manage the demands as it could before. Therefore the main breadwinner in our family is now Tatyana.

Q. Does it bother you?
Not at all. There was a time when it was quite the opposite. Tanya said it was really difficult for her when she realized I was the only in our family making money. Now we've switched roles, but I'm not the Batalov character in the film ⌠Moscow Doesn't Believe in Tears, who announces I'll leave the family if my wife earns more. However, of course, there should be some sort of subordination between men and women in the family. Especially if the man is significantly older.

Q. In Turin you said, there were no plans for long performances by N&K because you were dreaming of a second child.
⌠It's not such a simple question. You understand perfectly well that the guys continue to skate for a particular reason. Time to collect stones, if you will. I don't even mean Tanya, she has me after all, but most of all Roma. Tanya endlessly respects her partner and for his sake is willing to stay on the ice as long as necessary.

Q. I hope N&K plan to be in the next show-project?
Without them, how could it work? Of course'

Q. What are your coaching plans for this season?
⌠Grebenkina and Azroyan have Cup or Russia in Moscow, unfortunately, just that one GP. The other pairs can't compete in those type of competitions yet.

Q. So you're making the reserve for Sochi?
⌠I'd like to think so. I'm enjoying working in any case. I also have a hardworking Japanese girl in my group now, Fumie Suguri. She's here in Moscow again and seems comfortable. She doesn't have such working conditions in Japan.

Q. Was it JFSF's initiative that she come?
No, we work it out privately. She used to come to me in the US and I made her programs. She had worked with Oleg Vasiliev before.

Q. If you weren't training dancers, but Russian singles, would you take a direct contender?
⌠Hard to say. I would probably only work with our own, if we were paid enough to not think about earning money on the side. In Russia it's still considered dishonourable to take money from an athlete, although it's how all coaches workin the west. Because all skaters know well √ even 2 or 3 comments from an experienced specialist can change your fate. If Stephan Lambiel hadn't gotten help from Aleksei Mishin this season, he probably wouldn't have gotten so much better. But I understand Mishin well.

Q. So I take it you seriously believe in Plushenko's return to ISU skating?
Why not? He's not 44. It's possible that now he's tried everything, business, politics, and realized it's too early to leave. Even if he doesn't win as before, what's so bad about that? Why not remain young, fit, attractive? I still try to stay in best shape as I can. Every Sunday, I play soccer. Seriously.

Q. In what way?
In a serious team that you just can't join. With Nikolai Pisarev, Dmitri Popov, Viktor Onopko for the suburb Zhukovka.

Q. So you also live on Rublevka (Maureen: like Beverly Hills √ rich dacha country)?
⌠If that was my goal, I probably could. But I'm not ready to spend 4 hours a day in traffic jams just to hear birds sing before I go to sleep. I had enough of that in America for my whole life. That's why it's much more interesting for Tatyana and I to live in the center now. We like the crazy rhythm of life, we like that there is a lot of work.

Q. In America you worked for a long time with Evgeny Platov. Have you tried to convince him to come to Moscow too?
I think it's not going to happen. After I left, Zhenya got practically all the ice in Montclair, so his working conditions are just wonderful. I know Platov is very comfortable there.

Q. Re:Wasn't it hard to go from Olympic pedestal to beginning stages?
⌠There was a bit of a psychological letdown. I wasn't bored, I just managed to forget how much work goes into making a result happen. There was a long time when nothing was coming together for Navka-Kostomarov too. The main factor was that I really love coaching. When I'm at the rink, I can even forget to eat. None of the parents brings me a bowl of soup to the boards. But I'm ready to work even more. If I didn't get so much enjoyment from this, I would have changed professions a long time ago and done something else.
 
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Joined
Jun 21, 2003
Thanks for the great translation, Maureen.

"Time to gather stones together." :yes:

Is this the first time Zhulin has worked with Fumie Suguri? Is he her main coach for the coming season?
 

oleada

Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 27, 2007
Thank you for the translation!:rock:

Mathman, Zhulin choreographed for Suguri this past season, not sure if it was LP or SP.
 

Zanzibar

Final Flight
Joined
Oct 22, 2003
I have always had a lot of respect - and a tinge of lust - for Zhulin. Once again this interview reinforces that. Thanks for posting!
 

Zanzibar

Final Flight
Joined
Oct 22, 2003
Wasn't it Zhulin who coached Abt into disaster?

Joe


I don't know if I'd say that...Zhulin once told me, referring specifically to Abt: "As a coach, you can't want the victory more for your student than they want it for themselves..."
 
Joined
Jul 11, 2003
I don't know if I'd say that...Zhulin once told me, referring specifically to Abt: "As a coach, you can't want the victory more for your student than they want it for themselves..."
So, do I have to believe that? Of course he's going to make excuses. Rafael, when questioned about Abt said something to the effect, he was foolish to go East. So whom do you want to believe?

For me, Abt's greatest skate was in that Euros and his coach was Rafael.

Joe
 

Zanzibar

Final Flight
Joined
Oct 22, 2003
You could say that, but he was already mulling over leaving for Zhulin at that time I believe.
 

Hsuhs

Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 8, 2006
I don't think Zhulin is a great coach either. He's an interesting guy, a womanizer, he gives great interviews, but his potential doesn't go any further than Carmen.
 

Zanzibar

Final Flight
Joined
Oct 22, 2003
He's a damn good choreographer.

Abt's 2002/2003 "Russian Sailor Dance" (Yablochka) was FANTASTIC...a thing of beauty.

By the time Sasha left Rafael for Zhulin, he was already 25 years old and 26 when the Grand Prix season - and their first event together - began. By age 26, you don't so much need a coach per se, you already know how to do it. What you need is good health, good stamina, discipline, motivation, and dedication.
 

hockeyfan228

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
I think from what I've seen of downloads of clips from recent Russian shows that the demands of show skating are more suitable to Abt's stamina, discipline, motivation, and dedication, while highlighting his charisma and showmanship.
 

Zanzibar

Final Flight
Joined
Oct 22, 2003
Well said. You cannot argue with his charisma. I once had an interesting conversation with him on who "had" it in the skating world, and who did not, so it's definitely a meaningul concept to Sasha.
 
Joined
Jun 21, 2003
Well said. You cannot argue with his charisma. I once had an interesting conversation with him on who "had" it in the skating world, and who did not...
Don't stop there!!!! Who did Sasha think had it and who didn't? Enquiring minds want to know! :laugh:
 
Joined
Jul 11, 2003
Can anyone name a star pupil of Zhulin in Singles? He coaches Dance and did not do all that much for Naomi and Peter.

Joe
 

Zanzibar

Final Flight
Joined
Oct 22, 2003
Can anyone name a star pupil of Zhulin in Singles? He coaches Dance and did not do all that much for Naomi and Peter.

Joe

Yes, but you could have said the same thing about Tarasova before Kulik came to her. I think Zhulin is best for the EXTREMELY motivated skater. He will not coddle people, he is intense, and he expects complete dedication to the cause.
He is by trade an ice dancer and more of an ice dance coach than any other discipline, but so was Morozov and he does well with singles...I think Zhulin could also, given the right students. When I say "right", I mean highly motivated with a solid residual of natural talent. Morozov has had the opportunity to work with those who are already established at that level...Arakawa, Cohen, Kwan, Joubert, Ando, etc.
 

maureend

Rinkside
Joined
Dec 27, 2005
Zanzibar,

I'd still like to hear who Zhulin thinks has "it". I'm not asking for who he thinks doesn't...!

Share!
 

NansXOXOX

Final Flight
Joined
Jul 27, 2003
Can anyone name a star pupil of Zhulin in Singles? He coaches Dance and did not do all that much for Naomi and Peter.

Joe

The question might be, was he motivated to "do all that much" for Peter and Naomi? Don't forget, when they were with him, his primary focus was his wife and her partner and Olympic Gold.

I can't speak to his skill coaching men's singles skaters, but he has choreographed some amazing programs for Yagudin.
 

Zanzibar

Final Flight
Joined
Oct 22, 2003
Zanzibar,

I'd still like to hear who Zhulin thinks has "it". I'm not asking for who he thinks doesn't...!

Share!

Hi Maureen,

No, lol, it was Sasha ABT who was ticking off who had charisma, and who didn't..and I noticed that whether or not they were a friend of his or not, Olympic champion or not, etc., he had definite thoughts on who had "it". He basically said that "charisma" was one of the greatest gifts any person could have...because you had it, or you didn't...not something easily cultivated.
Since that passage is going into my book (having a hard time finishing it...) can't spoil it by revealing everything, but surprisingly...he did say..Alexei Yagudin.
 
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