Takahashi splits with Morozov

[inskate]

I think that's a bit too harsh and not very logical! If this was the case, no one would want to work with Morozov, because they would be afraid that he will chuck them as soon as they win something! Plus now it is a really bad timing to stop work with Dai... He is on the rise, and I think Morozov would just love to add coaching an Olympic champion to his resume. Nobu is a great skater, but he's always been emotionally fragile, so if Nikolai cared just for results, I don't think he would made such a risky choice!

On the other hand, he still continues working with Miki, even though after Worlds 2007 her condition has been getting worse and worse... But he still plans to work with her until Olympics.

I remember a response he gave this season when he was asked about Takahashi, Ando and Rippon, and he said "They are successful because they work with ME" - taking all of the credit for himself. It just struck me at the time as very telling.

I think you are reading a bit too much into it. Firstly, speaking openly about one's accomplishments is a cultural norm in Russia (and Belarus, Poland, etc.) and isn't seen as bragging. Compared to Mishin I actually find Nikolai's words pretty tamed.
Secondly, it's not like he doesn't see and appreciate the skaters' talents and hard work. He also talks about them in interviews... He really praised Miki, Daisuke and, recently, Nobu a lot.
And thirdly, it's not like he said anything untrue. All the skaters he worked with recently - Shizuka, Dai, Miki, Adam - have improved very rapidly and earned a lot of medals. I think he might be the most successful coach recently... He must be doing something right, so I don't see why he shouldn't take credit for it.

I agree that the current situation is uncomfortable, but we don't know all the details. There might be some other factors in the play that we know nothing about...

I think it would be good for Dai to work with someone who doesn't choreograph a lot of programs each season and who doesn't have as much experience - more room for his own input that way

I agree. I think that even great choreographers often run out of ideas because they create so many programs... Some new blood in this profession would be nice.

 

[Hsuhs]

Can someone tell me which students of Morozov really made it big (by medaling).

Arakawa, Ando.

 

[inskate]

Can someone tell me which students of Morozov really made it big (by medaling). The only one and he wasn't really a student of Morozov is Alexei.

Shizuka Arakawa - 9th at Words before Olympics 2006, didn't make GPF, after switching to Morozov she won 1st gold medal for Japan at Olympics
Miki Ando - disastrous showing at Olympics, struggling with injury, after switching she won Worlds
Daisuke Takahashi - known for being extremely inconsistent, after switching became very consistent, won first silver for Japan at Worlds and beat the World record for highest score, favourite at this WOrlds, but had boot problems and foot injury
Adam Rippon - no 3A or quad in his programs and yet he won Junior Worlds and generally had a great season

Here's an article about him:
http://web.icenetwork.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20071025&content_id=35314&vkey=ice_news

About Japanese skaters:

"They are very hard workers and dedicated at what they do. They have strong discipline, which is important in any sport," says Morozov.

 

[libby]

I think you are reading a bit too much into it. Firstly, speaking openly about one's accomplishments is a cultural norm in Russia (and Belarus, Poland, etc.) and isn't seen as bragging

Ummm, Inskate, I am Polish, and have spent years of my life living in both Poland and in Moscow. With all due respect, you don't really have the first idea what you are talking about when it comes to Eastern European culture. Please don't base your opinions about entire cultures on the personalities of a few people you have seen on television and cite it as fact. Russians, Poles, Belarussians, Czechs, etc. come in as many different personalities - brazen, shy, humble, egotistical - as you can imagine. There is no cultural "norm" for personality, any more than there is in the United States. That is an ethnocentric view. Some Russians will brag openly about their accomplishments, and some will be very shy and humble, just like Americans. It all depends on their individual personalities, not where they were born. But just so you know, it most certainly is "seen as bragging" by other Eastern Europeans.

 

[Hsuhs]

The said quote comes from this article on http://www.ifsmagazine.com/archive/2008/MARCH/INDEX.PHP

"When asked why he thinks Japanese skaters have risen so steadily in recent years, Morozov was surprisingly candid. “They have been working with me.

It does sound arrogant to me. Arrogance isn't always a bad thing, though. It can be surprisingly candid, too.

 

[inskate]

Ummm, Inskate, I am Polish, and have spent years of my life living in both Poland and in Moscow. With all due respect, you don't really have the first idea what you are talking about when it comes to Eastern European culture.

With all respect, I do know what I'm talking about. Ja też jestem Polką, moja najlepsza przyjaciółka jest Białorusinką studiującą w Polsce, fragment ostatnich wakacji zaś spędziłam w Rosji.

Of course, there is no statement that would be true to ALL the people from a given country. Perhaps not all Japanese are polite and hardworking, and not all Americans love hamburgers (Irina's quote ), etc. But there are some things that are seen as norm in a given country. I base my opinion both on my own experience, as well as on the opinion of people from other countries. And also on what I hear from our own coaches and athletes...
My family lives close to a Tsubaki-Hoover factory where some Japanese people came to work and it's actually one of my uncle's co-workers that made me pay attention to this fact (that people very openly speak that they are good or the best at some things... He found it refreshing.)

ETA: Actually, from the link that hsuhs provided:

“I worked with them,” concluded Morozov with a laugh. “That is why they had good results.”

I wouldn't be surprised if he was simply joking. That was my first impression. I know from the other interviews that he thinks highly of the skaters he trains, so it wouldn't even came to my mind to read thi quote as trying to put his pupils' successess to himself only.

 

[vlaurend]

My only concern is that Dai's footwork levels might suffer next season if his step sequences aren't choreographed by Morozov. The rules change each year, and even though it looks like the changes for level 3 and 4 step sequences won't be significant for the 2009 season, they are still by far the most challenging part of program choreography under IJS. Morozov seems to be one of the few choreographers who have it figured out and consistently gets his skaters level 3's and 4's.

 

[Dee4707]

Arakawa, Ando.

Hsuhs, you're absolutely right....duh, I forgot about Arakawa.

Dee

 

[Buttercup]

Morozov seems to be one of the few choreographers who have it figured out and consistently gets his skaters level 3's and 4's.

As far as I can recall (and based on a brief look at select protocols from the past season), most of the top guys are fairly consistent with the step sequence levels - e.g. Lambiel, Joubert, Verner, Buttle, Lysacek etc (barring injuries and illness). The skaters and the coaches seem to be adjusting to the requirements. I don't think working with Morozov would offer that big an advantage - Takahashi has the skills to do well with other coaches/choreographers.

 

[Wrlmy]

I hope Daisuke's "decision" wasn't induced by someone else. I just cannot Morozov. Why Oda? Or, why anyone? He already coaches three world-class skaters, and that's not enough? Especially when Oda is one of Daisuke's biggest rivals? It doesn't matter they are good friends or not. It's just absurd IMO.

On positive side, Daisuke can work with other choreagraphers who know COP well enough and choreagraph interesting programs. And better costume of course.

 

[vlaurend]

As far as I can recall (and based on a brief look at select protocols from the past season), most of the top guys are fairly consistent with the step sequence levels - e.g. Lambiel, Joubert, Verner, Buttle, Lysacek etc (barring injuries and illness). The skaters and the coaches seem to be adjusting to the requirements. I don't think working with Morozov would offer that big an advantage - Takahashi has the skills to do well with other coaches/choreographers.

True, if he (or his handler) is smart, he can look at other choreographers' track records with the step sequences and work with someone who has successfully choreographed them for other top skaters. I agree that Dai is capable of doing anyone's choreography.

 

[inskate]

I just read the entire article provided by Hsuhs, and I think that it shows Nikolai in a very good light.

“Meeting Nikolai changed my style,” Takahashi said. “He is very dedicated to work and to [thinking] about skaters.”

Morozov echoed Takahashi’s sentiment while pointing out that his young protégé is also willing to push himself. “It is a combination of our work together,” Morozov said, “because I am usually working with him very hard and he is working very hard. He is an amazing worker and I think it is a combination of those things.”

His coach thinks that is an attainable goal. “Of course I want to get him to an Olympic medal,” Morozov said. “My other goal for him is that I want him to [be part of] history like other singles skaters, like Evgeni Plushenko, Alexei Yagudin, Brian Orser, Kurt Browning and Scott Hamilton.

That's only a few quotes, I don't want to put the entire article here... But there are a lot of other nice quotes. I think it definitely shows that Nikolai appreciates his skaters and does his best to help them improve. It also doesn't look to me as if he cared only about coaching a skater to gold and then dropping them...


A new article!
http://www.artonice.it/?q=it/node/5566
It tells that Daisuke has known that Nikolai was planning to work with Nobu since Worlds, and needed time to decide whether to keep working with morozov or change coaches. I hope this version is true, it makes the most sense.

Re: vlaurend - I think (and hope) that Dai will have no troubles getting high levels. Maybe Dai could work with Tarasova again... Since she already has been registered as an official coach for Japan.

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

IMO, for what it is worth, Dai was already in top condition before Morozov. I don't know if Morozov did the choreo for SL, but it worked. I believe his background is Skate Dance. Tarassova (he is a disciple of her) used him to choreo the footwork for Yagudin which was the crowing moments of that gold medalist.

I don't think he needs Morozov, but he should insist on a good choreo from anywhere. His tech is tops. If trouble spots occur during a season he just really needs one who can fix those up. I'm sure there are some good coaches in Japan.

Joe

 

[blue dog]

I think we need to start giving credit more to the coaches who taught these skaters when they weren't good. It's really sad that the bigger name coaches who end up with them when all they need to do is be polished off is who gets the credit. Shizuka won the Olympic gold while working with Morozov, yes, but she learned her jumps under other Japanese coaches whom people rarely talk about. She gained consistency under Callaghan, and polished her artistry under Tarasova.

 

[terpskate4ever]

I think we need to start giving credit more to the coaches who taught these skaters when they weren't good. It's really sad that the bigger name coaches who end up with them when all they need to do is be polished off is who gets the credit. Shizuka won the Olympic gold while working with Morozov, yes, but she learned her jumps under other Japanese coaches whom people rarely talk about. She gained consistency under Callaghan, and polished her artistry under Tarasova.

Utako Nagamitsu should get more credit then. She was with Daisuke since he was in eighth grade and she is still loyal to him now.

 

[inskate]

I don't think anyone denies those coaches the influence they had over their pupils!

I certainly read a lot about what Callaghan did for Shizuka! A lot of people suggested that he should work with Kimmie and were happy when she switched to him. Tarasova's influence is also not forgotten, whenever I see her mentioned she is spoken very highly of.

Utako Nagamitsu is known as Daisuke's "second mum", and even Morozov acknowledged her. She still works with Dai.

Yuko Monna did a lot for Miki. She also helped her regain her jumps after the Olympics. She is also doing well coaching new Japanese skaters, who recently did quite well in Aichiken Championships.

Regardless of what Nobu will accomplish under Morozov's guidance, it is Noriko that gave him good basics, Lee Barkell that fixed his technique and gave him a gorgeous 3A, and Wilson that discovered his showmanship.

All of those coaches certainly deserve the credit for their skaters' future successes. If the skaters hadn't had great basics, no coach in the World would have been able to coach them to gold in just few months.

 

[Hsuhs]

and even Morozov acknowledged her.

He did that? Wow

 

[volk]

That's sucks!

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

Dai has an arsenal of Tech elements. All he needs is a winning choreographer.
over and out.

Joe

 

[cassieandcheetah]

nm