Krikunov leaves Belarus

Coach signs with Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk

Published 19.11.2014 18:31 GMT+1 | Author Martin Merk

Vladimir Krikunov with the Kazakh national team in 2013. His comeback at the international stage with Belarus lasted only three games before he decided to return to Nizhnekamsk. Photo: Laszlo Mudra

After a start with three losses Vladimir Krikunov left the Belarusian national team and returned to KHL club Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk.

Krikunov was presented as Glen Hanlon’s successor for the Belarusian national team in September and coached Belarus at the recent Euro Ice Hockey Challenge tournament in Ljubljana where it lost its three games to Austria, host Slovenia and Japan.

Now the 64-year-old left to continue his on-off relationship with Russian club Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk where he was coaching from 2001 to 2004, from 2008 to 2011 and last season before he was released from his duties as a coach but became vice-president of the club.

Now he launched a fourth term as a coach with the club from Tatarstan and it was mutually agreed to terminate his contract with the Belarusian Ice Hockey Association.

A successor for the Belarusian national team has not been named yet.

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