Koulikov very nearly ruined the Slough Jets, says head coach Craig Moran

Slough Jets head coach Craig Moran has said that former number one Slava Koulikov very nearly ruined the club he loves in a matter of weeks.

Moran, speaking after the Jets’ ‘massive’ 6-2 win over Koulikov’s new club Peterborough Phantoms, said that the manner of Koulikov’s departure from Slough, which also saw him poach some of the team’s best players, left a sour taste in the mouth.

The Jets couldn’t take the momentum of Saturday’s win at the Hangar into Sunday’s game at Bracknell Bees, which they lost 7-3. But Moran still hopes the ninth-placed club can qualify for this season’s play-off championships.

“When he took players with him and it almost destroyed the club in my eyes, and I didn’t like it,” said Moran.

 “I’ll talk to Slava but that’s about as far as it goes. I’ve been at this club since I was 12 years old and to see it almost ruined by one person in a matter of weeks.”

The game between the two clubs at the weekend was billed on Jets’ TV as a ‘grudge match’ but Moran insists his young side have no rivalries in the EPL.

“For us there are no grudge matches,” he said.

“People didn’t think that we’d win it because they took some of our best players, but we’re starting to gel and dominated them for three periods.”

Moran added that fifth or sixth place in the table is not beyond his inexperienced, but talented side, despite Sunday’s defeat at the Bees, which dropped the club back down to ninth in the league. 

“We wanted to take the momentum from Saturday into Sunday’s game, but they jumped on us early and we made a bad start. Mindy Kieras was given a match penalty which didn’t help, but we still managed to get the game back to  3-3,” said Moran.

“I’m still hopeful we can make the play-offs, but even if we don’t I’m just happy we still have a team on the ice at Slough and that I’m bringing through young British talent.”

The Jets host eighth-placed Bracknell Bees today (Saturday) and visit the Swindon Wildcats tomorrow (Sunday).