CHANGCHUN, Northeast China, Jan. 27 (Xinhua) -- Y.
Sagymbayev, head coach of Kazakhstan men's ice hockey team, talked lowly despite
a sharp start and high remarks of the opponents here on Saturday at the 6th
Asian Winter Games.
Sagymbayev seldom smiled during the news conference
after his team smashed the United Arab Emirates 38-0, the largest ever score in
the tournament.
"We are on different levels," said Sagymbayev. "This
is just a warm-up and there are big games in the future."
Kazakhstan ranked atop in Asia and 11th in the world
while reigning champion Japan is on the 21st position, followed by China and
South Korea on the 28th and 32nd respectively.
"I don't think that we are on the top of Asia,
because we lost in the last edition of the Asian Winter Games," said Sagymbayev.
Kazakhstan was upset by Japan 7-2 in the final of the
5th edition of the Winter Asiad 2003 in Aomori, Japan.
Sagymbayev refused to compare his team with the one
four years ago, as he "was not coaching the team then", but he admitted that
their goal this time is "to get the first place".
However, he still put Japan, China and South Korea as
their strong opponents while Yury Faikou, coach of the UAE team, did not agree
with him at all.
"The Kazaks have to take the first place, have to,"
said Faikou. "I watched the game between Japan and DPR Korea. I would say Japan
is not a team for the first place. Kazaks are so much better."
Japan struggled past DPR Korea, the fifth of Asia,
6-1 in an earlier game on Saturday.
Kazakhstan and Japan are the only Asian teams that
can make the Group A in the World Championships.
The 6th Asian Winter Games officially opens on Jan.
28.
