Sheffield Steelers: Mark Simpson on returning for second season - Interview - video Dailymotion

Yorkshire Post

Sheffield Steelers' Mark Simpson discusses his decision to return for a second season to South Yorkshire and the factors behind his decision

Transcript

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00:06 >> No, not at all.

00:07 It was a no brainer for me.

00:10 Just the way things this season went and obviously winning and

00:14 then just the relationship I have with Foxy and Carter and

00:17 just the group of guys in the room.

00:19 It was a pleasure to come to the rink every day.

00:21 And for me, it was a very easy decision to come back to Sheffield for next season.

00:27 >> Yeah, I mean, part of the adding challenge as well.

00:29 I think for a lot of players, all the players that will be coming back.

00:33 We know some are coming back, we know some are already back, but also new players.

00:37 Champions Hockey League, it's a big sort of pull or a big draw for some players

00:41 who like to play in Europe because you couldn't up against a creamy girl.

00:44 Was that a factor in your decision as well?

00:47 >> Yeah, that was a big factor for me.

00:48 Being able to play in Champions League is such a great opportunity for myself and

00:54 everyone that was a part of the team last year to be able to run it back with

00:58 the same group of guys and just to see where our team stands with other teams,

01:03 with other top teams around Europe.

01:04 We're not gonna have an easy draw by the looks of it, but

01:08 I don't think there was gonna be an easy matchup in this tournament.

01:13 So I think it'll be a great test and I think all of us are really looking forward

01:18 to that opportunity to be able to showcase ourselves to the rest of Europe.

01:21 >> Before you came to Sheffield, obviously you had a season in Europe,

01:26 spent a bit of time in Finland's league and

01:30 then obviously over in the Alps Hockey League as well.

01:33 But I guess this is perhaps gonna take that level of competition in Europe to

01:38 another level, we're talking about some top teams here, aren't we?

01:42 >> Yeah, I mean, you're talking about the best teams in each of those leagues.

01:45 So I think we're gonna fare well, I think just with the group we had last year and

01:51 just by the sounds of it, the group that's coming back,

01:55 I don't think there's any reason why we can't compete with some of these teams.

01:58 Obviously, it's gonna be a battle every night, but we're excited for

02:03 that opportunity and that challenge to be able to prove ourselves in Europe.

02:07 >> You look back at the season just gone, obviously it was a fantastic year,

02:09 won three trophies, the league, playoff and challenge cup titles.

02:15 What was your personal highlight,

02:17 the most pleasing aspect of that first season in the UK?

02:21 >> Yeah, the one for me, the biggest win for me was the league championship.

02:27 I think just as such a grueling season long schedule and

02:31 then every game matters.

02:34 Whereas in Canada and I guess in North American style,

02:38 you have the playoffs that finish off the league championship.

02:41 But I just found in the UK it was so different that you had to bring it every

02:44 night and you couldn't take a night off.

02:46 So I felt that after such a long grueling season to be able to pull that one out,

02:49 especially in front of our fans at home.

02:52 And that was probably the biggest highlight for me last season.

02:55 >> It's gonna be hard to replicate that as Belfast fan,

02:58 obviously last season as well.

02:59 I mean, they were the one with the targets on the back.

03:02 Is that also part of the appeal, that challenge,

03:05 that challenge to try and match what you've already achieved last year?

03:10 I mean, it is gonna be difficult, but it's something that perhaps as a group,

03:13 like I say, with quite a number of players that are returning,

03:17 as we expect, that you will embrace as a group.

03:20 >> Yeah, I think for sure you've already seen it in just the way some teams

03:23 are recruiting a lot of good players coming into this league.

03:27 And it really surprised me last year about how good and

03:30 deep this league actually is too.

03:32 So I think we'll definitely have a target.

03:36 We saw that a bit last year.

03:38 Foxy always reiterated that you're gonna get every team's best every night just

03:44 because of where we're at in the table and how teams are trying to catch us.

03:47 So I think it'll be similar next year, just the way the season went last year,

03:53 how successful it was that teams are gonna be gunning for us.

03:57 And we wouldn't want it any other way.

04:01 I think we're gonna have a competitive team again, and

04:04 it'll make for an exciting season.

04:07 >> Yeah, how tough is that to do that, to maintain that?

04:10 Cuz it was consistent from start to finish, wasn't it?

04:13 It's not an easy thing to achieve, that, is it?

04:15 To maintain that level of performance night after night.

04:18 Yes, there was the odd defeat here and there, but

04:19 there were no back to back defeats.

04:21 You never seem to linger, did it?

04:23 You always seem to be able to, as a group, bounce back very quickly.

04:26 How difficult is it to do that?

04:28 >> Yeah, very difficult.

04:29 I think the biggest key to that would be depth in our group.

04:33 We had four lines and three deep errands that just gave it every night.

04:39 And if some guys weren't going one night,

04:41 then you'd have other guys to pick those guys up.

04:43 And I think that's the key to sustaining that success for the long season.

04:48 So obviously, every team has key guys that can be game breakers.

04:54 But if you have a full team of guys that can play and

05:00 bring it on different nights, then I think that's how you become very successful.

05:03 And that's how you end up winning the league.

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Sheffield Steelers: Mark Simpson on returning for second season - Interview

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