New Braehead Clan boss John Tripp has revealed he has a big list of players he wants to bring to the club.
Tripp is wasting no time as he lays the foundations for his 2017/18 roster and says he’s excited about the chance to build the team and apply what he’s learned in a career spanning approximately two decades.
“I’ve had a lot of conversations with friends and people I know – I’ve got a big list, but there are still plenty of players out there,” said Tripp.
“Of course, I’ve got an idea of who I want, but whether I can get them or not will be the story at the end. You can’t always get what you want, but if we can then it’s a bonus.
“I’ve started talking to a few goalies and stuff to get a feel of what I can bring to make it work.
“I’m excited for the opportunity. I had the chance to take over a team last year and it was a big challenge with a lot of adversity, but I enjoyed it.
“Braehead wanted someone young with good hockey knowledge and I was looking for another challenge once the two parties got together, we worked it out.
“I had some opportunities in Germany as well, but when this one came up, it was one I wanted to jump on and take advantage of.”
Tripp arrives after 12 years in Germany where he played for a variety of clubs and also the national team. His wealth of experience within the game is vast as he makes the transition from the ice to the bench.
He added: “Coaches that have played the game tend to use what they’ve learned. It’s what we’ve done. There’s no secret to success, it’s all about work hard and details.
“Along with that comes determination and commitment and it’s all part of one big thing. My success was about keeping my eye on the prize and being better than everyone else.
“I’m a hard worker and I’m detailed and that’s what gave me a lot of my success. You can’t forget the things that worked for you and I plan to work that into the team.
“It’s been overwhelming, the messages I’ve had and I see social media is a big part of Braehead Clan, which is a good thing. Ice hockey needs that.
“There’s a very strong culture among the fans and they’ve talked about the Purple Army, which is pretty cool.
“They seem to have a good group of fans and the rink is a top rink, but we want to win. It’s a good situation to go into.”
