Viktor Vasilyevich Tikhonov - hockey player and coach. As a mentor of the national team, he won the Olympic gold medal three times . Coaching Moscow CSKA, led the team to the championship twelve times.
Biography of Viktor Tikhonov
Viktor Vasilievich was born in Moscow on June 4, 1930. The father of the family was killed during the Second World War in 1942. Victor and his brother were raised by their mother alone.
He received his first hockey skills in simple city venues. In addition, he was fond of football. Viktor Tikhonov began to work at the age of twelve. He served as a locksmith in a bus garage. A year later, he continued his studies at school. In 1948, Tikhonov was drafted into the army, where he began his first appearances.
Youth and career start
A professional career began precisely during his service in the ranks of the USSR army. The first team in which the young hockey player began to play was the MVO Air Force. Tikhonov managed to try himself in almost all positions, but chose protection. Viktor Vasilievich was in the team for four years, having won three champion titles.
In 1953, Tikhonov joined the team of the metropolitan Dynamo. With the Moscow team, the defender won the championship, and also won several bronze and silver medals. He completed his career in 1963. 296 - the number of games played by Viktor Tikhonov in the national championships. He scored thirty-five times, which is an excellent indicator for the defender.
In 1950 he was awarded the title of master of sports.
Career coach
After completing his hockey career, Viktor Vasilievich remained at home and began to fulfill the duties of a mentor in the Air Force MBO. The next step in the coach’s career was Dynamo Moscow, where he became an assistant to the main mentor.
Directly the head coach Viktor Tikhonov took only in the Riga team. He began to train the local “Dynamo”. At the time of appointment, the club was in the second league of the championship. For a couple of seasons, Viktor Vasilievich was able to lead the Riga team into the first league, and soon win the fourth position in the championship. This result is considered one of the best in the history of the team.
CSKA and the USSR team
After successful performances of Riga Dynamo, Viktor Tikhonov became an object of interest for many clubs. In 1977, information arose about the appointment of the main mentor in the capital CSKA. In parallel, there was interest from the USSR national team. The result was a place for a mentor in the team and in the capital's club.
In place of the CSKA coach, Tikhonov managed to achieve amazing results. He has won 14 victories in the national championship and, in addition, two USSR Cups. The European champions trophy submitted to the capital team under his leadership fourteen times. It is worth saying that this title was considered the most popular in those years.
Where Viktor Tikhonov plays, probably every fan in the USSR knew. Whom Tikhonov coached, many also know. Most hockey players, acting under the guidance of Viktor Vasilyevich, subsequently became stars on a global scale. Fetisov, Bure, Larionov - these are just a small part of the players who were brought up by the coach.
No less grandiose successes were on the post of the national team of the Soviet Union. Speaking under the leadership of Tikhonov, the team was able to win many titles and achievements.
Russian team
After the collapse of the USSR, Viktor Vasilievich stood at the helm of the Russian national team, but for a long time he was unable to lead and resigned in 1994.
Subsequently, he coached only the club CSKA.
The return to the place of the main coach of the team occurred in 2003. The team could not start winning victories in tournaments, having replaced a number of specialists, the management invited Tikhonov, who was then seventy-three years old. Having performed unsuccessfully at the World Cup, Viktor Vasilievich left the place of the national team's mentor and thus ended the career of a coach.
In the course of his coaching, he managed to earn many State prizes and awards.
A family
Tikhonov Victor is a hockey player and mentor, whose name goes inseparably with many achievements of Soviet sports. In addition, he is a devoted husband and father.
Viktor Tikhonov married in 1953. In marriage, his only son, Vasily, appeared. He, like his father, devoted his life to hockey. Coached the national team of Finland and the “Vanguard”. Vasily died in 2013 as a result of an accident. In addition, Viktor Tikhonov has a grandson, Victor (also plays hockey, plays Arizona Coyotes) and granddaughter Tatyana.
After the death of his son, the famous coach was depressed for a long time. November 24, 2014 Tikhonov died as a result of cardiac arrest. Before that, he was sick for a long time. He was buried at the Vagankovsky cemetery next to his son. Hockey matches that took place in those days began with a moment of silence. CSKA performed with mourning ribbons.
Tikhonov Victor is a hockey player and coach who personifies many of the achievements of the USSR national team and Moscow CSKA. Many fans of this sport consider him one of the best mentors in history.