TAMMERFORS. En av Sveriges och Finlands størsta tranarikoner har landat i Tammerfors.
Two nations he led to the historic World Cup gold, but have now been eliminated.
– Yes, it was not the best timing in the world. But I wish it was Latvia, where I was also captain of the national team, says Corey Lindström, 82.
Curry remains the only Confederation captain to take two different nations to a World Cup Gold.
Sweden got its first World Cup gold in 25 years in Vienna in 1987 and then Finland got the nation’s first historic gold in the 1995 World Cup. Moreover, in the World Cup final directly against Sweden in the globe.
Two difficult stops.
And even if success at Tre Kronor goes unfairly to others, it is an eternal symbol in Finland.
Leader.
That’s why he’s received two invitations to this year’s World Cup, but he chose the latter as longtime Finnish hockey team president Kalervo Komula will celebrate his election to the Hockey Hall of Fame on Sunday.
Curre has now arrived in Tampere with none of his old championship gold squad left.
– Yes, I expected at least one team to survive. But it is what it is, even if I can agree with Jonas Bergqvist in his criticism of Trey Kronor. Where is the passion?
– It was with Latvia.
“Only the body that can’t take it anymore”
Curre’s legs no longer carry many meters, and he has to take a break every twenty meters during our short walk through downtown WC.
Oxygen does not want to be enough.
And each time he repeated between inhalations:
– Now do not write that I feel sorry for myself. I’ve had a great life and I’m still going strong. I have so many wonderful memories. It’s just the body that can’t take it anymore.
In addition, he had forgotten one of his crutches in the car at his home in Sweden.
This makes walking through the center of Tampere very strenuous.
It’s easier with two, but it works, he says.
Polyneuropathy slowly wears away the muscles in the ankles, feet, and hands, and there is no antidote.
– No, of course it is difficult at times, but compared to other diseases in the same family, it proceeds slowly and there are anti-inflammatory drugs. I manage, even if I run out of energy quickly. But I miss my daily jog and time on the golf course. He says it’s a date now.
And while he is catching his breath, one of the many Finns comes up and says:
– Thank you, Corey. Thanks for the gold.
Here, he hasn’t forgotten anyone who was there when he led Finland to their first World Cup gold in 1995.
This is after taking Olympic bronze in Lillehammer 1994 and WC silver in Italy later that spring.
A three-stage rocket is equally historic.
– Yes, in Lillehammer we had the judges against us in the semi-final against Canada and lost only one period in the entire Olympics. If it hadn’t happened, there wouldn’t have been a Seal at all, he says, referring to Foppa’s classic kick in the final against Canada.
– But today it is noticeable that almost thirty years have passed since that time. The younger generation does not have the same memories. To them, I’m just an old man among all.
Based in Latvia from 2001-2004
But Currie remains one of his old national teams in the tournament.
After the successes of Sweden and Finland, he surprisingly became the captain of the Latvian national team in 2001-2004.
A whole new world.
– I think they had 1,600 senior players registered when I got there, which is a pittance compared to Sweden and Finland.
– There was no money and when we had to go to international matches in Kiev against Belarus, it was a 120-mile bus trip, with each player receiving a seat bag with a sandwich, an apple and a bottle of water.
– Later I was able to beg to buy a set of national team uniforms, white shirts and ties through a company in Borås. This was the first time the team wore the official uniform.
– There were no spoiled boys and I am happy with this success. I hope they go far, but it’s hard to see them beat Canada.
He can still see the disk.
Curre will follow the World Cup Final this weekend from the stands at the Nokia Arena.
albeit with some difficulty.
At the same time as his second illness, he experienced double vision of 25 percent in the left eye and 50 percent in the right eye.
– But I can still see the puck on the ice, he says.
And he withdraws with both his watchful eyes forever.
