Interview with Steve Thornton

It was difficult for me not to be a 'fan-girl' and completely embarrass myself talking to the legendary Steve Thornton over the phone, but I had to do his reign as the most successful coach of the Belfast Giants justice. He was quite cut up about relinquishing the title of coach to Doug Christiansen but as you shall read he was gracious about his time in Belfast and the fact that he is leaving hockey as a profession doesn't necessarily mean that he won't be keeping a close eye on the team that he was instrumental in making great. After playing a bit of phone tag, we finally got a little while to work through some questions I wanted his insight on...

SM: So Steve how does it feel to be the coach of a Championship winning team?

ST: Well it feels great, I am so fortunate to have been a part of this organisation and team over the past two years as coach and winning trophies is why you play. There were a few guys that were thinking about retiring and I hadn't decided whether or not I was going to be playing for another year so it was important that the team's hard work paid off. I have been playing hockey since college for the past 15 or 16 years and the times that stick out and that you remember are winning trophies, and fortunately enough that will be a lasting memory for me.

SM: So was it a foregone conclusion that you were going to leave whether we won the play offs or not?

ST: To be honest I have been thinking about leaving for a few years now, I mean I could barely hold a stick this season, the injuries were really wearing me down but I had to play this season, it was tough thinking about letting a 7 import side go up against Coventry Blaze. I love coaching and I love the guys but I've also got three kids to think about so I feel that this is the right time for me to move on.

SM: So you're moving on, what will you be doing with yourself?

ST: Well, I'm in Belfast until my daughter finishes school and then I'll be moving back to Ottawa in September for my new job, I have offered my services to the Giants organisation to help Dougie's transition to be as smooth as possible.

SM: What do you think of Doug Christiansen and his appointment as your replacement?

ST: I get on really well with Dougie and he is a knowledgeable guy, during last season we would speak on a weekly basis and I know how he can put together a great team and he puts in the hours, he's a dedicated guy and the best guy for the position.

SM: If you were able to give Doug any advice about coaching one of the 'big four' teams, what would you tell him?

ST: I would give him the same advice that I was given going into coaching, that is to treat the players the way you would like to be treated yourself, I took all of the best traits of my coaches in the past and adopted them. I also made sure that I had a great working relationship with the guys, they were working with me rather than for me. I also had to realise that as much as I want to I can't please all of the people all of the time! Everyone wants to be on a top line, everyone wants to be on a penalty kill and everyone wants the maximum amount of ice time, but it's what's best for the team that has to concern me.

SM: You proved in the 2008-09 season that you can put together an amazing side winning two titles, the 2009-10 side were more skilled, but who in your opinion really stood out?

ST: The player that it was most satisfying to watch succeed was Stephen Murphy. Like my signing of David Phillips last year a lot of people were calling for my head, he was a high pressure signing, but it turned out that we had the best goal tender in the league, coming out on top and winning awards, so it was satisfying and he stood out.

SM: As you have become such a major part of the Giants organisation will you still keep an eye on the progress of the team?

ST:Of course! I'll be the biggest Belfast Giants fan in Ottawa! It was a really hard decision, it would have been really easy if I didn't get on well with Todd or Jim Gillespie but I had a great working relationship with them. The fact that the Giant's organization is fantastic, with a great rink, great housing, cars for the players, we're always well looked after and Todd Kelman is a fantastic guy, made the decision to leave very difficult. My wife and kids love Belfast as much as I do so I didn't take the decision to leave lightly.

SM: Now that you will be working outside of hockey will you be following any of the NHL sides or a local team in Ottawa?

ST: Oh yeah! I'll be on the Ottawa Senators message board every day ripping into their power play! (laughs) But seriously yeah, I've been playing hockey for so long and hockey is such a major part of my life it will be difficult not to have it in my life in some form or another, I just cant play anymore, my body won't allow it anymore. I'll be working an incredibly different job with hours that I won't be used to so I'll have to change my whole way of doing things.

SM: What do you think of the emergence of hockey in Northern Ireland?

ST: Its incredible, unbelievable how readily people have taken to it, the kids that got into it at the start are at the age now to be able to develop further and to take hockey further, it bodes well for hockey in Northern Ireland that Mark Morrison and Graeme Walton are home grown talent and the future players like Roby Brown are interested in developing their careers. Roby will be playing a year in the EPL to gain experience but it'll develop his skill. Of course there have been ups and downs, peaks and valleys but I personally feel torn up about having to leave such a developing team.

SM: Do you reckon that we will see a massively different Belfast side with a new coach and with the assistant coach Shane Johnson also leaving?

ST:Doug is stepping into this position in a better basis than I did, I had to put together in essence two expansion teams, with the nature of players coming to the Giants under the University programme I lost my top lines both seasons and had to recruit new teams, but I enjoy the whole recruitment side of things. I will be helping Dougie as best as I can to make the transition easy, he will be under pressure, there is a history of winning in this organization second or third place won't be good enough. There is also an opportunity for him to win the cup that I never won, and I think he'll be able to do that if he puts the same amount of effort into this side that he put into Edinburgh.

SM:What are your high points and your low points of being coach of the Giants?

ST:The high points are definitely the trophies, and the fact that I've won the most championships with my side. There's also the fact that I've never fired anyone, the players have remained happy and productive and have given results. I also love the business side of the team and the recruitment side of the job. The low points have to be certain losses that shouldn't have been losses, watching a play off final four weekend that your team isn't involved in knowing that your team is infinitely better than any of those teams, and then there's the endless injuries that plague every team.

SM: Last of all, if you had anything to say to the fans what would that be?

ST: The fans are the most valuable asset to the Giants, they kept the team ticking over, my family and I will have a huge transition in changing our lifestyle but we loved Belfast and I had three of the best years of my life here. I told him this, I am genuinely jealous of Dougie, he has the best job in the U.K. I'll be going back to Canada to see my family, to rest up and recover and be able to play with my little girls a lot more, but I love Belfast and I love the team and I guess all I can say to the fans is a massive thank you and I'll miss you all.

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