The level of floorball in Finland brought the German national team player, Ramon Ibold, to the Finnish Floorball League and the club team, Esport Oilers.

Ramon Ibold decided to play in the Finnish League, Salibandyliiga, this season though some other leagues were also interested in the 22 year old player.
– The German and Finnish Leagues can not even be compared. The level of play is Finland is much higher than in Germany. If I would have continued in Germany, I would not have developed in the same way, says Ramon Ibold, in the Esport Oilers press release.

In Germany, Ibold played for the German team, Red Devils Wernigerode, but he now chose to represents Esport Oilers. He got in contact with the team through the national team games.

– The game in Finland has been surprisingly physical and therefore I had some problems in the start. But the biggest difference has been the much faster pace in the Salibandyliiga. I do adjust better game by game and I´m also getting used to the fact that decisions need to be done much faster. 

Ibold says that he would have had the chance to play in the Swiss and Swedish leagues as well. Playing in Switzerland would have been an easy solution, but he chose Finland.

– Many Germans move to Switzerland due to the fact that we can speak German there. I didn´t want to go there, since I wanted to face challenges outside the rink as well. It is more useful to live in a country where you can´t speak your own language, the young player explains.

Floorball talents like Ibold might in the future play and at the same time develop in their national league. But floorball hasn´t yet reached that level in Germany.
– Floorball is a very young sport in Germany, but we develop step by step. Almost everyone still starts to play football and only later they might change to another sport. Football is even bigger in Germany than ice hockey is in Finland. But maybe the time for floorball will come.

Other German stars playing abroad

In addition to Ibold many other German top players have chose to play abroad:

• Lutz Ackermann and Alexander Burmeister are playing for Wiler Erisgen U21.
• The Mucha twins play in Swiss League club UHC Grünenmatt
• The national team Captain Philipp Hühler plays for HC Rychenberg in the Swiss League.
• Mike Dietz, the goalkeeper with great performance in the last WFC changed to Borås Sweden
• In addition the Holtz brothers (with double citizenship), the top national team player Fredrik Holtz, plays in Storvreta and his brother Kristian Holtz plays for Kais Mora UIF

Source & more information: www.esportoilers.fi