Hockey The Lions have an astonishing tube behind them in the championships – what’s going on in the World Cup semi-final of the day?

Tampere

Lions the recent value balance before the World Cup semi-finals and finals this weekend is soaring. In the previous three value tournaments, Finland has played in the finals, and in two of them, the gold medals in his neck have left the trough. Once, at last year’s World Championships, the result was a sequel loss.

It is at the same time Jukka Jalosen the value balance for this time period. Jalonen took the helm at the beginning of the 2018–19 season. Even in the early series of Jalonen’s time, the going has been convincing. The last time Finland suffered a direct loss, ie lost its game after 60 minutes in the early series of the Slovak Games in 2019. Toni Söderholm coached by Germany was better in goals 4–2.

Memories of the match are already blurred. Lions gm Jere Lehtinen remembers from the match that Finland played well but still lost.

“That loss came at the right time. It got a good rage for the final tournament, ”says Lehtinen now, more than three years later.

HS went through the 2019, 2021, 2022 World Championships as well as the Olympic teams. In total, 59 different hockey players have worn the Lions shirt in four tournaments, and only three players have played in all four tournaments. They are the goalkeeper Jussi Olkinuoradefender Atte Ohtamaa and the attacker Marko Anttila.

Lions get criticized even for a boring game, when a tight five-point defense effectively keeps opponents away from the finish line, Alivoima is sure to kill the coolers and the attack creates the required goal points.

But it is effective. One player after another commits to a common cause while wearing the Lions jersey. And in commitment, Lehtinen raises the key to appreciation.

“Everyone on our team is valued. That’s the number one thing. Credit is mutual. We trust the players, and the players trust the team leadership. That’s where it always starts. We appreciate being allowed to be here, we are quite privileged, ”says Lehtinen.

“Then let’s go to the hockey job. Coaching has done a good job of how we play and how we can react to things. ”

When there is turnover, the entry of new players also comes to the fore. Atte Ohtamaa, the defender of the value tournament during the four Jalonen tournaments, says that the basic values ​​of the team are essential for the adaptation of new players.

“We are all somehow familiar to each other. It’s easy to be here, anyone came along. It’s great to be and nice together. Everyone cares about each other. It’s great to act here,” says Ohtamaa.

Marko Anttila (left) and Atte Ohtamaa have played all four value tournaments under Jukka Jalonen. Picture: Heikki Saukkomaa / Lehtikuva

National team According to Lehtinen, between the first national team invitation and debut, the national team management will talk to the player. Most players make their debut on Eurohockey Tour or spring camps, for example. Only a few first-hand experiences come directly from the value games.

First-timers are always welcome separately to make it easy for them to be on the team on their own.

“It’s always exciting for players when they come in for the first time. Even now, new friends came to the first camp in the spring. This time, the body was already so good in the first week that it was easy to get new ones, ”says Lehtinen.

Team values ​​and practices are reviewed at each event to make them clear.

“The system, how it works, is pretty simple. There are no awkward commercials. When things are done, they are done, but otherwise you can do whatever you want, ”says Lehtinen.

As you reach the national team level, the level of requirements of the game gets tougher. This is reflected, for example, in the tempo of the game and the hardness of the passes. When the best players are put together in the same place, all things are done at a good level.

“Players tend to adapt quickly because they are good players.”

According to Jere Lehtinen, appreciation is the most important thing in engaging Lions. Picture: Emmi Korhonen / Lehtikuva

It’s been time for Lehtinen and Ohtamaa’s own national team debuts. Lehtinen entered the Prague Games in 1992 as a Division 1 player.

“It was just as easy to come. I didn’t know anyone, I had just seen the players on TV, and they were idols. Timo Jutila was the captain and leader already in it. I remember that the demand was hard, but I was able to adapt to it, ”says Lehtinen.

The first national team games were scheduled for the 2012–13 season.

“It was a lot more experienced then, and it was nicely taken along. He had to be himself and trust in his strengths. It’s always nice. ”

In the club team, new players who join the national team circles will be welcomed into Ohtamaa with congratulations and good-natured jokes.

“Trying to get a cake on the table. That’s great stuff. Leijonat is a brand that every young Finn wants to play. ”

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