Hockey|Italy’s new head coach Jukka Jalonen will receive his baptism of fire in November.
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Jukka Jalonen gets a free hand as head coach of the Italian national team.
While in Italy, he stays in Bolzano and coordinates the work with the sports director and assistant coaches.
Jalonen’s contract is for two years and will culminate in the 2026 Winter Olympics.
The Italian federation aims for a place in the main series of the World Cup and success in its home games.
Italian transferred to the head coach of the national team Jukka Jalonen gets free hands in his new job.
Jalonen does not have to settle in Italy full-time, but he can move around as he pleases.
“He has complete freedom to organize his work as he sees fit,” the president of the Italian Ice Hockey Federation Andrea Gios tells.
The arrangement is exceptional, as smaller hockey countries have had a habit of demanding the presence of a foreign forward.
For example, the Federation of Belarus recorded Kari Heikkilän I once stipulated in the contract that he had to spend at least 200 days a year in Belarus. Heikkilä was the head coach of the Belarusian national team in the 2011–12 season.
While in Italy, Jalonen stays in Bolzano, which is known as the country’s ice hockey cradle.
“Jalonen coordinates things with the sports director and two assistant coaches who live in Italy and are fully committed to the project full time,” says chairman Gios.
“This enables flexible arrangements and ensures that our project gets the support it needs.”
Jukka Jalonen left Leijonat after last spring.
Jalonen the transfer to Italy was the news bomb of the summer in hockey. 61-year-old Jalonen won everything possible in Leijon. Under his leadership, Finland rose to the top of the national team rankings.
Initially, the Italian federation was only going to ask Jalose for help in the search for a new head coach.
The Italian federation did not even know that Jalonen was free.
“We quickly realized that he could fit our profile. He immediately showed enthusiasm for this work, and we found common ground pretty quickly,” says Gios.
Jalonen also convinced the Italians in the negotiations with his knowledge of the state of Italian puck.
“He knows our reality very well, and we have a common vision. We trust that with Jalonen’s help we can develop hockey in our country by bringing the best international standards to it.”
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He has full freedom to organize his work as he sees fit.
Jalonen the agreement is for two years and culminates in the Winter Olympics hosted by Cortina and Milan in February 2026. With the hosting, Italy has a sure place in the tournament.
Italy, known as the so-called elevator team, is currently playing in the second highest league level of the World Cup, i.e. in the 1A division.
In the world ranking of the International Ice Hockey Federation IIHF, Italy is ranked 20th.
“The Olympics are the main goal. We play on home ice and we want to play as well as possible,” says chairman Gios.
Gios aims for the starting season to bring Italy back to the main series of the World Cup.
“That’s the first step.”
Noble has told the Finnish media that his salary in Italy is of the same magnitude as the head coach of the Lions. According to tax data for 2022, Jalonen earned 386,222 euros as earned income.
The Italian federation does not disclose the exact amount.
“Jalonen’s salary is in line with the union’s budget. We found an understanding that satisfies both parties,” Gios formulates.
The man from Riihimäki gets his baptism of fire at the helm of the boot country at the beginning of November. Italy will participate in the tournament played in Budapest at that time.
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