Leijon does not have its own supporter’s stand, but Nummela promises that the fans’ issues will be thoroughly reviewed when analyzing the games.
Ice Hockey Federation chairman Harri Nummela admits that it was not possible to achieve goals in national team activities this season.
Finland was left completely without prestigious competition medals when Leijonat was eliminated in the quarterfinals at the World Championships. Even before, both the women’s and all the youth national teams had finished their championships without medals.
Nummela says that the sports management of the national team has identified the need for changes in pressure in coaching. Matters have been discussed with the coaches and sports managers of the club teams in the seminar.
“In the big picture, they are related to things like goal-scoring efficiency, competitive play and solutions on an individual level. The strength of the Finnish national teams is playing as a team, but a need for development has been identified in these three areas,” says Nummela.
Finland the men’s national team is gradually preparing Jukka Jalonen in the time after.
Jalonen has brought the national team three championship victories during his coaching period, but he is retiring from the position after next season, when the contract expires.
“At the moment, the situation seems clear that there will be no extension to the contract after next season,” says Nummela.
According to Nummela, the ice hockey association constantly maps out which coaches are available.
Nummela does not take a position on that, whether the union itself has ideas about how long the contract should be with the national team.
When Rauli Urama left the position of top sports director of the Ice Hockey Federation, his tasks were shared with Jalose and the head coach of the under-20 national team.
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“At the moment, I think it is most likely that when Juka’s head coach season ends, we will have a new role.”
The youth head coach’s job was first Antti Pennanen and after him Tomi Lämsa.
According to Nummela, things are going to change in this regard as well, when Jalonen leaves the position of head coach.
“At the moment, I think it is most likely that when Juka’s head coach season ends, we will have a new role. Whether it’s the athletic director or the head of coaching remains to be seen. In fulfilling this task, it is necessary to take into account from time to time where persons who meet the requirements are available.”
Lämsä left the position of the head coach of the under-20 national team to become the head coach of Rauma Luko. According to Nummela, we are already far along in choosing his replacement.
Economically this year’s World Cup also brings victory to the Ice Hockey Federation. In the split races, the win will be smaller than last year.
According to Nummela, in this year’s games, the companies did not go to the games quite as enthusiastically as last year. Then the competition organization benefited from the easing of the corona pandemic.
“At that time, there was pent-up demand and opportunities to take advantage of the World Cup in the management of stakeholder relations. It’s a different environment now. There was no such pent-up need. There is also a lot of uncertainty in the economic picture.”
Luc Tardif (left) Harri Nummela and Heikki Hietanen took part in the World Cup press conference last spring.
According to Nummela, the number of tickets sold will be the same as last year, i.e. around 280,000 tickets.
If Finland had played on the final weekend, the number would probably have been higher than last year.
A lot of Latvian supporters are expected for the final weekend, as the other host country surprised Sweden in the quarter-finals and took the place in the semi-finals.
Nummela says that the competition organization cooperates with the Latvian federation to make traveling to Finland as easy as possible.
The World Cup came to Tampere for the second year in a row, partly on forced leave. The games were to be played in Russia.
The war of aggression against Ukraine made the plan impossible.
“From the point of view of the sport’s international visibility, it is not appropriate for two competitions to be played in the same country in a row,” Nummela admits.
He says that Finland was not the first to be asked. However, the facts started coming in quickly.
In Finland, the organization of the competition was ready, which made it possible to hold the competition on a fast schedule. Latvia was the competition host in 2021, so the organizing experience was fresh there as well.
of the Games during the season, the Ice Hockey Federation again received criticism for the atmosphere of Finnish games.
For example, Hungary’s supporters gathered in the same stand and got a great atmosphere in the Nokia Arena.
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“Let’s look at one election at a time.”
In the Finnish national ice hockey team, there is no similar organized supporter activity as in football, where Pohjoiskaaarre takes care of the atmosphere in home matches and on away trips.
Nummela promises that things related to supporters will be thoroughly reviewed when the organization of the games is reviewed by the Ice Hockey Federation.
“I think that the best way forward would be if an even stronger group of supporters was born in hockey, which has grown from the community without the sports association having set it up on its own,” says Nummela.
Nummela has yet to comment on his own wishes to continue as head of the Ice Hockey League. Nummela was elected chairman in autumn 2015, the next chairman election is next autumn.
The chairman is chosen by the federal council, which is elected at the June federal meeting.
“Let’s look at one election at a time,” says Nummela.
Jukka Jalonen’s long and successful season in Leijon will soon be over.
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