Tuomas Iisalon the wonderful season continued when he coached the German club Bonn to victory in the Champions League. In the final match played in Malaga, Bonn defeated Israel’s Hapoel Jerulasem 77–70.
Iisalo was emotional after the match.
– I am speechless for the first time at these press conferences, Iisalo started until you had a long speech (you switch to another service).
At the beginning, Iisalo reminded about the history of Bonn, founded in 1995. The team has reached the final five times in different competitions, but has not won a single championship.
After that, the 40-year-old Finnish coach recalled last December’s World Cup and its memorable final between France and Argentina. Iisalo had watched the match, which ended in Argentina’s dramatic victory, together with his family. Lionel Messi achieved the long-desired world championship.
– I don’t know who my children were cheering for. However, after the game they showed (France) Kylian Mbappé, who cried on the field. Of course, he was very disappointed. My children had asked why is he crying? My wife stated that he will have many more opportunities because he is so young, Iisalo said.
24-year-old Mbappé has become one of the best soccer players in the world at a young age. He had already played a big role in the previous World Cup when France won the world championship.
In his own words, Iisalo had acted as a “spoiler of joy” in his family’s discussions.
– I said that Mbappé has already experienced his greatest achievements as an athlete. It is more likely that he will never win anything again. Winning the world championship is so difficult, Iisalo described.
According to Iisalo, the Bonn team had gone through a similar setup.
– When you get such an opportunity (to win), it’s rare. You have to make the most of that opportunity. We have approached each day in such a way that this is the best and happiest season and the season that can never be covered again, Iisalo opened.
– We have talked with the team that if this is the season for us, we will make the most of it, so that there is nothing left to worry about. Now to be in this situation and win with these guys, it’s something I couldn’t even dream of.
During his playing career, Tuomas Iisalo was known as an accurate three-point shooter. He got the nickname “Bomber of Loviisa” after his hometown.
Iisalo played 57 international matches in his career. One SM silver and two SM bronzes and one Finnish Cup victory remained in the trophy cabinet. During his career in Finland, Iisalo represented Honka of Espoo and its descendant Honka of Tapiola, Kouvo of Kouvola and Helsinki’s Torpa Poiki.
– I wasn’t a very good player. I was an average player. I never won championships. They avoided me like the plague. This is the first time I’ve won anything. So this championship has a big personal meaning, Iisalo stated, before turning his eyes to the whole team and the hard work they do.
Iisalo still managed to crack a joke at the end of an emotional speech that lasted almost three minutes.
– I’m looking forward to seeing this team again in 20 years, when we’re drunk in the Bahamas, Iisalo threw.
Bonn’s team includes several names familiar to Finnish basketball fans. Javontae Hawkins started his professional career at Salon Vilppaa in the 2017–2018 season. Collin Malcolm played in Kauhajoki Karhu Basket in the 2020–2021 season.
However, the team’s biggest star this season has been the back man TJ Shorts. He bagged 29 points in the final. After the match, Shorts thanked Iisalo a lot for setting clear benchmarks for what to do in August when the season started.
– Coach Iisalo was very clear about what he wanted. It paid off in full. We have come full circle. Now in May we won the championship, Shorts mood (you switch to another service).
Tears after a hard time – Iisalo believes the players are already fed up
Iisalo himself told reporters at the press conference that “you should know what these guys have been through.” According to the Finnish coach, the team already knew before the start of the league season that they had something special on their hands.
In the Champions League, Bonn lost only two matches this season. Bonn won the regular season of the German Bundesliga and left behind the giants Bayern Munich and Alba Berlin, who play in the Euroleague, the first league in Europe. Even in the regular season of the Bundesliga, there were only two losses.
According to Iisalo, the team wanted to make sure that the special situation did not get out of hand. He thanked the team’s 13 players, who have worked a lot and think of the team before themselves.
– I don’t think there is a more collective team in Europe or maybe even in the whole world. We are really proud of this. The collectivity can be seen in each player’s answers. Here is a group that enjoys each other’s company, Iisalo beamed.
Iisalo was seen in tears on TV right after the championship, when he hugged Shorts and other team players emotionally.
– I cried because I have seen the hard work. I know what the players have been through. I know there have been days when these players have said “ ***** what a dude! This is already too much!” When you get an award for this work, it’s something incomprehensible, Iisalo opened up about his feelings, which he described as incredible.
In the Bundesliga, there is still a chance for a championship
Bonn starts the Bundesliga playoffs on Wednesday with a quarter-final series against Chemnitz.
Iisalo now has the feeling that the last chapter of the team has not yet been written. According to Iisalo, the story continues already on Monday at three in the afternoon with the exercises held in Bonn.
– The main thing is to keep the main thing in mind, as we say. We’re just here to win. That’s what our business is all about, Iisalo stated.
Bonn is led by Iisalo to knock down his bigger ones continuously throughout the season. Over the course of the season, the team has been called a cinderella story.
The Finnish coach was also asked what name Bonn should be called.
– Become champions! Iisalo finished with a big smile on his face.
Last week, Iisalo was chosen for the second time in a row as the Bundesliga coach of the year. At the weekend, he was also named the Champions League coach of the year.