According to Harri Aho, SaiPa should aim to reach the top ten in the regular season next season.
Kärppien and sports director of Oulun ended last spring Harri Ahon regarding the disaster.
The Oulu team, which entered the ice hockey league season with the highest expectations, was already eliminated in the first round of the playoffs. Kouvola’s KooKoo, who just made it to the playoffs, knocked the Kärppie’s star players into a wild group with match wins 2–1.
– Last season was a disappointment. I told the club management about it at the time that I would raise my hand about it. I assumed that that team would be more successful, says Aho.
After his playing career ended, Aho worked in the Kärppie organization for 22 years. For the past 14 years, he served as Kärppie’s sports director. In this role, he was building three championship teams for Kärpi in the seasons 2014, 2015 and 2018.
For Aho, the last few years in Kärpi were difficult and the team was left out of the medal games. The Kärppie’s previous semi-final place is from the time before the corona pandemic – four years ago.
In May, Aho announced that he would resign from the position of Kärppie’s sports director.
– There was enough of it for one man.
The new challenge appealed
Aho didn’t have time to be idle for long.
SaiPa in Lappeenranta offered him the position of sports director. The offer attracted Aho, even though there is significantly less money available for building a team in South Karelia.
– A new challenge. The resources are different, but I believe that you can succeed in sports with hard work.
Previously, the duties of the sports director were handled by SaiPassa Jussi Markkanen. At the same time, Markkanen was also responsible for the position of CEO of Liiga-SaiPa oy. The former NHL goalkeeper gave up his duties at SaiPa when he moved to the sports director of the SM League in the summer.
– Feel sorry for Jussia that he had to handle two tasks at the same time. One is enough, says Aho.
Aho estimates that at SaiPa, the separation of the duties of the sports director and the CEO has created clarity in everyday life at the club. The key tasks of the sports director are team building and player development together with the head coach.
12 days until the start of the league
The last time SaiPa advanced to the playoffs was in the spring of 2019. Last season, the Yellow and Black were the last team in the regular season. Out of 60 matches, the team won 8 in regular time.
There are 12 days until the start of the new league season. The people of Lappeenranta have won two of the seven practice matches. Aho does not offer a magic trick to how the yellow and black start to succeed.
Aho wants the team to have an atmosphere where every playing position is behind the competition. He underlines that in professional sports, careful focus on what to do in training and games is emphasized.
– This way we can have a good day. This way we can have a good week, year and possibly a successful season, says Aho.
According to Harri Aho, SaiPa should aim to reach the top ten in the regular season next season and thus a place in the playoffs.
– I don’t promise that we will achieve this and that in the first season. We should strive to do our daily work so well that we deserve a chance to succeed.