Finland’s all-time player legend is becoming the new head coach of the A national team. The role would be clearly broader than that of a traditional head coach. Finnish coaches are coming to help.
The head coach of the national men’s volleyball team, who is a regular visitor to the prestigious games, was left open, while the British one by Joel Banks pesti ended after the fall European Championships.
The Volleyball Association, which surveyed the successor, has investigated possible successor candidates, of which one has risen above the others in the process. At the moment, the Volleyball Association is negotiating a contract with Finland’s all-time player legend, passar, who is still continuing his career at VaLePa Mikko Esko45, with.
The matter was confirmed to Urheilu by the leadership of the Volleyball Association, and Eskoka, who is currently completing a professional coaching qualification in Kuortane, did not deny the matter.
– We have negotiated many times, and I am interested. The development of Finnish volleyball and Finnish players is very interesting, Esko said on Friday.
No previous experience
Esko would jump into the job without any previous coaching experience, just like in his time Tuomas Sammelvuoa hot name in the international coach market these days.
– He became the head coach of the A national team while I was there directly as a player and was not ready right away, of course. Work teaches its creator.
Six of Finland’s nine previous head coaches have been foreigners. Some have brought success, but there is usually not much left of a foreign head coach in the sports family when he leaves.
Now the Volleyball Association wants to try a completely different approach. If elected, Esko would be as much a coaching coordinator and player developer as a head coach. His task would be, for example, to build a Finnish player path familiar from basketball, and his work at the union would leave no time for club coaching. Esko has also worked as Urheilu’s volleyball expert.
In volleyball, national team coaches have typically also coached in clubs.
– Yes, there has been talk about this kind of full-time model, and without anything else, such a mission statement planned by the association would be necessary for Finnish volleyball, states the passer of the 306 A national matches.
– For example, it is extremely important to be able to advise young players on their career choices, both in the Finnish premier league and at the moment when they are thinking about their first overseas trip.
“Not before things”
The A national team’s activities will only continue in the spring, and the new coaching package will take shape during the winter. If Esko becomes head coach, he would most likely get Finnish coaches to help his team.
According to Urheilu’s information, at least such names as Akaa-Volley’s head coach, national team legend have been circulated Olli Kunnari and the head coach of Hurrikaani-Loimaa, one of Finland’s leading coaching talents Ollie A hoe. Mikko Esko stated that he considers the mentioned gentlemen to be high-class professionals.
– However, don’t get ahead of things so much that you start building teams while things are still in progress.