A touching moment in the middle of an interview behind the scenes of the Tampere arena – the future head coach blared the Lion King: “Kato, Jukka”

The Finnish Ice Hockey Federation confirmed on Thursday that Antti Pennanen44, is the Lions’ next head coach.

Pennanen described to Urheilu that he accepted the job humbly and gratefully. Pennanen follows in the task From Jukka Jalowho will step down from his position in the spring of next year.

– The process with the ice hockey association inspired trust. Conversations with my close circle increased my confidence to accept the wash. Of course I’m really happy, Pennanen described his mood.

According to Pennanen, the negotiations with the Ice Hockey Federation progressed quickly.

– I don’t remember exactly when the process started, but the process has been fast. Of course, I was already working at the Jääkieksoliito before I joined Ilves, so I know the people of the Jääkieksoliito. I know the customs of the house, Pennanen said.

Pennanen described the discussions with the Ice Hockey League.

– There have been discussions about the game and playing, management and management philosophy. And of course also about the player development work, how the head coach of the A national team is able to support it.

Pennanen described the recruitment process as professional.

– In addition, we have discussed an important issue for me, i.e. values, and which direction the Ice Hockey Association wants to go in that area. There were really extensive discussions, Pennanen said.

Pennanen is 44 years old, but still an experienced and successful ice hockey coach.

– I’m not spoiled by age, but I’ve been coaching for more than 20 years. I have been able to be in successful teams for the last 10 years, it has certainly given me self-confidence, Pennanen said.

Seeing Jukka Jalonen put a big smile on Pennanen’s face

In the middle of an interview with Urheilu, an amusing situation arose when Leijoni’s current head coach Jukka Jalonen walked past Pennanen. Jalonen was in Tampere, as he acted as C More’s expert in the season’s first Tampere local match, where Ilves beat Tappara 5–3.

Pennanen was about to answer what changes he would make to Leijon, but interrupted his answer when he saw Jalonen.

– Kato, Jukka will do it, Pennanen said and grinned widely.

Jalonen, who continues as the “Lion King” this season, has led the Lions three times to the World Cup gold and once to the Olympic gold. Pennanen was Jalonen’s assistant coach when he won the World Championship gold in 2019 and the Junior World Championship gold in 2016.

But what changes would Pennanen make to the Finnish national team?

– It might be too early, I’m not going to take a stand yet. The national team has been brilliantly successful, and there is no dire need to make any changes, Pennanen acknowledged.

Jalonen received incense from Pennane for his work.

– Jukka (Jalonen) has done an excellent job. I have a lot of respect for him as a coach. It’s not worth going out to fill his boots, but trying to build your own boots alongside, Pennanen emphasized.

There has been enough noise around Pennanen in recent days, but he denied that club team work behind Ilves’ bench had been disturbed.

– We have lost a few matches, but this has had no effect on that. Those reasons are somewhere else. Tonight we saw what Ilves is like at its best, Pennanen referred to the victory in the local match against Tappara.

What was Jukka Jalonen’s role in the selection?

The public has also discussed a lot this week what was Jukka Jalonen’s role in the selection of his successor. The ice hockey association has lacked an actual top sports director, so the task has been divided between the head coach of the Lions, Jalonen, the head coach of the under-20s and the manager of the national teams. Kimmo Oikarinen in progress.

No individual top sports director has been named since Rauli Urama left TPS in 2020.

Both Jalonen and Pennanen firmly denied that Jalonen had chosen Pennanen as his successor.

– I have not once talked to Jalonen, Pennanen uploaded For Iltalehti.

Jalonen commented on the matter with his tongue in the middle of his mouth before the local match in Tampere C to More.

– I am a listening student, like everyone else at the moment. In the beginning I was involved, now we’ll see where the boys and girls end up, Jalonen commented on the selection process.

Jalonen was therefore involved in the early stages of mapping out his successor, but since then, according to STT, for example, the CEO of the Ice Hockey Association has been considering the choice of head coach Sami Kauhanen and Finnish lion icons Jere Lehtinen and Saku Koivu. Lehtinen also works as general manager of Leijoni.