PHOTO: Bildbyrån
HV71 is still at the bottom of the SHL table.
Now the club has acted and fired the coaching duo.
– We are not ashamed of it, says HV chairman Anders Wilander according to Hockeypuls and explains why.
Before the season, HV71 was tipped as an exciting challenger to the top tier of the SHL table. But when the season then started, the newcomer has not at all met the expectations in the comeback to the top flight.
HV71’s crisis move
On the contrary, they have mostly ravaged the bottom of the table and are currently second last with only 40 recorded points after 38 games. The concern is therefore great in Jönköping that a new nausea nightmare will have to wait to fight for its survival in the SHL.
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Recently, they have tried to change the situation with several signings and the legend Challe Berglund has been brought in as a new assistant coach to get a new voice in the booth. On Monday, the next crisis move came from HV71 when it was announced that head coach Tommy Samuelsson and assistant Fredrik Stillman have been fired with immediate effect.
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Revealing truth
Instead comes the club director and the club icon Johan Lindbom in as the new head coach and Per Gustafsson, from HC Dalen, as a new assistant together with Challe Berglund. Now the truth behind the decision to fire Samuelsson is revealed.
– We had a board meeting on Sunday afternoon and discussed what has been, what is and what is to come and we discussed a few different scenarios. We have strengthened the team during the season, but we have not taken off as expected and we came to the conclusion that we have to take further measures. These are the saddest decisions out there but it was the right decision and we are not ashamed of it. The board agreed, explains HV71’s chairman Anders Wilander according to Hockeypuls.
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The club’s chairman further reveals that this was directly necessary in order to achieve a final lift and leave the bottom swamp. In order not to end up in a negative qualification like two years ago when HV71 was forced to leave the SHL and start over in the HockeyAllsvenskan.
– It’s not really a matter of competence. If we’re talking competence, there are none better than Samuelsson and Stillman. If you look at those who have been, we have been close in many games. Now there will be some new voices coming in and we believe they can make a difference and bring out a little more from the squad we have, says Wilander in the interview.
– 14 rounds remain and if it goes as well as we think it will, we avoid qualifying. We would prefer to do that, it is not something that anyone in HV wants to experience again.
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When asked if there may be more changes on the player or manager side, chairman Anders Wilander answers as follows:
– No, you can never say that. If, for example, something appears on the player market that adds competence, we are open to it, he says according to the hockey site.
Is this the right decision by HV71 to reverse the gloomy trend? Share the article and have your say!