The chairman of the Finnish Ice Hockey Federation, Harri Nummela, describes the result of the World Junior Championships as a disappointment and says that it does not meet the goals of the Ice Hockey Federation.
The Finnish under-20 national ice hockey team’s World Cup tournament in Canada ended with a bitter defeat in the quarterfinals against Sweden. Finland was thus excluded from the medal games for the first time in five years.
Head coach of the Young Lions Tomi Lämsa received criticism at the games. Super promise Aron Kiviharju was eventually left out of the team, and Finland could only get its game working in a few moments during the tournament.
Sports expert Top from Nättinen it felt like the jump from professional players to young players was too big for Lämsa. The expert also missed more emotional coaching and team motivation from the analytical head coach.
– Someone has nicely said that as a coach you have to be a professional with amateur enthusiasm, but it seemed that it was rigid coaching of adults. I don’t know if the players were behind him and if they bought his ideas, Nättinen stated earlier.
Head coach Lämsä did not answer STT’s question about whether he will continue as head coach at Nuori Leijon.
President of the Ice Hockey Association Harri Nummelan Lämsä will continue in his role until spring 2024.
– Finnish hockey wins and loses as a team. We have a coaching contract with Tomi Lämsä until spring 2024. We respect that agreement and continue according to it.
Lämsä did not answer STT’s question about his continuation, so is there still some ambiguity or something to be addressed?
– I have not seen or heard that comment or interview of his. I don’t know what his comment or non-response was based on. I can’t comment on that.
But clearly you haven’t had any discussions about reviewing the contract after these games. So that comment is not related to anything like this?
– We are going to continue with him until spring 2024.
Nummela says that Finland’s goal is to reach the medal games of the World Championships for men, women, girls and boys. He stated that the result does not meet the goals of the Ice Hockey Association.
– Regarding the Young Lions, this goal was not achieved this time, but the final ranking was Fifth place. So, of course, the result is disappointing and does not match our goals.