Harri Lintumäki76, can happily call “Mr HPK”.
He influenced HPK for more than 40 years and served as the president of the club for almost two decades, during which time the small club of the SM league won medals nine times. The club’s first Finnish championship in 2006 was the icing on the cake.
– Yes, this is burning, there’s no denying it. It’s been a down period for a few years now. If you don’t admit it, there won’t be better times, you have to be honest, says Lintumäki, who still follows practically all of the Club’s games either on site or on television.
After the success of the 2018–19 season, HPK has gone downhill. According to the ex-president, what is the reason for this?
– The easy answer is, of course, that this 2019 championship came a bit unexpectedly, and it did not come as a result of the club’s long-term work at that point. Antti Pennanen the team then had many players who were on a hard upward curve in their careers. It probably surprised everyone a little – at least the experts.
– The Canada Cup was no accident, it was a well-deserved championship. We were the best team, but it came as a surprise and didn’t describe the overall state of the club so accurately at that moment.
Lintumäki tells honestly what HPK has been thinking about the most in the last four years.
– We have failed on the sports side, which means in Finnish that things have gone wrong in assembling the team and recruiting. The development of gaming has also not been successful every year. The competition has always been tough in the league, and in recent years we have not done well in it, the experienced hockey influencer lists.
HPK’s background company has made losses of more than one million euros during the last two fiscal years. The player budget for the started season is 1.9 million.
– If we are going to go for medals with that budget or even close to it, we have to succeed in almost all or most of the player acquisitions. We still have to strive for this. It (success) is possible, but it requires infinite hard work and precision in player and coach contracts.
HPK is playing for its existence
In his speech, Lintumäki underlines the importance of assembling the team and developing the game of coaching – that is, making the athletic side of everyday life. In these matters, the “small club” simply cannot afford mistakes.
It is clear that HPK is playing for its existence as a SM league club, if the philosopher’s stone is not found soon.
– Yes, HPK will play on it if this trend continues. We have to redeem our rights every year. This is actually quite easy to get started.
– I believe that we are now on the right path and that we have a club management that can improve a lot. The club management is not very experienced, but most of them have been there for a suitable amount of time, Lintumäki envisions.
The former club boss, who is still well informed about HPK’s affairs, says that he has a dialogue with the current decision-makers.
– Of course, other parties make the decisions. But I have always said that I will answer if asked. And sometimes I’ve answered, even though I haven’t been asked. The men are largely familiar.
Manneri’s lessons for a new rise
Hämeenlinna Pallokerho’s ice hockey season started in a dark way and the club management changed from a jumbo position, after five games already coaching.
Having slipped into a steep downhill, HPK is looking for new wind in its sails in a financially challenging situation.
– When we started the season, we knew that there was a lot at stake here in many ways. We have a few weaker seasons in the background in terms of sports and it has also been reflected in the economy, admits the CEO of HPK Liiga Oy Kaj Källarsson.
HPK hired as its sports director last year Ilkka Haapean and as a hockey manager Erkki Rajamäki. An ex-striker became the chairman Jyrki Louhi. Källarsson also started as CEO last year.
– We had big changes in the organization during the last season. Here, we have taken the change process very hard and it is still ongoing, confirms the club’s CEO.
A new coach Mikko Mannerin under, HPK got a taste of a point right away in Turku and after that on Friday they won their first three points at the expense of Kiekko-Espoo to the delight of the home spectators.
Credibility at play
It’s a long season ahead. What needs to happen in HPK this season in the rink and on the financial side?
– There has been a lot of talk about the need to be able to restore credibility to Hämeenlinna. Success has to be achieved, and that is also reflected in our financial situation, because the importance of the income from the matches is considerable. This means that spectators should be able to find the hall better than before, Källarsson says.
Källarsson admits that mistakes have been made in HPK in many areas after the last championship season. There is still work to be done in every area of operations.
– Sporting success largely depends on how the team is assembled and trained. Financially, we have not been able to grow and increase our resources. This, of course, directly affects how we can improve the competitiveness of the team.
HPK is currently in a difficult situation.
– The direction must absolutely be reversed. There have been financial losses here in the last couple of seasons. Our focus is on that issue and thus there is a lot at stake, admits the CEO.
Do the league qualifiers scare HPK fans?
Urheilu asked the hockey consumers in the corridors of the Hämeenlinna hall how the Club’s supporters were feeling on an autumn Friday, when the team is pushed to the tail end of the series and also has severe financial losses behind it.
– Of course, with this course, it is possible to struggle in the league qualifiers. On the other hand, even the top clubs have had a hard time producing results. In general, there is enough to think about whether there is something wrong with the structure in order to get a profitable team in this league, he reflects Juha-Matti Kaukonen.
– I’m not afraid of the league qualification, it brings a good extra spice to this. I think it’s good that the league qualifiers are coming. It’s a healthy boost for the entire league, he emphasizes Niko Ruoho.
HPK has risen to 13th place in the series in two games under the control of Manner.
– It seems a little sad when the pride of the locality is at stake. Here, we believe that we are moving in a better direction all the time. There is a new coach, and there is definitely a new flow on the field for everyone. Shall we say that there is faith in the future, Ruoho stilts.