SaiPa’s stomach-churning continues for the third season in the ice hockey men’s SM league.
The team from Lappeenranta last played in the playoffs in the spring of 2019. Since then, the yellow and black have been at the tail end of the league table. At the moment, the ranking is fifteenth, i.e. last.
The team’s low mood can also be seen in the stands. Kannattajayhdistys Saimaa Keltumstie Membership has decreased over the years from 700 members to around 250, and there are not enough busloads of people going to away games.
– Many have begun to wonder if they could do more in life than visit the Race Park. Just by throwing away, half has started to go away over the years, says a member of the supporters’ association Mikko Lantta.
The chairman of the supporter’s association Petri Mäntykivin there is credit to SaiPa’s management, but changes must also take place.
We asked Urheilu’s hockey expert Top from Nättine, which is rotten in SaiPa’s game. At the end of the story, you can also read how Liiga-SaiPa’s CEO Jussi Markkanen sees the situation.
1. Sports director back
Topi Nättinen estimates that SaiPa’s problems started during the corona era. First, SaiPa laid off Tero Lehterän led by the coaching group and later decided to abolish the position of sports director for economic reasons.
Sports director Antti Tuomenoksa the work was transferred to Jussi Markkanen in addition to the CEO’s job.
– In my opinion, the biggest single factor has been the fact that Antti Tuomenoksa was given up or he wanted to leave. Now nobody’s main job is to assemble the team, Nättinen says.
2. Trainer to thong
In addition to the athletic director, SaiPa would need a new head coach.
– SaiPa has not found a coach who can handle this job. Pekka Virta was a really good search, but we also knew the risks that a great person could turn against himself, says Nättinen.
SaiPa released Pekka Virta from his position in October 2022. Since then, the yellow and black team has been piloted by a man who moved from assistant coach to head coach Ville Hämäläinen.
Mikkelin Jukurit was recently appointed head coach Olli Jokinen. Nättinen considers the selection successful, because Jokinen’s name made the players interested in the team from Mikkeli. Another question is whether the same gimmick will work elsewhere.
Nättinen would be willing to give time to both the athletic director and the head coach, even if the game doesn’t go right away.
3. Full hits from abroad
According to Nättinen, SaiPa’s foreign players have not managed to surprise and rise to a new level as players. In the past years, SaiPa was known as a team that finds bigger players from abroad.
– It has been a strength, because a small club does not have a lot of money. All foreign acquisitions have to be well suited, says Nättinen.
Read also: Antti Tuomenoksa is the man behind SaiPa’s foreign acquisitions
4. Your own tricks to the rink
In addition to foreign players, Nättinen sees room for improvement in his own junior activities.
– Already in Lappeenranta, I was saddened and has been saddened for a long time by the fact that my own junior streak is thin. For example, Imatra’s Ketterä Mestis cooperation has not really benefited SaiPa’s league team, if there really is any cooperation at all, says Nättinen.
In addition to its own Juniors and foreign players, SaiPa should be able to attract players from other league clubs who are striving to advance their careers.
– Players want places where they can either improve or win. SaiPa is currently unable to offer either.
Markkanen: The organization is being renewed
According to CEO Jussi Markkanen, both the sports director and the head coach are being cleaned.
– Next summer at the latest, our organization will be renewed, and in connection with that, we will have a separate person in charge of the sports side, Markkanen commented on the hiring of the sports director.
According to Markkanen, the options for the head coach have been mapped out, and the groundwork for the selection needs to be done properly. As one option, Ville Hämäläinen is also involved in the discussions.
And what kind of coach is SaiPa looking for? According to Markkanen, the choice is to “return to the roots”.
– We want to find coaches and players for whom SaiPa means a lot and this logo is really important. We want to be a team with a lot of character – on the ice, in the booth, in the office and everywhere.
According to Markkanen, SaiPa needs reforms both in terms of personnel and operating methods for the next season. The people of Lappeenranta cannot compete with a big player budget, but they can manage with a small budget.
– Of course, there must be the right people on the ice, in coaching and in all roles, and the work must be of high quality. We have brought good young players to the team, and it is good to build around them, says Markkanen.