This is the basis of Ilves’ skyrocketing as a champion candidate – two top professionals proved their abilities | Sport

Ilves has quickly risen from mediocrity to a championship football team.

Tampere Ilves is considered the biggest sensation of the Veikkausliiga football season. The team from Tampere, which finished eighth last season, is now fighting for the championship, with only three rounds remaining.

On Tuesday, Ilves took an important 1–0 victory over Kuopio Palloseura, the leader in the league, in the top match played at their sanctuary in Tammela. Ilves rose to equal points with HJK and only two points away from Kuopio. All have played 24 matches.

Ilves started the season with a good team, but the early season results were far from promising. From their first three matches, the club achieved a single point and suffered a shocking 4-6 defeat at home to Gnistan.

One of the most important factors in Ilves’ success is the 36-year-old head coach Joonas Rantanenwho piloted Gnistania 1 in the previous two seasons. Rantanen sees that adversity has made Ilves even stronger.

– The beginning of the series was difficult for us in terms of results. That matter was discussed, but nothing was really changed. It was decided that we will only do the things we want to do better, Rantanen says.

With new responsibilities, results quickly

The Finnish men’s football championship was celebrated in Tampere last time in 2007. At that time, one of Tampere United’s most important players was Urheilu’s current expert Antti Pohja.

He lists smart athletic acquisitions, the way they play and the new Tammela stadium as the most important factors in Ilves’ current momentum.

Ilves already made important player acquisitions last season. Santeri Haarala had time to score ten goals for Ilves before moving to the ranks of Swedish club Djurgården in August.

Despite such a big loss, Ilves’ game has worked. Among other things, a young person has come to the fore Oiva Jukkola.

– Even though Haarala was sold to Djurgården, Ilves has still been able to make a result by modifying their play and using different players. However, the basic principles of the game have not changed.

– However, Ilves is not a perfect team. There are certain weaknesses in defending the own area and with the balance of the field. However, they have been able to hide their weaknesses. Thanks to their versatile attacking play, they have been able to win enough.

Along with Rantanen, another fairly recent Ilves face has been working on an important change project. From the person who transferred from HJK Miika from Takkula a year ago, the club’s new sports director came.

– When you have a clear strategy, what kind of football you want to play and what kind of players you want to play it with, one dip in the game doesn’t change anything. The gameplay supports the players’ performances on the pitch. It has been seen in Ilves the best of the Veikkausliiga clubs, Pohja praises.

– This is how the game looked already from the beginning of the season. Ilves has been able to do this in a few months, which shows that Rantanen and Takkula are really hard professionals.

The power of the new stadium

Rantanen talks about a strong game identity.

– There is strong ball control, which enables us to attack from several lanes and in a versatile manner. Versatility sometimes means combinations of small distances and sometimes we advance really strongly behind the line or we get a fast advance from the wing, Rantanen opens.

Rantanen also highlights the importance of the new stadium. The auditorium capacity of the Tammela sanctuary is 8,000.

– We have been able to get the best out of the new stadium and turn it into a fortress where it is good to play.

Rantanen emphasizes that the benefit of the home crowd has not come from that alone.

– It doesn’t come as a direct gift, but through work and play, Rantanen adds.

HJK’s position as the number one challenger

Ilves has announced that it wants to become a long-term success like HJK in Finnish football. Like HJK, Katse is also strongly focused on the euro fields.

– Resources on a Finnish scale are large and will surely only grow from here. In addition to the resources, the sportsmanship has been so consistent that they are able to build a recognizable game identity for Ilves in a short time, says Pohja.

– There is potential for much bigger things. For a long time, HJK has been Finland’s number one club in these fields, but Ilves is taking a strong new role. If not now rising alongside, then at least as the number one challenger. That’s what it’s been like with KuPS this year.