Upbeat whistling is carried into the lobby from the windows of the Tampere arena.
It is echoed by the sound of brisk footsteps as Ilves’ new head coach Tommi Niemelä arrives for the interview from the direction of the team premises.
At the time of the interview, the carpenter is making changes in Ilves’ dressing room. This is how the lynx moves there as well Antti Pennanen from the time until 2026 to the time of the fixed Niemelä.
Although slogans and room signs shine in Niemelä’s Ilves booth by their absence, one of his principles, “continuous development”, is always present in the speech. In Niemelä’s thinking, it ultimately leads to continued success.
The son of an opera singer, who sang in the opera’s children’s choir as a child, begins to speak with an even more powerful voice than usual, when the speech turns to success.
Ilves has two bronze medals from the previous three years, but it has been 39 years since the previous championship.
According to Niemelä, Ilves is in the position of a challenger, but now and in the future only aims for the brightest.
– The most important thing is to understand that the result doesn’t just come, but it comes as the end result of something that we have done better than others.
Building trust
In the last week of May, Niemelä’s coaching team has been close to the players, met the first of them individually, got to know them as people.
Every player goes to these encounters. They “mostly talk about things other than ice hockey and six people introduce themselves, telling about the interests of their own lives”.
In Niemelä’s way of thinking, the whole team should know each other as the people they really are. Everyone should also be allowed to be themselves.
In the video, Tommi Niemelä tells how the fact that you can be yourself in the team can be reflected in success.
The purpose of the meetings is to start a relationship of trust.
– Trust is the deepest essence of the relationship between every athlete and coach. If we can’t achieve that, then we don’t have the opportunity to cooperate either.
The players should develop confidence that the coaches are there for the players, not the other way around.
If an individual does not buy a common item, the issue is discussed openly, says Niemelä. In the community, you have to find a way to adapt to the community.
– Often those who are on completely different sides of the page, but get on the same page, develop many times over.
In Niemelä’s speech, optimism is repeated in many places: even if things don’t go as planned or the easiest way, he wants to believe that something even better than what was thought can follow.
Tommi Niemelä hopes for a broader discussion about the coach’s work than is currently the case. In the video, he explains how coaches can also contribute to the issue. Niemelä also wants to improve his own behavior towards the judges.
Classic Niemelä
Niemelä describes the composition of Ilves as versatile. There are youth and experience, players who have had success and seen the world, and those who are on their way to their first dreams of success.
He wants Ilves to be a fresh, energetic and aggressive team that is faster than the opponent, determines the game and stays on the puck.
In the way Ilves plays, it strives for versatility and speed, both in attack and defense. Players should be close to each other and the opponent. According to Niemelä, it gives the opportunity to play with all the necessary rhythms.
– It won’t just be running forward, and it won’t be just taking backward steps in any case.
Tommi Niemelä is also known for his smile. However, that is not the whole truth. However, Niemelä says in the video that he believes in the power of joy.
Trap or delayed start are not swear words for him.
– Sometimes you have to take things a little slower in order to go really fast again.
Niemelä does not want to focus on a single defensive or opening game choice, but on how much the team can control the flow of the game.
– How can you, change after change, harass the opponent in their own area and thereby find momentum and the probability of winning the match.
Tommi Niemelän coaching mindset doesn’t sound like much has changed in recent years in terms of gameplay or “continuous development”. The coach sticks to his doctrine of being aware of the legality of ball games, which has produced results for the Pelicans.
If the head coach rushing back to the Ilves booth could decide, classic or hard rock would play there. A little different music than today, as he himself characterizes.