Despite a strong season, Tuomas Iisalo pushes the position of favorite to others in the Champions League and Bundesliga championship fights.
Roope Visuri,
Jouko Vuolle
48 matches: 44 wins and 4 losses. Tuomas Iisalon The Bonn basketball team coached by
Last week, Bonn secured victory in the German Bundesliga. This weekend, the sporting pride of Beethoven’s hometown will play in the final tournament of the Champions League.
When we look at more numbers, Iisalo’s achievements become even more difficult.
Bonn and Iisalo have not had nearly as much money as the others.
Of the four teams in the Champions League final in Bonn has the weakest budget (you switch to another service). In the Bundesliga, Bonn has beaten Bayern Munich and Alba Berlin, giant clubs operating in completely different spheres.
According to the German media Bonn’s budget this season is 6.5 million, while Bayern Munich’s budget is 25 million euros and Berlin’s 14 million euros (you switch to another service).
So, Tuomas Iisalo’s team has once again exceeded expectations. Already in the past, something similar was seen in Germany, when the brothers Tuomas and Joonas Iisalo coached Crailsheim. They take Crailsheim to the playoffs with the smallest budget in the Bundesliga.
For this season, Joonas Iisalo took over as Heidelberg’s coach. Heidelberg narrowly qualified for the playoffs. It was only one victory away that the brothers would have met in the quarterfinals starting next week.
Tuomas Iisalo describes the team’s success this season as a comprehensive performance.
– We have had a very successful recruitment process. The players have adapted really well to the way we play, but especially to the culture we have created, where the success of the team comes before everything else. It has made daily work really motivating. Even though it’s been two games in a week, everyone has had a lot of energy. It has been possible to press well. The conditions have also been very good. The club has its own hall, where we play and train, Iisalo describes.
Iisalo has already received personal honors. Last week, he was chosen as coach of the year in the Bundesliga for the second time in a row.
– Of course it’s a matter of pride and it feels good. I still have to say that the selection was a bigger deal last year. Now the game rush is on and there are a lot of games. We have chances of success in two competitions. The eyes are on them, Iisalo characterizes.
The German media is already speculating about Iisalo’s next address
There has been speculation in the German media that during the spring, Bonn has a now-or-never chance.
The team’s title sponsor is reducing its support for next season (you will switch to another service). A company from the telecommunications industry has supported the team with three million euros, but is also about to withdraw completely after next season. According to the club management, there is no information about the time after next season at this stage.
It’s no wonder that Iisalo’s future patterns have already been speculated. The Finnish coach’s contract with Bonn is coming to an end this season.
Already three years ago (you switch to another service) the man from Loviisa was in the process of becoming the coach of the Lithuanian Euroleague giant Zalgiris Kaunas. Iisalo made it to the top three, but the final selection was not aimed at him. At that time, Iisalo had also just signed an extension contract with Crailsheim.
A year later, Iisalo took a moderate step forward and thus moved to a bigger club in Bonn in Germany. At that time, strict licensing criteria excluded Spain and Turkey from the major countries.
Iisalo tells Urheilu that his plans for the future are still open.
Iisalo pushes the position of the favorite to others in the championship fights
In the final tournament of the Champions League, Bonn will face Malaga from Spain on Friday evening. In the second semi-final, on the other hand Sasu Salini Tenerife will receive Israel’s Hapoel Jerusalem. Salin’s Tenerife defends its championship from last season in the final tournament played in Malaga.
Iisalo transfers the position of the favorite to others in both the Champions League and Bundesliga championships.
Malaga showed their attacking prowess earlier this season in the Spanish Cup, when the team knocked off Tenerife, Real Madrid and Barcelona.
– Malaga is the most challenging possible opponent, but we have beaten tough teams in both leagues. We have no reason to hesitate to go against Malaga. I see that we have small, but realistic chances for the championship in either or even both series, Iisalo says about his expectations for the rest of the season.
In the Bundesliga, Iisalo reminds us of an almost unique situation, because with Bonn’s victory in the regular season, one of the country’s big clubs will be left out of the finals. Bayern Munich and Alba Berlin will meet in the semi-finals if they win their quarter-final series.
– This opens up an opportunity for a medium-sized club like ours. These two Euroleague clubs are the biggest favourites, but we have a strong collective. We have been able to beat both teams this season, says Iisalo.