Urheilu’s expert Topi Nättinen does not believe in the reasons given for the firing of Jukka Rautakorven.
Sports expert Top Nättinen was surprised when he opened the phone on Wednesday morning and found that JYP’s head coach Jukka Rautakorpi had been fired.
– I was watching the JYP–Ässät game on Tuesday. When you looked at the atmosphere and the good feeling in the hall, this was a really big bomb, Nättinen said.
When Rautakorvi started at JYP, a three-year project started, but Rautakorvi’s time was now one and a half years. Nättinen states that last year was a disappointment in terms of results (JYP came in 13th), but in terms of gameplay, good blanks were already visible then.
This season, JYP is among the six in point average. It has the best dominance in the league and a few top players are playing really well.
– If you think about the big picture, there is no problem with the game or the result. JYP does not operate with the biggest budget, the above clubs have bigger resources. I don’t quite understand what could have been done better with those resources.
JYP’s press release according to the decision is related to the game goals of the JYP2025 strategy. Among other things, the key things are creativity, courage to play and positivity. In the press release, JYP’s director of sports Mikko Viitanen states that Rautakorpi introduced a very new level of physical requirements to the team, but in other areas of the game the pace of development was not enough to meet the club’s goals.
Nättinen doesn’t buy arguments.
– The justifications are very interesting, I don’t believe them at all. I think they are explanations and excuses if we are talking about game ideology. However, in elite sports, the focus of everything is winning, and then comes what the game looks like.
– (Chairman of the Board) Jukka Seppänen and Mikko Viitanen have certainly seen all of JYP’s games. The comments do not correspond to the reality of what is happening on the ice. In my opinion, JYP has been exactly the things that have been required in the strategy.
According to Nättinen, the firings of Rautakorven put Viitanen and Seppänen in a really questionable light.
– The coach has already changed at a really fast pace before this. Then we calmed down a bit, made a three-year project and brought in a famous, successful and experienced coach. Then it is suddenly cut off. If that wasn’t enough, who wants to go there? Who wants a club where the sports director and club boss decide how to play?
– The suspicion arises that this is about personal chemistry and not so much about the game.
In addition to Rautakorvin, also a member of the coaching group Ville Nieminen may leave. To take the coaching responsibility Mikko Heiskanen, who has also been part of JYP’s coaching group. Two people from coaching were therefore moved aside, but the third person from the group continues.
– A very interesting situation. Rautakorpi and Nieminen came as a package, so they were fired together. It’s confusing that the third wheel remains. Has Heiskas been envisioned as the future head coach? Is this a good situation for him too? Is anyone coming for the rest of the season? I get the feeling that they wanted to get rid of Jukka Rautakorve as a person.
Nättinen finally gives a blunt assessment of JYP’s lead duo.
– Viitanen and Seppänen put themselves in front of JYP’s interests. JYP was going in the right direction. JYP was more entertaining on the pitch than practically ever in my lifetime.