Head coach Joel Banks was satisfied with the achievements of the young Finnish team in the Olympic qualifiers.
Joel Sippola,
STT Sports
The Finnish men’s volleyball team, which was on a losing streak of five matches in the Olympic qualifiers, ended the qualifying campaign in a model fashion with two victories. Finland, which beat Tunisia 3–0 on Saturday, defeated Egypt in a thriller 3–2 (12–25, 25–20, 25–20, 22–25, 13–15) in their final game on Sunday.
Finland suffered bitter 2-3 losses to Japan and Turkey in the tournament. A place on next year’s Olympic fields in Paris was lost quickly for Finland, but the victories in the final games against Tunisia and Egypt, which are higher in the world rankings, put the national team in a good position for the 2025 World Cup.
– It’s nice to finish with a win. It would have been nice to take a few more wins, but. However, the game has been on the upswing, if you compare it to, for example, the European Championships and Kultainen. You can see the development with your own eyes, the director of sports of the Finnish Volleyball Association and worked as an assistant coach in the games Tapio Kangasniemi a bundle.
Also the head coach Joel Banks was satisfied with the process. The team got the hard level matches they were looking for.
– The tournament was fantastic for us. We played at a really high level, and many of our players raised themselves to the international level during this fast-paced tournament. The team exceeded my expectations and grew as the tournament progressed, Banks enthused in a video interview with the Finnish Volleyball Association after the victory over Egypt.
Will Banks continue?
Banks and Kanganiemi see Finland’s future as bright. Sometimes the average age of the Finnish players on the field was around 23 years.
– On the other hand, good players are already good when they are young. A bright future is ahead, but it won’t come by itself. We have to think about how to take the players forward. The players also have to do the work themselves. It is an itch that that team is full of players who are not afraid to work, Kangasniemi sees.
– With our new and still developing generation of players, the future looks quite bright. You don’t jump to the top in an instant, but the Los Angeles Olympics 2028 is a realistic goal, says Banks.
It is possible that Banks will pilot Finland until the year in question.
– Discussions with the union are ongoing. We’ll see what happens, but I believe in this team and I’m very proud to have represented Finland for five years, Banks stated.
Kangasniemi does not rule out the idea that Banks will continue as a coach in the future.
– At least you can’t deny it.