WJC: Finland Coaching Staff Fired Mid-Tournament. Jussi Ahokas Now Coaching

[Canada4Gold]

Mentioned in the Finland Roster thread, but I think it's big enough news to warrant it's own thread, the Thurkuaf Suspension was.

Has this ever happened before

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[SenzZen]

You've gotta be Jokerit.

 

[Canada4Gold]

What I find most interesting is they waited until the Swiss won today to do this. Meaning if Denmark won and Finland was still alive they probably end up going with the status quo.

Meaning it's more of a you failed rather than a we think this is a better option

 

[FinnLightning26]

What I find most interesting is they waited until the Swiss won today to do this. Meaning if Denmark won and Finland was still alive they probably end up going with the status quo.

Meaning it's more of a you failed rather than a we think this is a better option

Feels like the Finnish Hockey Federation is just trying to save face here. They waited for the last possible minute to fire their sauna friends.

 

[Garbs]

Hey, why stop there? Make them pay for their own commercial flights back home.

 

[ChicagoBullsFan]

This was only option.
Time will tell will Rauli Urama lost also his current job in Finnish hockey association.

He was double role in Team Finland this years ( 2017) tournament

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

pretty embarrasing

 

[jiboy]

Ridiculous everyone knew they were going to have a hard time this year , Finland does not have enough depth to compete for gold every year.

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

Canada should have done this last year

 

[Lataba76]

Ridiculous everyone knew they were going to have a hard time this year , Finland does not have enough depth to compete for gold every year.

But why? For example Sweden is very constant year for year.

 

[ChicagoBullsFan]

pretty embarrasing

This was only option what Finnish Hockey Association had left.
Think about that if this same would happen to Canada in Helsinki last year.

 

[The Cannon of Tesoma]

Lol.

Just like old trope.

A roman commander changed in the lead of an undiciplined and unregimented front line legion... With full imperium and all.

I fear, it is too little too late, but right call. Only in Finland.

 

[ThrashersfanSVK]

Am I the only one who thinks this move is ridiculous? I don't want to protect Rautakorpi, Ahokas should have been given U20 this year already, but firing head coach mid-tournament is kind of eastern european way of solving problems...

 

[randomhockeyfan]

Ridiculous everyone knew they were going to have a hard time this year , Finland does not have enough depth to compete for gold every year.

I don't think anyone was expecting gold. We do have enough depth to avoid the relegation round ffs.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

Am I the only one who thinks this move is ridiculous? I don't want to protect Rautakorpi, Ahokas should have been given U20 this year already, but firing head coach mid-tournament is kind of eastern european way of solving problems...

It's a little bush league. From what I read this is the first time a defending gold medalist has had to play in the relegation round the following year. Is that true?

 

[ChicagoBullsFan]

But why? For example Sweden is very constant year for year.

Hockey is extremely expensive hobby in Finland and only those kids who have rich parents are able to play hockey. But that's not only reason.

Volleyball and Basketball are rising in Finland.
Finland's men's national Volleyball and Basketball teams are played men's European Championships tournaments last years.

Also Floorball attracts Finnish kids because it's cheaper hobby for a child which does not have rich parents.
Hopefully you know now why Finland has limited talent and prospect pools in Hockey.

 

[Canada4Gold]

It's a little bush league. From what I read this is the first time a defending gold medalist has had to play in the relegation round the following year. Is that true?

They've said it on TV a few times and I checked a few years and couldn't find one.

it's even worse when you remember it used to be 4th and 5th that went to the relegation round until they changed it so the defending champion had never finished 4th in their group prior to that.

I think this is a little bush league too. Teams have bad tournaments and I don't recall a coaching staff ever being fired mid-tournament. If they wanted to do it ahead of the Sweden game I would have understood, hey you still have a chance and this maybe makes you better, but doing it now just feels like they want to punish them and embarrass the bad coaches for their bad results. And yeah sure, they still have relegation to fight for and want to make sure they have the best chance not to be relegated, but the odds of losing to Latvia twice in 3 games were low with either staff, and the fact that they waited until after the Swiss won today to do it means it's more about showing the staff up then actual hey we need to be the best team we can be in our remaining games.

 

[ChicagoBullsFan]

It's a little bush league. From what I read this is the first time a defending gold medalist has had to play in the relegation round the following year. Is that true?

Yes. Finland is first U20 world-champion which will play in relegation round

 

[AvroArrow]

Not the coaches fault, the team just isn't good enough to compete this year.

 

[Dr Pepper]

Well surely they won't suffer the embarrassment of actually being relegated.

At least....one would hope not, anyways.

 

[ResilientBeast]

Not shocked they didn't do well after they lost their entire top line that dominated the tournament last year.

 

[AvroArrow]

But why? For example Sweden is very constant year for year.

Because they're missing the likes of Laine/Puljujarvi. The team isn't as deep this year, nor do they have any game breaking players this time around. It's embarrassing on managements fault, their performance is directly related to the on ice product. Not the coaching staff. Not trying to be disrespectful but the players and the team just isn't good enough, nobody's fault. Dumb firing, embarrassing for the management team.

 

[FiLe]

Am I the only one who thinks this move is ridiculous?

It's unprecedented, that's for sure.

What makes it slightly less ridiculous is that the circumstances happened to favor this solution. The new coach was already present in the city, commentating the games for Finnish television, and half of the team are guys who won a U18 gold with him last spring.

And he would have taken the reins once the tournament is over anyway. Now he doesn't have to look on from the sidelines, biting his nails and praying that his tenure doesn't start with a detour in Div IA. Sure, that may happen regardless, but at least he gets to have a more active part in trying to salvage his job.


As for saying the team was not good enough, well, that's ridiculous. They weren't gold candidates this year perhaps, but the material was definitely still good enough to avoid relegation.

 

[Lataba76]

Hockey is extremely expensive hobby in Finland and only those kids who have rich parents are able to play hockey. But that's not only reason.

Volleyball and Basketball are rising in Finland.
Finland's men's national Volleyball and Basketball teams are played men's European Championships tournaments last years.

Also Floorball attracts Finnish kids because it's cheaper hobby for a child which does not have rich parents.
Hopefully you know now why Finland has limited talent and prospect pools in Hockey.

Okay but do you think Finland could be in Basketball a big Number? How good is Finland in Volleyball(Sorry Volleyball isn t my sport)? Floorball is not real sport .

 

[Canada4Gold]

Because they're missing the likes of Laine/Puljujarvi. The team isn't as deep this year, nor do they have any game breaking players this time around. It's embarrassing on managements fault, their performance is directly related to the on ice product. Not the coaching staff. Not trying to be disrespectful but the players and the team just isn't good enough, nobody's fault. Dumb firing, embarrassing for the management team.

I don't think missing Laine-Aho-Puljujarvi is an excuse as to why they finished last. Yeah losing those 3 makes it tough on them to win gold, or even make the semis. But a team like Finland produces enough talent to not finish last in their group at this level.

Sure Denmark are stronger than usual, Swiss and the Czechs as well slightly. But name for name the Finish talent is not last in this group.

So either the players underperformed, or the coaching was **** or both. Finishing last is not a result of the talent level even without those 3 guys.