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

[RorschachWJK]

Absolutely the right move but should never have happened...I mean Rautakorpi should never have been chosen in the first place. The guy does not know how to coach youngsters. This is his third time as the U20 coach of Finland, the results:
-relegation round
-quarter final exit
-relegation round

And some of you are saying this wasn't coaches fault? I am laughing my ass off..

Our depth is not good enough to lose Aho, Pulju and Laine and still keep playing for gold. That is clear. But it is good enough not to end up in relegation. That is god damn clear! This debacle was on coach Rautakorpi. Period.

 

[snipes]

Yeah, it is silenced for a year about. I mean if someone really thinks this team played even close to their level, they are nuts. This was really something that no one was expecting, a relegation round games.

This was a catastrophe, and the Golden Age talk continues on my part. The players are good enough, that is the point. A single failed tournament does not change that. This really is a Golden age for Finnish hockey, no matter the results. Few years from now Tolvanen, Vesalainen and co will be lighting it in the NHL.

Yet Canada has 3 of 4 Olympic Golds, back to back WHC Gold, and the last 2 World Cups (5 of 6 best-on-best: 2002 Olympics, 2004 World Cup, 2010 Olympics, 2014 Olympics, 2016 World Cup [if this WC counts]).

Anyways, the Golden Age talk by some Finns (not you, or most of the vast majority of awesome Finnish posters here) was getting extreme and becoming a direct challenge. The "Canada has no sisu" allegations look funny now as a call out to our hegemony.

Relegation it is. Make up for it by destroying Latvia. Suomi better mop the floor with them, no mercy.

 

[RorschachWJK]

A couple of my Finnish buddies have PMed me about that poster. Thanks for the heads up, I don't think he represents you guys, my gut feeling was this doesn't sound like a reasonable and logical Finn. Appreciate you guys giving me proper clarification.

Coaches fired, hopefully you guys play pissed off. Absolutely destroy Latvia, take out all the frustrations on them. Bury them.

No problem

Yes, I think Latvia is in for a nasty experience. Although it is a tough situation for the new coach to be the fire brigade with no forewarning. Hopefully the change really fires up the team to finally play to it's potential.

 

[Tulipunaruusu*]

Let me guess, it is North American influence to blame for Suomi's failures?

Your crusade against lands and cultures you know nothing about is hilarious. Laine, Pulju, and Aho were heavily influenced by a desire to play hockey on the other side of the Atlantic. Therefore, if "individualism" of our lands is to blame for failure this year, does it equally apply to success last year?

[MOD]

Nothing wrong with players going over or seeking something far away. The problems begin when these easily converted geezers return, surrounded by influential advisors and money which lures them to break unity of Finnish ice hockey in hopes of stardom. These are not ready players. These whom you worship are children. They should be making mistakes but I think for them to be calling the shots through media or gatherings on how a Finnish national team plays is bit excessive and alarming.

Finland played quite poor game against Sweden after all. After the players took over with their own overactive ideas. Jortikka's forewarning came true once again.

 

[snipes]

No problem

Yes, I think Latvia is in for a nasty experience. Although it is a tough situation for the new coach to be the fire brigade with no forewarning. Hopefully the change really fires up the team to finally play to it's potential.

No mercy on Latvia. I hope you guys come out and break their will, we like to battle the Finns during game time but I don't want to see Finns relegated. No countries love hockey in the same way as Canada and Suomi. Your lions better come out ready to feast on the Latvians, not their fault on Latvia's behalf, but they are prey in the way.

[MOD]

 

[Matti_A]

I think the writing was on the wall for Rautakorpi and co. all along ever since the Sweden game.

It was quite damning when team Finland played it's best game and basically up to their potential versus Sweden after a player only meeting. I got the feeling the players decided to ignore the coaching staff and just go out there and play balls to the wall type of hockey.

The decision to hire Rautakorpi in the first place was asinine imho. To me he represents stone aged hockey that has no business in the world of junior hockey that is all about speed and future trends.

 

[Mogo]

Vinnie Viola bought Team Finland?

 

[duga]

I acctually thought (and wrote in the Swiss Roster thread) that behind Sweden Group A will be very close and that any of the 4 others could rank from 2-5. CZE, SUI and DEN all have good rosters, even with guys like Zacha an Malgin absent. however, I did think FIN is the least likely to finish 5th among them.
Momentum is so important at this stage and wining the right game at the right time is crucial, with the head- to-head as primary factor to rank teams equal on points, it can slip easily out of your hand whether you qualify or not, when you loose the wrong games at the wrong time. Especially the 3rd and 4th best in a group are in constant danger. Has happened a few times to Switzerland. Im acctually surprised it hasn 't hit more top 6 nations yet.

Even if there are alot of good forwards among 98ers and 97ers for Finland, I think, in the slipstream of Laine, Aho and Puljujärvi, they might have been a bit overrated at the draft. don't get me wrong i like a lot of them, and Im generally excited about the recent flood of elite finnish players. But now they are exposed as the leaders.

Plus Finland is not Canada.

Last years eligibles, unavailabe for different reason:

Rantanen, Laine, Aho, Puljujärvi, Kapanen, Hintz, Saarela, Lammikko or Tammela.

That's quite a bunch of talent to replace. Even for Finland.

Latvia though shouldn't be much of a danger.

 

[Matti_A]

Furthermore I have to say that I disagree strongly with people saying this years team Finland simply wasn't strong or deep enough.

The team wasn't good enough to medal, that much I can agree with.

But they should have been able to reach the quarter finals with a fighting chance at the semis.

The game that really did them in was the opener vs. the Czech's, there was no excuse to loose that game.

The game versus Denmark was one of those games where everything goes against you. The goalie let in a couple soft ones, the Danes scored with a ridiculous percentage, the Finns hit at least 2-3 posts and the goalie at the other end stood on his head. That's just hockey, sometimes you don't get the breaks. 9 out of 10 times Finland walks away with 3 points.

They could also easily have gotten at least a point vs. Sweden.

 

[Raimo Sillanpää]

Latvia though shouldn't be much of a danger.

The golden generation talk is a bit excessive, but there really is depth, while not Canada, Finland really is top-4 junior nation now clearly, Finland B would be tough opponent for Czechs nevermind Swiss, Danes etc.

Now with Ahokas, and surely a ****ed of team, I fear Switzerland will feel the brunt of a team wanting to prove themselves, beating Latvia wont prove anything, thumping the Swiss tonight would.

 

[Lataba76]

Doesn't look good, but who cares....Finland is going to be the darling of the hockey world in the immediate future. Laine, Barkov, Ristolainen, Puljujarvi, Rantanen, Aho, Vatanen, Granlund, Tolvanen....these are all great young Finnish players and all are fun to watch. They could win a Gold Medal eventually with that core, it's that good. They are doing something right over there. One bad WJC doesn't mean anything, especially after their magical run last year.

Also, Finland is, as of right now, arguably the 2nd most fertile hockey producing country in the world. All their young and veteran talent comes from a nation of only 5 million. Sweden has twice the population, but no way do they have twice the talent. Not anymore at least. Hell, Moscow is twice the size of Finland and the GTA - the most fertile place for talent, bar none - is bigger than Finland.

Okay! I think this is an excuse! Sweden has 9,5 Mill and Russia has 144 Mill. USA 320 Mill. Despite Sweden is not weaker than this Hockey-Nations. The population gap betwenn Sweden and Finland is more closer. Despite Sweden is much stronger!

 

[Icejoker]

The problem is the same as in world cup, Rautakorpi and his 6 vicecoaches only look at video and they know how they should play but they forgot the players. So instead of video looking more training. I blame the videocoach and the asst gM from the world cup team.

 

[duga]

Furthermore I have to say that I disagree strongly with people saying this years team Finland simply wasn't strong or deep enough.

The team wasn't good enough to medal, that much I can agree with.

But they should have been able to reach the quarter finals with a fighting chance at the semis.

The game that really did them in was the opener vs. the Czech's, there was no excuse to loose that game.

The game versus Denmark was one of those games where everything goes against you. The goalie let in a couple soft ones, the Danes scored with a ridiculous percentage, the Finns hit at least 2-3 posts and the goalie at the other end stood on his head. That's just hockey, sometimes you don't get the breaks. 9 out of 10 times Finland walks away with 3 points.

They could also easily have gotten at least a point vs. Sweden.

I agree with a lot. But in a very good year obstacles like this year's would have been overcome IMO. They arguably got the 2nd best roster on paper in Group A, but they don 't separate themselfes enough, that a worst case scenario like right now couldn 't occur.

Dynamics can be brutal in this tournaments. Lose a close one to a similarly talented Czech Rep., can't find the net against an efficient Denmark. And suddenly you have to gather points against the strongest opponent, or you risk to be out of business before you 've even played your last round robin match. There it gets tough.

 

[Confucius]

What's with all the Latvian hate? I'll cheer for the underdog, go Latvia come up big you've done it before.

 

[DoubleGold]

Yet Canada has 3 of 4 Olympic Golds, back to back WHC Gold, and the last 2 World Cups (5 of 6 best-on-best: 2002 Olympics, 2004 World Cup, 2010 Olympics, 2014 Olympics, 2016 World Cup [if this WC counts]).

Anyways, the Golden Age talk by some Finns (not you, or most of the vast majority of awesome Finnish posters here) was getting extreme and becoming a direct challenge. The "Canada has no sisu" allegations look funny now as a call out to our hegemony.

Relegation it is. Make up for it by destroying Latvia. Suomi better mop the floor with them, no mercy.

Sisu isn't simply strenght, it is perseverance, among other things. It's quite hard for Canada to have it as you are the biggest hockey country in terms of producing quality players, you invented the sport.

It's pretty amazing that Finland is able to be a serious contender with a population of 5,4 million and starting to play hockey seriously as late as the 1950's.

 

[Visul]

What's with all the Latvian hate? I'll cheer for the underdog, go Latvia come up big you've done it before.

Just a guess - but since there are only a few big hockey countrys in the world, for this competition's sake it's better that Finland plays in A division next year. Nothing against Latvia but Finland has more to bring on the table for WJC tournaments.

 

[Confucius]

Just a guess - but since there are only a few big hockey countrys in the world, for this competition's sake it's better that Finland plays in A division next year. Nothing against Latvia but Finland has more to bring on the table for WJC tournaments.

Well I guess we'll find out. At least it's 2 of 3, rather than one and done.

 

[kulenova seka]

. No countries love hockey in the same way as Canada and Suomi.

.

Latvians says you are very wrong !

 

[Jussi]

Kummola out!

Been out for ages already.

 

[Jussi]

Latvians says you are very wrong !

They're too good in football for that to be true. Also, that would be more believable coming from the keyboard of a Latvian.

 

[BalticWarrior]

They're too good in football for that to be true. Also, that would be more believable coming from the keyboard of a Latvian.

U wot m8? check football rankings search "Latvia" and come back to me with the results. and yes hes correct Hockey is absolutley number 1 sport here.

 

[Tomas W]

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 .

Why isnt Floorball a real sport? Its more real than your ability to make sense I would say.

 

[Hockeyisl1fe]

Olli Juolevi - drafted #5 overall in 2016
Miro Heiskanen - projects as a mid first round pick in 2017
Vili Saarijarvi - 3rd round pick in 2015. A PPG defenseman in the OHL
Uhro Vaakanainen - projects as a mid-late first round pick in 2017
Juuso Valimaki - projects as a mid-late first round pick in 2017
Kasper Bjorkqvist - 2nd round pick in 2016
Henrik Borgstrom - 1st round pick in 2016
Janne Kuokkanen - 2nd round pick in 2016
Julius Nattinen - 2nd round pick in 2016
Eeli Tolvanen - projects as a top 10 pick in 2017
Kristian Vesalainen - projects as a mid 1st round pick in 2017

I didn't bother to mention some of their later round picks, or kids who are playing well against men in Liiga and the KHL.

Please enlighten us, how this team is without doubt one of the weakest, if not the weakest team involved...

This and so much this. Yeah, we weren't in the top tier this time, but it's absolutely ridiculous to say that we are one of the worst teams on paper. Should have been medal contenders with good coaching.

 

[Pandaman11]

Not shocked they didn't do well

Nobody is.

Obviously I'm somewhat schocked that they're going to the relegation. But it's always an up and down (see red line).

A gold medal is again being followed by a deep fall.

So everyone relax, next year they'll be good again.

 

[agent082]

Even last years u18 champions would have been better than 5th. There is plenty of fault on coaching staff. Funny to read comments where people say this isn't surprise with this squad. I'm not sure they even have followed these players prior the tournament.