Niinimaa out of Team Finland

[gib]

But let's finish this tournament first, and let's all cross our fingers that more players don't quit the team. After that, we can see what happens and how many like/dislike/hate Summanen.

Yes, that is what we need to hope. I am still cheering for this team and Summanen. I just wonder what kind is the team spirit at the moment. Even Finland would won the hole competiotion, will the players be satisfied? If team spirit is close to zero and everyone are more and less annoied in locker room. Can you enjoy of the victory? Does a victory mean anything when there is dispute around the team? Don`t we play, because we want to have good memories even if we lose. Like we played in a great team which had great atmosphere, we did our best it just wasn`t enough. I think players enjoy more, when there is a great spirit around team even if they lose than win something in a ****** team.......but for us, fans it`s all about winning. Nothing else matters.

 

[broman]

You folks do realize that it makes no sense at all to worry about future Worlds, which is a second-string international tourney anyway, when the World Cup of Hockey is under way? The one with all the best pros competing, not just leftovers who can't cut the grade in the rough world that is NHL playoffs? If Finland were to go all the way, I would gladly accept a punitary 10 years in C championships playing Andorra and Azerbaidjan year in, year out. Honestly.

Besides judging from the knee-jerk reaction of head honcho Kummola, himself an immovable object in more ways than one if there ever was any, the blood-thirsty hordes are getting their wish. Summanen will be bought out of his contract after the tournament, and poor Janne will get a deserved second chance to redeem himself. No more meanness and badmouthing, it's back to the halcyon days all over again. So what's with all the worry?

 

[broman]

The Beckham analogy is silly. Yes, Sir Alex has never been one to bite his lip or mind his manners when he's felt the need. But Beckham and others have stood up with him for a decade, taking the heat when it's been coming only to return to the pitch after that, full aware that it's the players themselves who need to turn a match around, not some old geezer yelling by the sideline.

Incidentally, when Fergie arrived at Old Trafford, he was a virtual nobody, much like Summanen. But he stood his ground, never took c**p from anyone, and elevated the team to untold riches, while putting an end to Liverpool's domestic domination and restoring the glory days of Busby boys. The rest, as they say, is history.

One boot, airborne or not, certainly didn't send Beckham out of United. You are ignoring the lure of the Bernabeu and arguably the best club side in the world, not to mention the once-in-a-lifetime chance to join fellow galacticos in the act of rewriting football history. Oh and 100k pounds a week surely didn't hurt either.

What is Janne leaving the team for? A chance to fry sausages and listen to black metal with fellow airheads?

 

[Raimo Sillanpää]

You folks do realize that it makes no sense at all to worry about future Worlds, which is a second-string international tourney anyway, when the World Cup of Hockey is under way? The one with all the best pros competing, not just leftovers who can't cut the grade in the rough world that is NHL playoffs? If Finland were to go all the way, I would gladly accept a punitary 10 years in C championships playing Andorra and Azerbaidjan year in, year out. Honestly.

Besides judging from the knee-jerk reaction of head honcho Kummola, himself an immovable object in more ways than one if there ever was any, the blood-thirsty hordes are getting their wish. Summanen will be bought out of his contract after the tournament, and poor Janne will get a deserved second chance to redeem himself. No more meanness and badmouthing, it's back to the halcyon days all over again. So what's with all the worry?

World Championships are important. Because 1995 is still the high point of Finnish Hockey history. Now, when we have 2 or 3 world championships golds, then we can call it 2nd grade competition. But until then, we need another gold or two to give nation and players the feeling that we are an elite nation, and dont suffer from confidence issues against Sweden/Czechs etc..

 

[gib]

You folks do realize that it makes no sense at all to worry about future Worlds, which is a second-string international tourney anyway, when the World Cup of Hockey is under way?

Besides judging from the knee-jerk reaction of head honcho Kummola, himself an immovable object in more ways than one if there ever was any, the blood-thirsty hordes are getting their wish. Summanen will be bought out of his contract after the tournament, and poor Janne will get a deserved second chance to redeem himself. No more meanness and badmouthing, it's back to the halcyon days all over again. So what's with all the worry?

I am not worrying about future Worlds, I just said it`s impossible that Summanen will lead this team that long. Too many players aren`t happy with his way to lead the team. But let him just finnish this WC and hope for the best. He may be good at tactics, but lack of skills in leading the team is too much.

I don`t like Kummola either, he`s samekind of dictator like Summanen is when he is coahing the team. We have good coaches for replacement to Summanen. He isn`t that kind of rainmaker.

 

[Raimo Sillanpää]

The Beckham analogy is silly. Yes, Sir Alex has never been one to bite his lip or mind his manners when he's felt the need. But Beckham and others have stood up with him for a decade, taking the heat when it's been coming only to return to the pitch after that, full aware that it's the players themselves who need to turn a match around, not some old geezer yelling by the sideline.

Incidentally, when Fergie arrived at Old Trafford, he was a virtual nobody, much like Summanen. But he stood his ground, never took c**p from anyone, and elevated the team to untold riches, while putting an end to Liverpool's domestic domination and restoring the glory days of Busby boys. The rest, as they say, is history.

One boot, airborne or not, certainly didn't send Beckham out of United. You are ignoring the lure of the Bernabeu and arguably the best club side in the world, not to mention the once-in-a-lifetime chance to join fellow galacticos in the act of rewriting football history. Oh and 100k pounds a week surely didn't hurt either.

What is Janne leaving the team for? A chance to fry sausages and listen to black metal with fellow airheads?

Beckham earned more at United. He was more visibly marketed, although salary=less then, he surely made far more $$$ from sponsors then than he does now. So finances didn't make him move to Bernabeu.
A boot into the head, well, if it was on purpose it would underline a relationship torn apart, if by accident it would suggest that Beckham was unhappy with the apology he got (if any). Surely a bigger motivation in leaving his boyhood dream club than the money of Madrid.

Now, a boot kicked into Niinimaa's head? Isn't it very similar situation? that's all I was saying. Although boot in this case would probably be water bottle..
But if you're professional athlete and you get humiliated by coach, at some point enough is enough. Having been so long in NHL and successfully so, I doubt it was verbal abuse. Unless it went way too far.

 

[Pepper]

If Janne felt for whatever reason that he couldn't work with Summanen for a single minute more, he could have gone quietly. Undisclosed injury or whatever, in NHL they do it all the time.

Instead he turned it into a media show, making it clear how he is walking out of his own free will etc. If he wants to have the last word after the tournament, he could have had it then. Now wasn't the time or the place.

It wasn't Niinimaa who made this a media show, far from it. He couldn't play with Summanen as coach and made the only right decision. "undisclosed injury" would have only lead to neverending rumormongering about poor teamspirit which would have eaten the morale of the team. Janne left the team and this allows it to fully concentrate on the remaining games.

It took guts from Janne and after the games are over Summanen will have to explain his actions to Kummola & others.

If the Aamulehti story is true, 3 other finnish players are close to leaving the team as well. Poor game against Germany and this whole thing will explode like a nuclear bomb.

 

[broman]

While Becks earns gazillions in salary alone, his marketing value far exceeds that. The last estimate that I read was that his image is worth 13M pounds annually, or three times his salary. While Real controls his image rights with Adidas, he himself retains control over a number of secondary sponsors. The move to Madrid was estimated to carry significant market potential, which some investment analysts figured would double his net value from 50 to 100 million pounds. Of course after a year gone bad these estimates have been revised, but at the time of the transfer the expectations were high.

 

[broman]

It wasn't Niinimaa who made this a media show, far from it. He couldn't play with Summanen as coach and made the only right decision. "undisclosed injury" would have only lead to neverending rumormongering about poor teamspirit which would have eaten the morale of the team. Janne left the team and this allows it to fully concentrate on the remaining games.

It took guts from Janne and after the games are over Summanen will have to explain his actions to Kummola & others.

If the Aamulehti story is true, 3 other finnish players are close to leaving the team as well. Poor game against Germany and this whole thing will explode like a nuclear bomb.

He could have kept his mouth shut, but chose not to. Are you saying that what we have in our hands now won't qualify as "neverending rumormongering"? That we are somehow better off because of Janne coming clean?

Define "close to leaving the team"? Is it akin to being "a bit pregnant"? You are either in or you are out. It is as simple as that, or should be. Besides, this if any is just rumours. Sure there are players who are not satisfied with the way things are going, for instance we have a number of guys who haven't dressed for a single game. So what? Should we reach for the panic button?

Our basic disagreement revolves around the question whether what Janne did was professional, or a "grown man's decision" as someone put it. I don't think so, far from it. The professional choice would have been to keep his mouth shut and wait until the tournament is over. Watch the development of the Brett Hull saga on the other side of the Atlantic and learn.

 

[High flyin' Habs*]

What did Summanen do that Ninnima got so pissed that he actualy left the tournament?

 

[broman]

What did Summanen do that Ninnima got so pissed that he actualy left the tournament?

He came up with a statement how he's leaving because he chose to, not because he was forced out. Asked for a reason, he said he can't tolerate Summanen's behaviour towards the players. He's had enough, he says.

After Sweden game, Summanen was unhappy with team defence and said he would issue a wake-up call to the team. Apparently Janne didn't respond well to his criticism. Summanen is known for his explosive temper.

Originally, Janne wasn't a part of Summanen's selection. He only made the team once it became clear NHL won't allow Karalahti to participate. He wasn't too happy about that.

 

[broman]

"undisclosed injury" would have only lead to neverending rumormongering about poor teamspirit which would have eaten the morale of the team.

So, exactly how many eyebrows were raised after Berg went out with a "knee injury" after a series of horrendous errors in Germany game? Only to recover miraculously just in time for the QFs?

 

[High flyin' Habs*]

He came up with a statement how he's leaving because he chose to, not because he was forced out. Asked for a reason, he said he can't tolerate Summanen's behaviour towards the players. He's had enough, he says.

After Sweden game, Summanen was unhappy with team defence and said he would issue a wake-up call to the team. Apparently Janne didn't respond well to his criticism. Summanen is known for his explosive temper.

Originally, Janne wasn't a part of Summanen's selection. He only made the team once it became clear NHL won't allow Karalahti to participate. He wasn't too happy about that.

But why is Ninnima the only one that left if Summanen is that bad?
Now im not defending Summanen or anything just curious.

 

[broman]

But why is Ninnima the only one that left if Summanen is that bad?
Now im not defending Summanen or anything just curious.

As said, he only made the team as a backup after Karalahti was forced out. According to others, he even featured in a newspaper interview before the tournament, saying out loud how he wasn't too pleased with it and initally turned down Summanen's offer.

 

[High flyin' Habs*]

As said, he only made the team as a backup after Karalahti was forced out. According to others, he even featured in a newspaper interview before the tournament, saying out loud how he wasn't too pleased with it and initally turned down Summanen's offer.

Why would they want Karalahti insted of Ninnima?

 

[Padawan]

Why would they want Karalahti insted of Ninnima?

There are few reasons. Mostly because Karalahti is actually a better player than Niinimaa though not very much imo. Karalahti has better shot and plays more physical. Niinimaa is calmer and has better hockey sense in the rink. Karalahti fits better to the agressive style of Summanen. Also Summanen has coached Karalahti before.

 

[Arne]

Why would they want Karalahti insted of Ninnima?

Man... Karalahti is a one tough defence man. He has a great shot and everything and he would be in the team if the folks in the NHL would have given him the opportunity. I would take them both.

 

[broman]

Why would they want Karalahti insted of Ninnima?

Don't ask. I guess they figured Karalahti's got the grit as well as a case to prove with the NHL, while Niinimaa has maybe been so-and-so after a season that saw Oilers trade him to Long Island for nothing much honestly. Emphasize "guess", this is not the gospel or anything.

 

[Raipe]

Why would they want Karalahti insted of Ninnima?

Is is too hard write Niinimaa.How is Insest Leflavalier playing?

 

[teme]

Why would they want Karalahti insted of Ninnima?

Niinimaa may be a better player over-all, but Karalahti brings hard hitting and right-handed shot, both of which are needed more than what Niinimaa brings. And he has excellent chemistry with Timonen, who for better or worse is our #1 right now. (Nothing against Kimmo, I just think that ideally he is #2 or #3.)

 

[Arne]

Is is too hard write Niinimaa.How is Insest Leflavalier playing?

hahah.. yeah...
Ninnima, Niinimma.... or Selane.... Who the hell are those guys anyway???

 

[High flyin' Habs*]

hahah.. yeah...
Ninnima, Niinimma.... or Selane.... Who the hell are those guys anyway???

Are you people making fun of me?

 

[Pepper]

He could have kept his mouth shut, but chose not to. Are you saying that what we have in our hands now won't qualify as "neverending rumormongering"? That we are somehow better off because of Janne coming clean?

Janne kept his mouth shot, he didn't go to any details, he only said that he has a personal problem with Summanen, nothing else despite lots of pressure from the press to tell the whole story. He said he won't say anything else as long as the tournament was on. To me that's pretty much keeping his mouth shut, it's not like he can simply disappear without saying anything.

Define "close to leaving the team"? Is it akin to being "a bit pregnant"? You are either in or you are out. It is as simple as that, or should be. Besides, this if any is just rumours. Sure there are players who are not satisfied with the way things are going, for instance we have a number of guys who haven't dressed for a single game. So what? Should we reach for the panic button?

They are still on the team but very close to leaving it and that will show in their performance if true. Aamulehti is very close to certain Tampere-region players (Numminen, Nieminen, Lydman) and they are not your usual yellow-press rumormongers unlike papers like Veikkaaja or Urheilulehti. Should be reach for the panic button? Hell no, it's much easier for Kummola to press Summanen's "shut the **** up" -button.

Our basic disagreement revolves around the question whether what Janne did was professional, or a "grown man's decision" as someone put it. I don't think so, far from it. The professional choice would have been to keep his mouth shut and wait until the tournament is over. Watch the development of the Brett Hull saga on the other side of the Atlantic and learn.

He kept his mouth shut! He has not gone in to any details, simply said that personal chemistry didn't work. That's professional enough to me while the same can't be said about Summanen.

Who are you anyway, Raimo's mom?

 

[broman]

Are you people making fun of me?

Nahh, where did you get the impression. We have nuthin' but respect for the hockey fans of Kannaduh.

 

[Pepper]

There are few reasons. Mostly because Karalahti is actually a better player than Niinimaa though not very much imo. Karalahti has better shot and plays more physical. Niinimaa is calmer and has better hockey sense in the rink. Karalahti fits better to the agressive style of Summanen. Also Summanen has coached Karalahti before.

Karalahti better than Niinimaa? LMAO, for the love god give me a break.

Karalahti has a good shot and hits well and that's it. He's not a good skater, he misses his big hits more often than not, he takes stupid penalties, is lost against faster d-men and generally overrated.