The farewell is final: Jukka Jalonen is leaving Italy’s national ice hockey team after just two years and returning to his native Finland. After the bitter relegation from the World Cup, the star coach with great international experience spoke out again in detail – and found clear words about the state of Italian ice hockey, as “Sportnews” reports.
Bitter end at the World Cup
Above all, the decisive defeat against Slovenia still has deep roots in Jalonen’s bones. Two factors were crucial for the Finn: “The defeat was primarily due to mental and practical reasons. Our poor power play cost us a lot of energy, plus our offensive problems,” explained Jalonen.
In fact, Italy had great difficulty attacking throughout the tournament. In the end, relegation from the top division was certain – and with it the end of Jalonen’s term of office.
Contract will not be extended
The Italian association decided against extending the contract after the disappointing World Cup appearance. At the same time, Jalonen was already attracted by an attractive offer from the Finnish Liiga. Despite the relegation, FISG sports director Stefan Zisser praised the work of the experienced coach. Jalonen himself also sees a solid basis for his successor: “There is a strong coaching staff. The new coach doesn’t have to start from scratch.”
Talents should go abroad
Jalonen was particularly evident in the development of young players. The Finn recommends that Italy’s talents take the step abroad at an early stage. “In modern hockey, everything happens very quickly. The quality in countries like Switzerland, Sweden, Finland, Canada and the USA is higher than in Italy,” emphasized the 63-year-old. Young players in particular could mature faster there and prepare better for the professional field.
Criticism of the Italian structures
Between the lines, Jalonen also criticized the structures in Italian ice hockey. In his opinion, it is not so much talent that is lacking, but rather a professional framework. “There are basically only two real professional clubs: Bolzano and Pustertal. Getting a place there is difficult,” explained the Finn.
His conclusion is clear: “There is no lack of talent or attitude in Italian hockey. What is needed is a higher level of daily work.”
Image: Don Bigileone, CC BY 2.0
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