Riku Isokoski
The sensitivity of Rikard Grönborg’s emotional control is a big threat to Tappara’s success, writes Riku Isokoski.
Rikard Grönborg’s emotions have run high several times this season. Jaakko Stenroos / AOP
Tappara’s Swedish coach Rikard Grönborg caused an uproar on Saturday, when he threw a full-winged SM League head referee Jyri Rönni after the HIFK match.
The outburst, tinged with numerous English curse words, was without a doubt inappropriate and far from the behavior expected of a man of his time. There was hardly any discussion in the situation.
The capture, however, could also partly be Grönborg’s own media game, because all the journalists present were guaranteed to hear the shouting. The words were also recorded For MTV videotape.
By doing this, Grönborg got at least several times more voice for his opinions, what he thinks about the department led by Rönni.
It was by no means the first time that Grönborg lost his temper when working as a referee in the SM League. The flamboyant Swede is already almost a concept.
For example, at the end of November, he got sent off in a TPS match when he got emotional in a conversation with the referee.
Up until now, the head coach’s outbursts have not had too much of a negative impact on Tappara – after all, the team is caught up in winning the regular season.
However, emotional control is an essential skill in hockey, where overshoots tend to crash into your own ankle for a long time.
Especially in the soon-to-be playoffs, it would be advisable for Grönborg to keep his emotions in check and not waste his energy on the judges.
In the worst case, the head coach’s frustration will be repeated to the rest of the team, which would certainly not result in anything good from Tappara’s point of view.
With his behavior, Grönborg also dims his own image of a charismatic man of the world.
The style seen on Saturday was closer to the angst of an adolescent teenager.