The management of Ilves does not rule out the option of a foreign head coach.
Tampereen Ilves, who are fourth in the league, will lose their head coach after the season. Antti Pennanen was chosen as the new head coach of the Lions last week.
Pennanen will start his work at the Ice Hockey League in the spring of 2024. Consequently, Ilves will have to find a new general manager for his team.
There is no news about it yet.
– We don’t have a time limit in this matter. There is no reason to drag out the choice, but there is no need to rush with it either. Let’s do the process carefully. Let’s take the time the process takes, says Ilves’ sports director Timo Koskela.
– However, this is still a recent issue.
No surprise
The Ilves organization was not really surprised by the departure of the 44-year-old Pennanen.
– He is a top coach and has done an excellent job for a long time. The national team identified the best possible man for them, Koskela thinks.
Pennanen joined Ilves in the middle of last season.
Snuggle
Olli Jokinen does good work year after year with a small budget in Mikkeli. Before Tuesday’s round, Jukurit is as high as second in the series. TOMI NATRI / AOP
There are plenty of people from all over the world who want to be the head coaches of the top European teams.
According to Iltalehti, he will become the head coach of the Swiss Biel Antti Törmänen about 150 people applied for the place last summer.
Tampere has good conditions and plenty of hockey traditions. Ilves can build a successful team.
There are certainly enough applicants even there, even if Koskela does not admit that the phone has started ringing louder.
Alien?
Local competitor Tappara hired Swedish Rikard Grönborg as their head coach for this season.
Is a foreign head coach a realistic option for Ilves?
– We haven’t talked about it yet at this stage. This matter became concrete only recently. We are looking for the best possible person for this with the criteria we have.
Ilves does not speak publicly about the criteria.
A lot of options
Tommi Niemelä’s contract with Pelicans ends this season. TOMI NATRI / AOP
The Ilves organization keeps silent about names at this point.
There are plenty of good domestic coaches alone. And more will be released from their contracts at the end of this season.
Potential alternatives to become Ilves’ head coach have, among other things, quickly risen to the top of the coaching ranks Olli Jokinenand dragged the Pelicans nicely to the finals last spring Tommi Niemelä.
Pekka Virta, Mikko MannerJarno Pikkarainen or Karri Kivi are also examples of available coaches.
So is Jukka Jalonen.
And in the case of Ilves, my companion Raimo Helminen must always be mentioned.
Ilves plays next on Thursday in Oulu against Kärppi. Ilves is also involved in the CHL.