Former hockey forward Michal Broš has played in the Finnish league for three seasons and has been fascinated by Suomi’s performance ever since. Recently, the Finns, under coach Jukka Jalonen, have supplemented the game, which is traditionally based on great condition and skating, with tactical perfection, and at the Beijing Olympics, they have advanced for historical gold. They gave their opponents almost no chance.
From the last three big tournaments, they brought Finn gold (MS 2019), silver (MS 2021) and gold (Olympics). What is their magic?
It is necessary to see it in an even broader and deeper context, it is not just a question of recent years. In the Czech Republic, we have not taken the Finns for a long time to be better than our national teams, but in the last twelve years or so they have clearly been among the world’s best. He regularly carries medals from world championships, Olympics and championships up to 20 and 18 years. We only have four in that time. And they are particularly successful at the Olympics, with the exception of Pyongyang, they have always been on the podium since Turin 2006. I would not be surprised at all now that where it suddenly comes from.
Sure, but they dominated the last three tournaments, they excelled at the top of the world. How did they do it?
The last significant successes came from their self-confidence. The Finns are a modest and humble nation, they have suffered for many years before they clearly won their first world title in 1995. It was no longer such a surprise in 2011 and now the Finnish team is really confident. Players believe in their system and what the coaches want. The basis of representation is more or less given and whoever completes it is able to fit into the group. It works and they really know how to perform tactics to the letter. No mistake, no excess, no deviation.
How important a figure in this functioning gear is coach Jukka Jalonen, who won the World Championships in 2011 and 2019 and has now signed the first Finnish Triumph of the Finns?
I remember him from the time I played in Finland, which was from 2005 to 2008. He coached Hämeenlinna, who deprived my then club Kärpät Oulu of the title in 2006 and played excellent hockey. They began to see Jalonen as the coach of the future, and it was confirmed. It’s very popular with players, quite emotional for Finn. It will get players excited about their game system.
World medals since 2010
Olympic tournaments, world championships and World Championships under 20 and 18 are included.
Canada: 10 gold – 6 silver – 5 bronze / a total of 21 medals,
USA: 10 – 3 – 10 / 23,
Finland: 8 – 5 – 5 / 18,
Sweden: 5 – 9 – 6 / 20,
Mask: 4 – 9 – 9 / 22,
Czechia: 1 – 1 – 2 / 4,
Switzerland: 0 – 2 – 0 / 2,
Slovakia: 0 – 1 – 2 / 3,
Germany: 0 – 1 – 0 / 1.
Do you see a big change in the style of the Finns under his leadership? It kept saying how fast skaters were and that they sometimes flew up and down too much. Now it’s all about solid defense.
The Finns approach everything in a scientific way, solving every detail. Over time, they have found their way, which brings success and effect. They have always been able to rely on skills and skating, and they have such a national nature that they talk less and work more. They added tactical excellence, when they don’t really deviate from what they say. And that is the way to success. When they lost in the World Cup finals last year, for some hockey spectators, their performances were unmatched.
Similar voices were heard now during the Olympics.
But I will argue that I really liked it. It serves a purpose and last year they were not far from defending the title of world champion. At the 2019 World Championships in Bratislava, it was unbelievable how disciplined the Finns were. They hardly went out, offering their opponents an average of only two power plays per match. And when I go back to the Olympics, some here didn’t stand a chance against them. As for tactics, I would like to mention one more thing.
What kind?
Condition. It’s a major Finnish feature, they are terribly stomped on. It’s a lot of a lot of fouls, they just have it. The statistics from the 2019 World Cup were great, as they scored only two goals in the third period in ten matches. Both in the group with Germany, one of them in the empty net. I find it incredible to prove this.
When the team has been together for a long time and has all the game elements you talked about firmly embedded in its skin, it can then resist rivals with a larger number of NHL players at the World Cup.
Sure, absolutely fine. Because not a single tactical excess will appear. It is still necessary to mention the great performances of the goalkeepers. In 2019, Kevin Lankinen was taken from somewhere on the farm to the World Championships, Juho Olkinuor shone last year in Riga and Harri Säteri won the Olympics. They can always choose the one with the best form and rely on it to catch them.
Did you consider the Finns the biggest favorites of the Olympics?
I didn’t compose any of my rankings before the tournament, I believed that the Czechs could also speak in the top spot. But I really like the Finns for a long time, I’ve been watching them more closely since I worked there and I saw how they approach hockey. How they work with defenders, for example, and build a creative side in each player. I wish it were the same here. I knew that sooner or later they would be the best in the world, and it is admirable with what population base they achieved compared to the other great powers.
In May, the Finns will host the World Cup and can emulate the Swedes from 2006, when they won the Olympics and the World Cup in one season.
Everyone probably already knows what to expect. The basis of the team will be the same, it will definitely not be an easy opponent for anyone. The Finns have confidence in their hockey sticks and will definitely be one of the biggest favorites.
