Direct statement from the club chasing a league spot: “Several internal challenges observed”
The Mestis team Joensuun Kiekko-Pojat season ended on Wednesday when Jokerit won the quarter-final series against them with a match score of 4-2.
JoKP started their season strongly and announced that they would seek a Liiga spot for next season if sporting success allows it. The team needed to win the Mestis championship or reach the finals against Jokerit.
However, Kiekko-Pojat’ course turned sharply downward towards the end of the season, and they slipped to eighth place in the regular season, which meant they faced Jokerit in the quarter-finals. The team put the regular season leader under pressure but had to give in and forget about their dreams of Liiga for next season.
JoKP immediately published a direct statement about the past season on Thursday.
– It is time to look in the mirror.
– The club’s board has assessed the performances of the past season and particularly focused on the factors behind the weak results in the second half and has openly brought all painful issues to the table. The analyses conducted have already led to several measures, but the organization will announce the biggest corrective actions in the coming weeks and months.
– Several internal challenges within the organization have been identified behind the results, related to coaching resources, lack of experience, management’s time allocation in sales and marketing tasks, lack of oversight in coaching, and insufficient emphasis on aerobic foundation.
– Compliance with the team’s internal rules and the professional conduct expected from athletes has also not been realized in a way that would best serve the achievement of the team’s goals.
JoKP hired Risto Dufva to their coaching team towards the end of the season. According to the board’s analysis, this was the right move, but it came too late due to financial resources. According to the statement, JoKP played their best hockey of the season in the playoffs thanks to Dufva.
Regarding corrective measures, Joensuu will focus on merging the representative team and the U20 team, as well as more precisely defining the playing style and player pathway. A significant part of the process is the recruitment of coaching teams.
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