Jonne Virtanen's direct words on the series model reform: "We have come up with excuses"

Jukurit ended their six-match losing streak on Saturday in the Liiga round, with the team from Mikkeli securing a 3-2 overtime victory against HIFK.

Head coach Jonne Virtanen spoke candidly after the match about the recent overhaul of the Liiga’s league format that was pushed through on Thursday. According to Virtanen, it is now time to refocus on what truly matters after all the discussions about the league format.

– If we could finally get to the point where everyone focuses on their own tasks, coaches coach better, players play, and leaders lead. We have now come up with excuses for everything else, there are league systems, wrong days, and this and that, Virtanen stated in an interview with SuomiKiekko on Saturday.

– Yes, we as the ones involved should now look for mirrors and start looking into them. We haven’t done our own job well enough that we need to blame everyone else all the time, Virtanen continued.

Jukurit was placed at the bottom of the league in the pre-season predictions. Currently, the small team from Mikkeli is hanging in ninth place, seven points above the playoff line.

Virtanen reminded in the post-match press conference about the additional challenge posed by Jukurit’s small player budget. A team that is at a disadvantage in terms of resources has to stretch itself to the limit in every match to earn points against opponents with larger budgets.

– It doesn’t change the work itself, but you have to do the job damn well every night if you want to achieve something. You have to develop players, but I see this as a young coach that if you develop somewhere (in a certain area), then here, Virtanen summarizes Jukurit’s daily life.

Miska Miettinen, Helsinki