“Coach training in Italy is problematic”

Welcome back! How do you like your new job? "It's very appealing. The approach is different than before. My job is primarily to support Jukka Jalonen. It's interesting to see how he approaches this challenge. He doesn't know the players, so I'm very helpful in that regard. My job is very complex. It's not just about the senior selection, but also the juniors. In any case, it's the right job for me at the moment, as I didn't necessarily want to go back to Switzerland. I see it as a temporary solution for now."

Seven years ago you were head coach, now you are assistant coach at the Azzurri. What has changed since then? "A lot has happened in these 7 years. You can just tell that the Olympics are just around the corner. There is not only more money, but also more staff. In addition, a lot has been digitized in the recent past. The Italian Ice Sports Federation FISG is trying to help the clubs. Among other things, it finances the Finnish computer program "Hockeycenter". This is a platform that works with various apps and is particularly useful for organizing youth clubs, where most things are still done on a voluntary basis. But it can also be used as a database for videos and the like. The more there is, the better."

And what has happened with the players? "Not very much. It's pointless to talk about it. At the moment, there is little to be happy about at first glance. But if you look closely - and that's what Jalonen does - you will find talented players. I'm thinking of Julius Ramoser, who plays for Wolfsburg in the DEL, or Alessandro Segafredo and Pietro Albis Olmo, who are both under contract in the Swiss League. We also watched some AlpsHL games and there are some interesting players there too. In the ICEHL, where there are 10 foreigners on each team, it is almost impossible for the local players to find a place in the first two lines. That's why it is pleasing and very positive when Tommy Purdeller, at 2 years old, scores two goals in a game." “He attaches great importance to the character and teamwork of each player.” Stefan Mair about Jukka Jalonen You arranged the deal with Jukka Jalonen. What is your connection to the Finn? "I met Jukka 15 or even 20 years ago at a coaching symposium in Finland. He had worked as a coach at Alleghe a few years before that. And because I was the only coach from Italy, we started talking. That's where our contact started and hasn't broken off since. I received a lot of material from him in the years that followed and followed his path and style of play. He prefers a well-organized game, with the main focus being on the defensive structure."

Jalonen is considered one of the best coaches in Europe. What sets him apart? "He has a wealth of experience. After all, he has been a coach for 35 years. His greatest strength, however, is that in the past he has always been able to put together the best possible team. He has often had to endure a lot of criticism. Above all because he did not use NHL players, for example. In addition, he has always gotten the most out of his teams. He places great value on the character and team spirit of each individual player. That is why you have to see whether an Italian, for example, is prepared to play in the 4th line."

Stefan Mair talks about ice hockey in Italy. © HC Pustertal/I. Foppa

Why does a coach with so many successes take on the job of coach of the Italian national team? "Jalonen looked for a job in Switzerland but didn't find the right offer. So the request from Italy can't be unfortunate. He only has an exit clause for an NHL offer: if that comes - which is rather unlikely - then he's gone. But he isn't opposed to staying in Italy beyond the Olympic Games. The Olympics certainly have their appeal, but they don't mean everything to him. He knows full well that he has little to lose with this team and can only really win if he manages to get into the top group at the World Cup in Romania next year. If Switzerland or Germany, for example, had contacted him for the position of national coach, he would definitely have turned it down, as he would then have been a direct competitor for his home country Finland. As far as the coaching staff is concerned, it didn't matter to him that he only has local coaches around him."

You have recently been travelling a lot with Jalonen and Giorgio De Bettin and have watched countless games and players at home and abroad. What insights have you gained? "We watched games in the ICEHL, AlpsHL and even the IHL. We were also in Switzerland and Germany. Jalonen, who watches a lot of videos, also met with Damian Clara on the sidelines of Färjestad's Champions Hockey League game at Tappara Tampere. One thing we found out was that we have enough players for the 3rd and 4th lines, but we are missing centers and goal scorers for the two top lines as well as strong defenders." “It is not impossible that there will be one or two surprises soon.” Stefan Mair Have any new players for the Blue Team come to mind during your exploration tour? "There were certainly some interesting players there. It is not impossible that there will be one or two surprises soon."

The Olympic Games in Milan are getting closer and closer. What is planned for the next 16 months? "The Olympic Games are still a long way off. At the moment we are putting everything under the 2025 World Cup in Romania. This is our priority. In the coming months we want to get an idea of what the squad will look like in April next year. That's why we have a lot planned until then. In November we will face Hungary, Poland and Slovenia at a tournament in Budapest. There we plan to field 5 rows and compete with experienced players. A month later we have test matches planned against a nation yet to be determined. There we will primarily rely on young players. In February we will take part in another tournament where we will again be against Poland, Hungary and Slovenia."

What are the biggest problems at the moment? "The young players have major deficits in the quality of their passes and in covering the puck. Their drive to the goal also leaves a lot to be desired. In my opinion, we are lagging behind the rest of the nations, especially in terms of coach training. Coach training was already a problem in my time. It is not the association's fault. The Italian Olympic Committee CONI prescribes certain procedures for coach training, and it does not matter whether the coach is an ice hockey or handball coach. This is why individual requirements are not compatible and certain training courses are of no use. You cannot work autonomously or in a sport-specific manner. It is also important to bring new trends or aspects into training. This is why it is very important to us coaches to improve cooperation with the clubs and offer them our help at the grassroots level. We have to support the coaches. We are currently visiting the individual clubs, going out on the ice with the young people and exchanging ideas with the coaches. Because it is becoming increasingly difficult to combine school and sport, I have high hopes for the ICE Alps Academy. A base like the one in Bruneck would also be needed in Bolzano, Merano, Verona and Milan.”

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“Coach training in Italy is problematic”

Between 2014 and 2017 he was head coach of the Italian national ice hockey team and led them to 3 world championships. 7 years later, Stefan Mair returns to the Azzurri. This time as assistant coach to his friend Jukka Jalonen.

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