Pekka of course has a plan. And what he told about it at spring sounded even promising. But he may have tried to change too much at one time. That brings resistance and too much uncertainty. And it is not really possible to put everything on hold and wait that there will be a new generations who will work better with Pekka's model. It is just not acceptable to put Finnish top ski jumping on hold for four or five years at least.
Yes, situation is bad. On the almost past ten years (after Kojo left) much have been left undone, that should have been done. It came very evident in Nikunen's last years. VÀÀtÀinen's years were about trying to keep the nose over water and live to fight for the next day. Löde did very good in that, but nothing else could be done. So it is important that Pekka came ready to start changes. And I hope those fundamental changes are going on fine in the background. But he should also be responsible for top jumping. And you only have to look to results to see, that something is not working. And the problem really can not only be, that he just got so bad and lazy jumpers. Even last season, that was walking disaster on many ways, especially financially, there was jumpers who could at least save face of Finnish jumping. Rane's second place at 4H, team's battle (and even without Rane) at Olympic team competition and the bronze from Planica are starting to feel really good performances now. Miracles can happen and they may pull it together to Oslo, but...
I personally have also been irritated for Pekka's comments on media. Being so over-positive it seems that he is living in alternate reality, his very changing and vague comments about what will be done, the whole way of dealing with Hapa hassle etc. Especially after getting used to Löde's straightforwardness, honesty and habit of clearly respecting all his jumpers as human-beings it just feels bad decorum. There have also been some very off-hand comments (about feverish ass kissing jumpers were some reason feeling the need to do at autumn, the feel that in the team there are his favourites and then those who are not, some backstabbingish comments or jokes he has told reporters off record and that have came up, his apparent way of communicating to people, he should communicate directly, through reporters, whole thing about when Ville hurt his knee etc.) that have left a bad taste. Those can be misinterpretations, or small mistakes made on hurry or while angry etc. And for example for his last inconsistent talk about Hapa I can come up with at least few very good and valid reasons, for him to do as he has done (Harri doing something stupid between Sunday and Monday or Harri not being really ready for the stress Zakopane would have been or something like that for example), but still... :hmpf:
