Interview about the coaching crash with Biel sports director Steinegger: ‘I am not ashamed of Matikainen’s efforts’

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Were you wrong about Petri Matikainen?
Martin Steinegger: I wouldn’t say I was wrong. Until five games ago I was 100 percent convinced that we were on the right track and we were also confident that we would go into next season with him. Nothing else was ever a problem.

And this despite the fact that there were also critical moments in the autumn. Have you never thought about taking action?
No never. We then had a hugely decimated squad that was only good enough for a spot between 8 and 12. The reality is that Matikainen got the most out of it. We got through this difficult phase together, then took the points again and played better. Until there was a total break five games ago.

Do you have an explanation for this? What happened between the team and the coach?
I’m not saying anything happened between the team and the coach. It was a break because of the performance and the results. I can only speculate as to why. The coaches always defied all expectations and constantly pushed the team. They never gave up, always looked for solutions and never complained. Maybe their bottle was empty at the end and they couldn’t find the right buttons.

Was the change from the gentle Antti (Törmänen) to the tough Anti-Antti (Martikainen) too big?
At the end of the season, when everything is over, we can discuss this again. Once again: a lot has come together for us this season. From the many injuries to the countless expiring contracts. There were many factors that caused irritation. Therefore, is it fair to say that it just didn’t work out with Matikainen? No, that’s not it! There are many circumstances that prevented it from being made suitable.

How did Matikainen react to the dismissal?
Professional. He has been in his coaching career for a while and knows the mechanics. Ultimately, he had no choice but to accept our decision.

EHC Biel is a club that does not deal with coach dismissals. To what extent is Matikainen’s divorce a defeat for you personally?
It hurts me that it happened this way, because I have built a relationship with the two coaches. And it also pisses me off that I haven’t found a way to be successful together. I have contributed to that and at the end of the season I will ask myself what I could have done better. However, I do not doubt that I hired Matikainen, there is nothing to be ashamed of. We had great conversations with him at the time and I am still convinced that he is a top man.

You will now also take over as coach until the end of the season. How do you approach this side job?
I see myself more as a coach and not as a trainer. Because you’re not really training at this point in the season. Now it’s about finding the right buttons and preparing the team for the next three games and hopefully more games.

What gives you confidence?
I am still convinced of the quality of this team.

If all goes well, can you imagine staying on as coach next season?
Obviously this question is coming. In the past I have weighed this up for myself and said no. We have also clearly indicated that we are fundamentally looking for new coaches for next season.

But that’s not a categorical no.
I don’t want to rule it out categorically. I can go all in for such a short period of time, but am I the type to do this for a season? I don’t know because I’ve never done it before, but I’m not sure. I’m a person who always has a lot of regrets and this season has taken a huge toll on me. As a coach you must have better taker qualities than I do.

Do you already have an idea of ​​what the new coach should look like? Something softer again like Törmänen? Or something other than a Finn? Maybe even a young coach?
I do not know yet. But it is clear that as part of our coming rejuvenation we need a coach who wants to work with young players. And I want to have done better at Christmas than I did in August and even better than at Christmas before the play-offs. We need a coach who wants to build something. This will be one of the most important points.

Source : Blick