KURRI: I LIKE THE ROLE OF DARK HORSE

General manager of Finnish hockey team Jari Kurri gave an interview after his team won the Channel One Cup.

"I am not ready to say that Moscow competition was the last chance for our players to earn a place in Olympic squad", said Jari Kurri. "They should prove their right to be included to the national team’s roster for the Olympic Games during the whole season".

"Now it’s still unclear how many players, who took part in Channel One Cup, will go to Vancouver".

"We are to face difficult choice, because players from NHL and Europe claim to equal number of places in the team’s roster. We will think it over again and discuss, since we have two weeks before announcing the squad".

"I would prefer to keep names of candidates in secret until the very end. Players shouldn’t relax regardless their former achievements".

"Performance during the regular season (in Finnish league or KHL) is important, but they pass through the main test in the national team".

"Pessonen and Ramo didn’t play at Channel One Cup through injury problems, while Kukkonen was absent because of family circumstances. But it doesn’t mean that they lost chances to go to Vancouver, since we had enough opportunities to watch them in action".

"More Finnish players now play in KHL and we can watch their display in detail, while they can make progress in the high-class championship and earn money there".

"I don’t see anything strange in extending the contract with the national team’s head coach Jukka Jalonnen ahead of the Olympic Games and the World Championships. We are satisfied with his work, as the team demonstrates high-quality hockey and makes progress under his reigns. It seems to me that our trust will positively affect his work".

"Finland won silver medals at the previous Olympic Games and we would like to improve this result. It’s clear that Canada and Russia are the main favorites, and they are followed by Sweden, Finland, Czech Republic and America".

"On the other hand any team is able to surprise everyone and we will try to do it in Vancouver".

"Nobody expects winning the gold from us, so I even like our role of dark horse. Canada will play at home, and everybody understands that the hosts will be pressed by the home public. Russia won two previous World Championship and is eager to take the Olympic gold, while we are in shadow".