Latest news with #Finnish-born
The Star
5 days ago
- Sport
- The Star
Captains collide
Men in charge: JDT captain Natxo Insa and Selangor skipper Nooa Laine . PETALING JAYA: The 2025-2026 Malaysian Super League season kicks off with a blockbuster Charity Shield clash between Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT) and Selangor, and all eyes will be on the battle between captains Natxo Insa and Nooa Laine in the heart of midfield. It is a meeting of generations and styles at the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium today. In one corner stands Insa , 39, the seasoned Spanish general who has helped define JDT's dominance over the past decade. In the other, Laine , 22, the Finnish-born rising Malaysian star is tasked with leading a revamped Selangor side into a new era. Despite facing a team with a near-impenetrable home record, Laine is not letting history weigh him down. 'Honestly, I don't think we should dwell on their (JDT) record in the league and the Charity Shield. It's just another game,' said Laine at the pre-match press conference at the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium yesterday. 'We'll do our best and see what happens.' Laine acknowledged the challenge of integrating new players into the squad but said the team are quietly confident heading into the clash. 'It always takes time to get new players going but if the coach wants me to lead, I'll do it. It's an honour and a privilege.' Selangor have yet to beat JDT at the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium but Laine is choosing to focus on their strengths. 'We know how strong they are at home but we believe in ourselves. We're ready to fight.' On the other side, Insa made it clear that JDT are approaching the fixture with the same mindset that has made them serial winners. 'We are a club with a strong reputation. We've won so many titles and we want to protect that,' said the JDT captain. 'We will go after Selangor to maintain our status.' Insa, who has been a key part of JDT's engine room since 2017, said the squad's mentality remains high even without Spanish playmaker Juan Muniz, who departed in the off-season. 'Juan gave everything for the club and he was important. But we have other players ready to perform. 'Whoever starts will give their best - that's the standard at JDT.' He praised the team's pre-season, which included matches against high-quality opponents, and said the squad are ready to hit the ground running. 'We respect the fixture. It's important to start the season with good feelings. We've prepared well and will give everything in front of our fans.' With both teams aiming to assert dominance early in the campaign, the midfield battle could determine the flow and ultimately the outcome of the game. JDT will be aiming to extend their legacy while Selangor are desperate to shake off the underdogs tag and prove they belong at the top.
The Star
6 days ago
- Sport
- The Star
It's Natxo vs Nooa in clash of generations and styles
PETALING JAYA: The 2025-2026 Malaysian Super League season kicks off with a blockbuster Charity Shield clash between Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT) and Selangor, and all eyes will be on the battle between captains Natxo Insa and Nooa Laine in the heart of midfield. It is a meeting of generations and styles at the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium today. In one corner stands Insa , 39, the seasoned Spanish general who has helped define JDT's dominance over the past decade. In the other, Laine , 22, the Finnish-born rising Malaysian star is tasked with leading a revamped Selangor side into a new era. Despite facing a team with a near-impenetrable home record, Laine is not letting history weigh him down. "Honestly, I don't think we should dwell on their (JDT) record in the league and the Charity Shield. It's just another game," said Laine at the pre-match press conference at the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium yesterday. "We'll do our best and see what happens." Laine acknowledged the challenge of integrating new players into the squad but said the team are quietly confident heading into the clash. "It always takes time to get new players going but if the coach wants me to lead, I'll do it. It's an honour and a privilege." Selangor have yet to beat JDT at the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium but Laine is choosing to focus on their strengths. "We know how strong they are at home but we believe in ourselves. We're ready to fight." On the other side, Insa made it clear that JDT are approaching the fixture with the same mindset that has made them serial winners. "We are a club with a strong reputation. We've won so many titles and we want to protect that," said the JDT captain. "We will go after Selangor to maintain our status." Insa, who has been a key part of JDT's engine room since 2017, said the squad's mentality remains high even without Spanish playmaker Juan Muniz, who departed in the off-season. "Juan gave everything for the club and he was important. But we have other players ready to perform. Whoever starts will give their best - that's the standard at JDT." He praised the team's pre-season, which included matches against high-quality opponents, and said the squad are ready to hit the ground running. "We respect the fixture. It's important to start the season with good feelings. We've prepared well and will give everything in front of our fans." With both teams aiming to assert dominance early in the campaign, the midfield battle could determine the flow and ultimately the outcome of the game. JDT will be aiming to extend their legacy while Selangor are desperate to shake off the underdogs tag and prove they belong at the top.
The Star
19-05-2025
- Sport
- The Star
On the same lane – Nooa and Harith ready to serve Malaysia with pride
PETALING JAYA: As Malaysia begin their final phase of preparation for the crucial 2027 Asian Cup third-round qualifying clash against Vietnam on June 10, midfielder Nooa Laine and defender Harith Haiqal Adam Afkar are embracing the intensity of national duty with confidence, pride, and focus. The Harimau Malaya reconvened on Sunday under head coach Peter Cklamovski for a centralised training camp, with two friendlies against Cape Verde on May 29 and a closed-door match on June 3 serving as tune-ups ahead of their must-win Group F encounter at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil. The squad are currently in Johor Baru to train for seven days, before they return to Kuala Lumpur for the rest of the camp. For Finnish-born Noaa, every call-up is a reminder of his growing role in the national team. 'It is always nice to get a call-up. I feel proud and happy to be selected again,' said the 22-year-old Selangor midfielder. Training in top-class facilities at the Padang Sri Gelam in Johor, Nooa added, has been a bonus as the players look to sharpen their form. 'As a football player, you always want the best conditions. We are happy to be here. It's up to us to prepare well.' Meanwhile, his club teammate and centreback Harith, who continues to grow into his role in the senior squad, echoed a similar sentiment of readiness and resilience. 'Obviously it's hard - we all know the situation when it comes to off-season. But all the players have come in fit and are prepared to play our roles well,' said Harith. The 22-year-old, who has made strides at the domestic and international levels, isn't overly concerned with the squad size or who makes the final list. 'Every day I'm just going to train and prove myself to the coach. I'm not going to think about how many players are selected. I just want to perform.' Malaysia's first friendly opponent, Cape Verde, currently ranked No.72 in the world, promises to be a tough test but Harith believes the backroom staff will be key to navigating the challenge. 'Cape Verde are ranked high, but our coaching staff will do their best. We will raise our game, and hopefully give a strong performance.' Cklamovski will be assessing his players closely during these friendlies as he finalises his squad for the pivotal showdown against Vietnam, which could be decisive in Malaysia's aim to qualify for the 2027 Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia. With competition high, preparation thorough, and belief strong within the squad, the Harimau Malaya are intent on using this camp to align mentally and tactically ahead of their biggest challenge yet.
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Grizzlies announce hiring of Tuomas Iisalo as franchise's next head coach
The Memphis Grizzlies liked what they saw from Tuomas Iisalo in a limited sample. The team announced Iisalo as its next head coach Friday after he served in the role on an interim basis this season after Taylor Jenkins was fired. In a statement, team president and general manager Zachary Kleiman praised Iisalo's former teams as "disciplined and tenacious" and said he expects to see those same traits carry over to Memphis. 'I have full confidence in Tuomas serving as head coach of the Memphis Grizzlies going forward,' said Grizzlies President and General Manager of Basketball Operations Zachary Z. Kleiman. 'Tuomas' teams at every level have been disciplined, tenacious and connected on both ends of the floor, consistently exceeding expectations. We look forward to the same in Memphis.' The move makes Iisalo the first Finnish-born head coach in NBA history. While Iisalo has a history of success as a coach, most of that experience came overseas. After playing professionally in Finland, Iisalo transitioned to coaching. He coached multiple teams in Finland, Germany and France between 2014-24. While coaching in Germany, Iisalo won the Bundesliga coach of the year award in two straight seasons and was named the Champions League coach of the year in 2023. Iisalo also won the EuroCup coach of the year award in 2024 after winning the 2023–24 EuroCup title with Paris Basketball. Months after that victory, Iisalo joined the Grizzlies as an assistant head coach. When the team surprisingly fired Jenkins with just nine games left in the regular season, Iisalo was elevated into the head-coaching role on an interim basis. The Grizzlies went 4-5 down the stretch and finished as the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference. The team then made its way out of the play-in tournament. After a loss to the Golden State Warriors, the Grizzlies defeated the Dallas Mavericks to secure a spot in the playoffs. Their postseason experience ended quickly, as the team was swept by the Oklahoma City Thunder in four games. With the move, Iisalo takes over a team in need of changes. During an end-of-season news conference, Kleiman stressed things needed to be better in Memphis, saying the team was not good enough during the 2024-25 season. "I don't think we can look back at this series and this season and say, 'Oh, we're close,'" Kleiman said after the team was swept by the Thunder. "No, we're not." Kleiman believes Iisalo can get the team closer to its ultimate goal. While he didn't have long to make an impact on the Grizzlies this season, his performance was enough to convince the franchise Iisalo is the right person to lead it back to prominence.
03-05-2025
- Sport
Tuomas Iisalo hired as Grizzlies coach after taking over the team near the end of the season
MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Tuomas Iisalo, who was appointed interim coach of the Memphis Grizzlies in the waning days of the regular season, was given the full-time job on Friday and becomes the first Finnish-born coach in the NBA. The team announced the hiring on Friday but terms of Iisalo's contract were not released. He joined the Grizzlies as the lead assistant this past season. Iisalo took over the team on March 28 after the Grizzlies returned home from an 0-5 road trip, the last loss coming at Oklahoma City. The road trip led to the firing of Taylor Jenkins, the winningest coach in Grizzlies franchise history. 'I have full confidence in Tuomas serving as head coach of the Memphis Grizzlies going forward,' Grizzlies president Zach Kleiman said in a statement. 'Tuomas' teams at every level have been disciplined, tenacious and connected on both ends of the floor, consistently exceeding expectations. We look forward to the same in Memphis.' Iisalo, a native of Finland, was 4-5 in the final nine games of the regular season. Memphis split two games in the play-in tournament, earning the eighth seed and faced Oklahoma City, to whom they lost all four games. But Iisalo was forced into a tough situation, facing a hard schedule late in the season with little time to make changes. The team only had a few practices under his direction. 'We had 15 games and two practices, and I tried to do my best in those,' he said after the team's elimination. Later, regarding the frantic pace of the season, he added: 'That's a ratio that makes it very difficult. We were in a situation that there were no drastic changes that we needed to make or could be made in that situation.' Before joining the Grizzlies, Iisalo served one season as coach of Paris Basketball, winning the EuroCup championship. The success earned him EuroCup Coach of the Year. In addition to his season with Paris Basketball, he had stints with teams in Germany, including five seasons with Crailsheim Merlins. Iisalo played 14 season of professional basketball in Finland. After this season ended, the short term leadership of Iisalo seemed to gain a vote of confidence from several Grizzlies, including star Ja Morant. 'I feel like Tuomas is a good coach,' Morant said in the team's exit interviews. 'For me, going into my film sessions with him and just talking about the game of basketball, seeing and hearing that he sees the same thing I see out there on the floor. 'I wouldn't say its been surprising, but it's been very exciting.' In his postseason exit interview, Iisalo was discussing how he would run the team with the city and organization in mind. 'Every club and every city has their own culture,' Iisalso said. "I think it is very important that you are true to the roots of that city. "This city is a hard-working city. The club has roots in that. It has to be based on giving everything you have. I've always believed in that.
