Veikkausliiga starts this weekend!

[Johnny K]

I'm an English IFK Mariehamn supporter (well a Hammer really but you know what I mean) & I'm getting strangely excited by the prospect of tomorrow's game. Watched the boys training today while out walking the dog - not sure you can do that at Chadwell Heath.

I'm not so confident about this season, mainly as I don't know enough about the players at the other clubs, but we've lost some of our more experienced players over the winter & have a young squad. There are 3 players on loan from SheffU, (which as you can imagine I am very happy about!) but they are 2 teenagers & a 21 year old.

I watched IFK play a friendly against Viikingit last saturday & they were well beaten. The most disappointing thing was the complete lack of leadership on the pitch. No-one encouraging, giving instructions. They were resting 2 experienced players in Lyyski & Carlsson but even so. I wasn't at all impressed with the Swedish players they got onboard over winter. Other experienced players like Sjölund are injured until at least midsommar so it'll be a very young team that takes the pitch tomorrow.

As for the English guys I can see Binnion, the defender starting. He seemed quite vocal & knew his role in the defence. Eagers looked like he needed to get to grips with the system & stuff like the players names first but should get on the bench. Boden only arrived last wednesday but as a striker, & there aren't many at the club, I think he'll get on the bench, coming on if we are looking lightweight up front. He certainly appears confident claiming he will be top goalscorer at the club.

I'm quite interested in HIFK as they are getting a lot of coverage in the Swedish speaking Finnish press & most of the Swedish speaking Finns I know from the Helsinki area profess alegiance to them rather than HJK.

I'll give you feedback after the game tomorrow if anyone is interested!.

[TampereOwl]

As a wednesdayite I have even less sympathy with the Blades in the MIFK squad than you, but I have heard good things about Boden. Their academy is supposed to be miles better than ours, they get the best players from each year's Sheffield boys squad, and have a brand spanking new 6m academy building in the heart of a wednesday supporting area (incidentally, they had to start running a bus to training because their players were getting the !"#¤% kicked out of them for walking around Shiregreen in United kit). And for all that, they haven't brought any players through since Tonge, whereas we have a back four that has come through the ranks, including Beevers who is tipped for a move to Everton this summer, and Sean Macallister has slotted into midfield very comfortably this year.

So, I can see that united will want their lads to get some first team experience they are unable to get for SUFC, whether that's because they are !"#¤% or because the club has the money to buy better players, who knows? I'll be watching their progress with interest (as much as I can from tampere, anyway). MIFK are my tip for relegation anyway, they were awful when I saw them in the league cup at haka, and the problems seemed to be those you identified. No leadership, no organisation, and a defensive frailty that had the coaches (including one English guy) tearing their hair out.

Penelope: Yes, i remember that day as I was there. They didn't even have a wlan connection for the journalists, and didn't bother turning the heating on until 30 minutes before the men's final (the women's had started at 11am).

TamU were awful today and a bit lucky to get a point, as Jaro hit the woodwork twice. The pick of the games looks to have been RoPs's capitulation in the last 6 minutes at Inter - after leading 1-0 since the 36th minute, they conceded 3 right at the death.

[Rosamunda]

According to my youngest (11 yrs) Honka had an easy win (2 goals in the 2nd half) against MyPa. Nothing special, quite close in the first 45 mins but Honka dominated the second part of the game. Good crowd (looked kind of full to me, but I only got as far as the carpark). 3€ for a Coca Cola

[Johnny K]

Wednesday have become very popular amongst the UP faithful this season TOwl. Is it true they've been serenading the blades with bubbles at every given opportunity?.

As regards to IFK's form this season I think you may be right. It all depends on if RoPs & KuPs have got themselves into shape but I would say IFK look to have a worse squad than last year. Last year they got out of jail with some sensible mid season signings but I fear the loss of Sandvärn, Gustafsson & Weckström may be too much to cope with.

Strangely none of them could be considered essential 1st team players any longer. Erik had lost his place in the middle of defence to Lyyski & Blomberg but could be relied on to steady the ship & voice his opinion coimng on from the bench. Gustafsson sometimes disappointed me, given his experience, that he wasn't more vocal & should have taken more responsibility but he knew what he was doing & could cover several positions including striker if called upon. Weckström should have been more decisive but was always providing options in midfield.

So now players like Lyyski & Niskala must take control of the team. To be honest if we could regularly put out a full strength first XI I'd be more confident but the support players leave a lot to be desired & some of the best players seem to have far too many injury problems to be counted upon.

I was surprised to read tonight that Amos Ekhalie has been contracted to the nursery club IFFK. He is 19/20 & his time should be now. Everyone says he has plenty of skill & he played most of the pre-season matches with good reports but it seems the management feel he is not ready. This would be his make or break season imo so it seems he may not going to make the breakthrough.

[Johnny K]

2-0 to HJK but not as embarassing for IFK as I thought it would be. Thought they gave a reasonable account of themselves. Let in 2 soft goals & couldn't put away their chances. But they were reasonably well organised & more spirited than I expected. All the SheffU contingent got a game. Binnion played all game & looked to be more than able as this level. Also showed he is willing to make himself heard. Both Eagers & Boden got on & looked keen. Boden should have released Carlsson to equalise though.

HJK looked strong in central defence & up front. Athletic, powerful players but sorry don't know their names(!). Medo also looked a useful creative player & could be a bonus for Finland if he gets citizenship.

I think the fixtures before Euro 08 could cause attendance problems for the club. Four thursday night games in May. Work commitments prevent me from attending all & I think the already low average for the club could take a hit. It's too many games in a short period.

[Rosamunda]

It's too many games in a short period.

Yes, FC Honka has seven games in May . But only three are home games. Unlikely my kids will get to them all as there is so much other stuff on at school etc.

[TampereOwl]

'One Carlos Tevez' rang our round Hillsborough for the derby, in between 'you're getting sacked in the morning' and 'one Bryan Robson'. While i do, on principle, think you cheated and should have had a points deduction, it was them that suffered and that makes it funny.

[TampereOwl]

Looks like Haka are in fairly considerable !"#¤%, and even if they're not then the veikkausliiga licensing committee has some hard questions to answer.

http://footballinfinland.wordpress.com/ ... 8/fc-haka/

[sinikettu]

Perhaps one of you knowledgeable Finnish Footie Freakies can explain to me why one of the best football stadiums in Finland has no team playing there?
Pohjola Stadium Vantaa..Empty waiting for a team.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/c ... tadion.jpg

Start with a brief history of a team that was called Allianssi..
Oh dear what a mess...

[TampereOwl]

Yep, it's a disgrace. It's been converted to astroturf now as well. Maybe some day there'll be a team in vantaa, I can't help but see this haka thing in the context of a transition from rural, small time clubs to a more metropolitan league. Vantaa really needs some kind of representative in pro sport doesn't it? They've got the best basketball arena with no team in the top flight, and the best football ground without anything significant going on there. It's a shambles.

[ChubbyPoacher]

I thought their support at the cup final was sparse though, and maybe this betrayed the freebie mentality that sometimes afflicts Finnish clubs (ie, inflating their crowds with complimentary tickets)? ..

It was VERY seriously pouring with rain that day. And the match was on TV anyway (we watched from home ). But I agree, the crowd was small.

AFAIK only the juniors get free tickets. I usually pay for mine. But for the cup final, I think they should've opened the doors and let the whole of Helsinki in for free. It would've boosted the visibility of the game and everyone would have been buying coffee and makkara anyway, just to keep warm.

Just dropped two of my brood off at the game, looked like a good turn-out this evening. Let hope Honka don't have to score any penalities.....

I nailed my colours to the Honka mast after watching that game in a freezing Finnair Stadium. The Tampere fans outnumbered and outsang the Honka lot, and to top it off, nearly all the Honka fans left after the two early Tampere goals in extra time. The part-timers missed the two glorious goals to level the match before Honka took some of the worst penalties I've ever seen and ultimately bottled it.

I saw a match last year between HJK and IFK Marianhamin. Was impressed with the IFK fans, loads of them (considering this is the Veikkausliiga) and I'm sure they had a song to the tune of Buffalo Soldier.

[Rosamunda]

We're going to see the home game tonight (v. RoPs???). Junior league have some kind of march before the match which my youngest is being rebellious about (hates being told what to do even by his coach ).

Saw IFK play in Mariehamn last June (we were there for the Åland Cup) - it was a nice sunny day I think and the stadium is quite nice (you don't have to get wet). Don't think we saw them play in Espoo though.

[Salopian]

Aye, versus RoPS it is for Honka.

The mighty Lahti have a good chance at extending their 100% start away at rock-bottom KuPS.

HJK Paskapussit have another kind fixture away to Vaasan Palloseura...

[TampereOwl]

It's the toughest of the opening four for HJK (they have KuPS at home next up), and with Tim Sparv expected to make his debut for VPS it'll be interesting to see how they cope. Big crowd, long journey..... if klubi get something there then we can safely say they are the favourites for the title. Even if they don't, the rest are in disarray and their only inf-form rivals would appear to be Inter Turku.

[Salopian]

Lahti managed to turn a 2-1 losing position into a 3-2 win. Class. The best start for Lahti ever, almost. HJK got a point away, which can't be sniffed at, according to our wise Owl. Honka - RoPS = "0-0 thriller" by any chance?