Teemu Tainio signed today a 2-year deal with HJK. Will be joining HJK for the Maspalomas Tournament. First match is against FC Twente on 7.1.2013. If somebody is willing to open a new topic for the next season, I will be more than happy to write something for it next weekend.
Antti Niemi was brought to HJK staff as a goalkeeper coach. Jeremy Vuolo (GK, Red Bull NY) is rumoured to join HJK on a trial.
Hi! I'm new here and I got a short question about the Veikkausliiga: I've been searching for some site with info on what players that are free agents /bosman players after the 2012-season. Is that possible to find somewhere for a guy who finds it hard to read your language?
http://jpyintranet.fi/playerexchange maalivahti = goalkeeper puolustus = defender keskikenttä = midfielder hyökkäys = striker ei joukkuetta = free agent
Here's the current situation with the transfers: HJK <-IN Robin Lod (VPS), loan end Sherif Ashraf (FF Jaro), loan end Nikolai Alho (FC Lahti), loan end Mikael Forssell (free) Teemu Tainio (New York Red Bulls, USA) OUT-> Kastriot Kastrati (FC Honka) Rami Hakanpää (KuPS) Antti Okkonen (RoPS) Sakari Mattila (AC Bellinzona, Switzerland), loan terminated Mika Väyrynen Berat Sadik Sherif Ashraf Juho Mäkelä TRIAL: Marko Kolsi (NK Celje, Slovenia) Rados Bulatović (Hajduk Kula, Serbia) FC Honka <-IN Kastriot Kastrati (HJK) Tommi Saarinen (Pallohonka, II-div.) Nnaemeka Anyamele (Klubi-04, II-div.) OUT-> Nicholas Otaru (RoPS) Santeri Ahola (FC JJK) Henri Aalto Juuso Simpanen Tomi Petrescu Mikael Lähde IFK Mariehamn <-IN Diego Assis (Assi IF, Sweden) Otso Virtanen (ÅIFK, II-div.) Niko Kukka (MyPa) Robin Eriksson (Kärrä KIF, Sweden) OUT-> Wilhelm Ingves Aleksei Kangaskolkka (Jönköpings Södra IF, Sweden) Mika Niskala (retires) Ludwig Bergström Johannes Nordström Mason Trafford Kristian Kojola (Hallescher FC, Germany) Marcus Olofsson (Sandvikens IF, Sweden) Amos Ekhalie Samuel Fagerholm Jeremiah Helen Saihou Jagne FC Inter <-IN Tamas Gruborovics (FC JJK) OUT-> Faith Friday Obilor (RoPS), loan end Mika Ojala (BK Häcken, Ruotsi) Eemeli Reponen Stef Doedee Joni Kauko (FC Lahti) Daniel Antunez Joni Aho FF Jaro <-IN Antti Palohuhta (JBK, III-div.) OUT-> Sherif Ashraf (HJK), loan end Heikki Aho (Ilves, I-div.) Jussi Aalto (Haka, I-div.) Artur Kotenko Maksim Vasiljev Ilja Vaganov Steven Irwin Akil DeFreitas Timo Tahvanainen Papa Niang FC JJK <-IN Santeri Ahola (FC Honka) OUT-> Juha Pasoja (retires) Mihaly Szerovay (PaRi) Lasse Linjala (Haka, I-div.) Niko Markkula (Eskilstuna City, Sweden) Tamas Gruborovics (FC Inter) Antto Tapaninen Janne Turpeenniemi KuPS <-IN Jussi Kujala (Ilves, II-div.) Rami Hakanpää (HJK) Juha-Antti Rissanen (SiPS, III-div.) Omar Colley (Wallidan F.C., Gambia) OUT-> Atte Hoivala (VPS) Topi Sormunen (JIPPO, I-div.) Pyry Kärkkäinen (FC Lahti) Markus Joenmäki (FC Lahti) Pietari Holopainen Etchu Tabe Chris James Ebrima Sohna Paul Obiefule Johann Smith Sander Puri FC Lahti <-IN Onuray Köse (FC Reipas B-jun.) Pyry Kärkkäinen (KuPS) Markus Joenmäki (KuPS) Joni Kauko (FC Inter) OUT-> Nikolai Alho (HJK), loan end Drilon Shala (Tavsanli Linyitspor, Turkey) Ariel Thierry Ngueukam (Denizlispor Kulübü, Turkey) Viktor Szentpeteri Hendrik Großöhmichen Jani Bäckman Antti Hukka Jaakko Rantanen Ibrahim Köse Jukka Veltheim Jaakko Lepola Rafael Robin Saastamoinen MyPa <-IN Elias Inkilä (FC Kouvola, III-div.), loan end Pyry Soiri (KTP, II-div.), loan end Yusuf Jama (JäPS, II-div.). loan end Jussi Perttula (KTP, II-div.), loan end Vili-Verneri Roivainen (KTP, II-div.), loan end David Opoku (IF Gnistan, II-div.), loan end Jere Pyhäranta (FC Viikingit, I-div.) Ville Salmikivi (FC Viikingit, I-div.) Yannick Salmon (Rutgers University, USA) OUT-> Niko Kukka (IFK Mariehamn) Antti Kuismala Yusuf Jama Jussi Perttula Ville Oksanen Marko Selin Ville Saxman Vili-Verneri Roivainen David Opoku Riley O'Neill RoPS <-IN Juho-Teppo Berg (TP-47, II-div.), loan end Faith Friday Obilor (FC Inter), loan end Oskari Forsman (FC Jazz) Nicholas Otaru (FC Honka) Antti Okkonen (HJK) OUT-> Jose Manuel Rivera (Club Deportivo Chivas, USA) Jukka Yrjänheikki (PS Kemi Kings, II-div.) Juhani Hotti Jari Gröhn Eetu Muinonen Juho-Teppo Berg Toni Vesala TPS <-IN Ville Rannikko (HIFK, I-div.), loan end Wayne Brown (Bristol Rovers, England) OUT-> Konsta Rasimus (PK-35, I-div.), loan end Roope Riski (AC Cecena, Italia), loan end Kalle Mäkinen (Masku, II-div.) Henrik Moisander Dickson Agyeman VPS <-IN Atte Hoivala (KuPS) Patrik Lomski (SJK, I-div.) Henri Sillanpää (GAIS, Sweden) OUT-> Robin Lod (HJK), loan end Dennis Abdulahi (Örebro SK, Sweden), loan end Augustine Jibrin Mustafa Maki O'Brian Woodbine Steven Morrissey (Silkeborg IF, Denmark) Juuso Kevari (FC YPA, II-div.) Riku Heini Kim Böling
That's kind of funny, but a bit more sad. I just read at Nordic Football News, that Honka has been having a hard time paying it's players and actually 2 were let go. If you're able to understand Finnish (or use Google Translate), you can see some of the financials at MTV3. They have done it a few times before the season starts.
Well, 2012 was a bad year for me as a FC Haka fan. That is to say the past 5 or so years have been difficult watching former champions turn into a financial mess and get relegated. I'm not certain whether I'll keep tabs on the league this year because all of my regional teams are gone (Tampere United, FC Haka, FC Hameenlinna). Maybe I'll keep up with FC Inter. That is a team teetering on the edge of success, perhaps better financial backing is all they need to put up a decent Euro run.
Nothing much has happened for a while now but I'll try to make some kind of off-season summary before the league starts next month. League Cup Qtr. Finals are now played and here are the results: Sat 9.3. MYPA - KuPS 4-5 pen. (1-1) Sat 9.3. HJK - JJK 5-6 pen. (0-0) Sat 9.3. TPS - FF Jaro 5-4 pen. (1-1) Sun 10.3. RoPS - FC Lahti 0-1 (0-1) And here is the schedule for semi-finals and final: Wed 13.3. 19:00 TPS - JJK Fri 15.3. 15:00 FC Lahti - KuPS Sat 6.4. Final
I haven't had enough time to write my summary but here's a pretty good one in english... http://www.escapetosuomi.com/2013/03/an-introduction-to-veikkausliiga-2013.html
I love the Escape to Suomi blog. Keep up the good work. It's difficult for someone outside of Finland to keep tabs. Not VL related, but FC Haka moved onto the next round of the Suomen Cup. Good news for a club trying to rebuild after being dropped.
Lahti - Jaro Lahti team has been struck with some kind of virus and some of standard players won't be ready for this match but whats more important is that even if they were to be complete (as they will not) they are not in form lately. In last three matches they even didn't manage to score. Jaro was on the other hand one of main candidates for relegation this season but according to their play that is hard to believe. They had really tough schedule but they outplayed Helsinki like no one was able to in last couple of years, Inter also and they managed to be equal in game with Mariehamn. In most cases they are dominant team on the pitch but lack efficiency. In this particular game against Lahti I believe their fighting spirit will be enough because Lahti will be without some of standard players and the question is in what condition are those who can play after suffering from a virus. Bet: Handicap -0,5 Tip: 2 Odds: @1.86 (Pinnacle) BOL
KuPS Kuopio - Inter Turku I simply don't know why were the odds made like this, probably according to average of unders and overs in this season, but things are here significantly different. Kuopio's defense is extremely unstable, already twice this season they received a goal in 2nd minute of the game and in the game like this those mistakes will repeat for sure. Inter knows that defense is the weakest part of Kuopio (last game they won 6:0) and i believe they will start here offensively which could lead to goals on both sides. Last 5 matches between these two brought 25 goal, 5 on each game. Best of all is that both team have problems with injuries of key defensive players- Nissinen and Hakanpaa are missing in Kuopio team (which is why their defense line is so weak) while Inter cant rely on Turunen and Diallo. Odds for over 2,5 goals should not be more than 1.70-180 in this game so this bet has a value. Bet: over 2,5 goals Odds: @2.10 (pinnacle) Cheers
I kind of like this move. IFK are in the Europa league qualifying and it never hurts to have a veteran between the sticks. IFK also brought back Forsell a while ago. It's a year of parity in the Veikkausliiga. A win and a loss can really change the standings.
Have been away for a while but here's my few thoughts about this season so far. HJK hasn't played in the level they should. Also both Turku clubs have been underperforming. First time in years we're going to have exciting fall cause there's three clubs playing for the title. Nothing much to say about the European campaigns but here's something from last tuesday:
HJK losing to Kalju highlights the drop in form for HJK. There was no reason for them to lose that round against lower Estonian competition. My question is: Was it due to the transition from Muurinen to Barstrom or is it the age of some of the players in the squad?
HJK aswell as every other Finnish team flopped in EC/UCL qualifications. Majority of players and coaches have blamed the renewed league schedule due to it having a serious congestion of matches. 3 league match per week for consecutive weeks at its worst. In HJK's case Bostrom has also recievd criticism for playing the players in unfamiliar/awkward roles and positions and the results have been less than impressive.
Finland is not to be excluded from the silly season. HJK's website informed that Joel Pohjanpalo has been sold to Bayer Leverkusen, and then VfR Aalen.
Veikkausliiga season was wrapped up yesterday. HJK was crowned champions for the 5th time in a row. JJK relegated and SJK promoted from Ykkönen. Honka finished second and VPS came third. Young Tim Väyrynen (Honka) won the top goalscorer award with 17 goals. The tall striker is certainly worth watching and could be leaving on the next transfer window.