I couldn't settle in Italy - it was like living in a foreign country. - Ian Rush

Football against the enemy by Simon Kuper

Excellent, hilarious and superb! There are hundreds of reviews of this book so you better google it yourself but I recommend highly. Like it says on the cover; a book for everyone who loves, or hates football.

Read it yourself.

Review
Simon Kuper, a Dutch-speaking journalist, set out to find the links between politics and football around the world. Kuper's deadpan delivery and keen eye for the absurd make his book fascinating and funny, never worthy or dull. In Cameroon he hears how football star Roger Milla attempted to organize a match between rainforest pygmies and the bushmen of the Kalahari; in his native Holland he notes TV viewers celebrating a victory over Germany by running into the street and throwing their bicycles in the air; the great Argentinian coach, Helenio Herrera, is interviewed in his mansion in Venice, where broken windows in the ballroom signify the kickabouts he and his son enjoy there when it is too wet to play in the garden. Football Against the Enemy is full of such vivid details. Review by Harry Pearson, whose books include 'A Tall Man in a Low Land' (Kirkus UK) --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Finland - Estonia U19 friendly

An easy match fro the hosts in the Esport Arena. 2-0 (2-0)

Goals in the first half by Lepola and Heini (penalty) were more than enough for the mediocre Estonian team. With a decent striker like Teemu Pukki or Lauri Dalla Valle something like 6-0 would had been closer to the truth.

I took some pics and videos of the goals too but I guess they are just eating up bandwidth.

First international of the year 2009 for me

Will be the U19 friendly between Finland and Estonia January 15th at Esport Arena.

Finland does have an interesting team and the line-up will be chosen from these players;

Joonas Pöntinen, KuPS
Mikko Sumusalo, HJK
Rasmus Schüller, FC Honka
Jaakko Lepola, FC Honka
Johannes Westö, HJK
Tomas Karike, HJK
Ville Mäkilä, FC Inter
Tapio Heikkilä, FC Honka
Riku Heini, FC Lahti
Wilhelm Ingves, IFK Mariehamn
Joni Nissinen, KuPS
Petteri Forsell, VPS
Konsta Rasimus, HJK
Jaakko Ruuskanen, Ilves
Daniel Fellman, FF Jaro
Niklas Kalatsev, KooTeePee
Eemeli Reponen, FC Inter
Claudio Matrone, FC Honka
Juri Kinnunen, HJK
Jesse Miettinen, KuPS
Ali Mahdi Abdirashid, FC Viikingit

All the Honka youngsters are promising, specially Lepola & Schuller, though there seems to be lack of prolific goalscorer. Very few teams do not have that problem, I guess we are not alone with that.

The Estonian team is and will be more unknown, I have seen then personally a couple of times and I hope I have copied the right list of names here below;

I must say that I can not remember any of them individually but I will take a closer look on Thursday.

There will be at least live betting on this game on asian bookmakers, as I mentioned earlier Finland is a big favourite to win but looking at the roster scoring might be slightly difficult.

Frank Bernhardt (peatreener - head coach), Aleksei Jahhimovits, Andreas Aru, Henri Külm, Mikk Reintam, Taavi Laurits, Martin Haljak, Jaanus Võrnu, Olari Perlin, Marko Lelov (treener)
Henri Anier, Albert Prosa, Albert Taar, Igor Subbotin, Artjom Artjunin, Kasper Kaldoja, Siim Rinken, Mikk Laas, Deniss Jõgiste, Reio Laabus, Ain Tammus (väravavahtide treener - gk coach)
Anders Paabut, Melis Peitre, Andrei Veis, Aleks Mones, Artjom Taar, Mait Toom, Steven Karp, Vilju Tibu, Rauno Alliku, Siim Rinken, Sander Sinilaid

Some Predictions for the year 2009

It is time to give out some ridiculous predictions and mouth some words which will be more than delicious to eat later in the season.

To start with Veikkausliiga Champion, it seems to be an eight horse race if you believe in the bookies but I say now that it will be Fc Honka.

Team to be relegated from the Veikkausliiga.. well I am tempted to to say it is JJK but I would like to give them a reasonable doubt. MIFK could be just as weak. Haka is not very impressing now either.

The players to break this season? Let´s omit the U21 players from this as they will have a chance to prove themselves in Sweden 2009 and get sold out in the summer transfer window and see if there is anything else left. Again, it is FC Honka who is introducing the most interesting players but the problem at the moment is that there are too many of them and some of them will be seen only on the bench and with the reserves. I would still say, Rasmus Schuller and Juuso Simpanen.

There will be some fixed matches too, maybe in July when everything is quiet everywhere. Oe should I say, there will be rumours of fixed games and the market moves will be stormy.

There will be some progress for Finnish teams in the European cups if - and only if - the draw is easy enough. No spanish or english teams in the first rounds please.

The team to win a promotion from Ykkönen is... wow this was more difficult to say than I first thought. Very tough one, I say now that it is AC Oulu.

Player market prices

I must say this list from transfermarkt co uk really made me not only wonder but laugh. I am sure someone has tried his best but... well... he just have not had any clue. Anyway, for those in the totally dark it gives you an idea of the price level and the best players available, most of them are young which is exactly how it should be.



1. Mika Ojala 1.750.000 € (Inter)

2. Aleksandr Kokko 1.500.000 € (Honka)

Jukka Raitala 1.500.000 € (HJK)

4. Severi Paajanen 1.300.000 € (Inter)

5. Mikko Manninen 1.250.000 € (TPS)

6. Joni Aho 1.200.000 € (Inter)

7. Medo 1.100.000 € (HJK)

Henri Myntti 1.100.000 € (TamU)

9. Ville Jalasto 1.000.000 € (Honka)

Jarno Parikka 1.000.000 € (HJK)

Konsta Hietanen 1.000.000 € (Lahti)

Jussi Vasara 1.000.000 € (Honka)

Janne Korhonen 1.000.000 € (Haka)

Patrick Bantamoi 1.000.000 € (Inter)

Hermanni Vuorinen 1.000.000 € (Honka)

16. Paulus Henrik Roiha 900.000 € (HJK)

Viktor Szentpeteri 900.000 € (Lahti)

Mikko Paatelainen 900.000 € (TPS)

Rafael 900.000 € (Lahti)

Mikko Innanen 900.000 € (Haka)

Veikkausliiga Champion 2009

I am publishing these only to remember what the bookies where thinking about this January 2009. Remember that top-3 of 2008 all were given double figures last season, that can be called a suprise! It was also time for the first medals for all three; Inter, Honka & Lahti.

There are the usual suspects topping the table, the only one whose price can be expected to go down is last season´s tipster´s favourite TPS.

Forget completely to put any bets for all the teams with odds above 50; they are not even slightly possible winners and I would want something around 1000/1 for VPS and co.

Also Inter seems to be overrated strongly as they lost all their - and the league´s - best players to Europe after the glourious season.

HJK 4.50
Tampere United 5.00
FC Honka 5.00
MyPa 7.00
TPS 7.00
FC Inter 7.00
FC Haka 12.00
FC Lahti 12.00
IFK Mariehamn 50.00
FF Jaro 60.00
KuPs 90.00
JJK 90.00
VPS 100.00
RoPs 100.00

Home advantage in Veikkausliiga

I know it does exist as it probably exists in every possible league in the world I can think of. Veikkausliiga however is a bit peculiar league compared to big professional leagues in the world. Finland is not Turkey or Colombia and even though sometimes referees get a lot of criticism - and for a reason - they can still go to the restaurant wagon in the train on a way home and have pint with the fans of the losing side without fear.

The home support is also somewhat lame if existent at all. There are a couple of old-timers and small groups of ultras or aficionados who probably are not heard or seen on the other side of the stadion.

The pitches are about the same, the artificial pitches here and there being sad exceptions.

The crowds are somewhere around 3000-4000 unless it is a big game. Hardly enough to scare anyone out or to make them piss in their shorts.

The distances are bearable unless you are going to Mariehamn, which paradoxically usually is only a good thing for the visitors as they arrive the day before the game and concentrate better than ever.

It exists, but like mutual history between the teams it is hardly a deciding factor, not as big as in Spain or Italy.

"Andy O'Brien has an horrendous nose, the poor lad. It is massive, it is." - Bobby Robson

Articles worth saving for

I know already that this is one of the posts that will be updated the most. At least this should be!

There is a lot of knowledge out there that should not be forgotten. Copying them and claming them as your own is neither a good option so this is my answer to this.

I will link them here with a short description.

This one is about home advantage in football. Enjoy!


Key players impact in the Premier League

About football factor analysis

Naturally this is also a fine chance for you to take part if you understand what I mean.

What makes one to dislike a team?

Reasons for liking and following a club are easier to find are more understandable, there is tradition, location, heritage, success and so on but are the reasons to feel disgusted when a certain team is on the pitch as easily identified?

It could lie in the culture of the team or it´s followers, the color of the jersey, the imago of the star players or the silly money the make for doing what you would for free?

Hating your local rival is natural, though somewhat ridiculous. They are exactly the same kind of people you are yourself. Or maybe that is the reason? You seem yourself in the mirror while wathing their fans? Don´t you like yourself?

Or are they to rich, too successful, do they have too happy faces? Did they win your team in that crucial match back in 1887?

There are teams I silently support. There are also teams I can not stand and just while I was forming an opinion to say so somewhere else about one particular team it made me wonder.

Why?

'We must have had 99% of the game. It was the other three per cent that cost us the match.' - Ruud Gullit

Season for friendlies

Is about to start. Next week, the 15th to be precise. Finland U19 team will meet Estonia at 13.00 local time, which makes it a bit awkward for anyone to see - except me of course - but a lovely target for asian bookmakers.

If the estonians have their best team available I think they should be given around +3 goals handicap. The game is played indoors in Espoo, but the Arena is full-size and well fitted for football.

The same day Fc Viikingit will meet KäPa. Both teams were playing in Ykkönen last season but KäPa being a miserable group of full-time amateurs and Viikingit pursuing a professional status at the other end of the table there is a gap to be filled.

Have to check with team news later but Viikingit is a huge favourite is this derby-friendly. Kick-off at 17.00 (+2 gmt)

On Friday 16th HJK Helsinki is taking their first friendly of the season, the visitors coming from Estonia. Nomme Kalju JK is a frequent visitor in Finland but unfortunately I have to say that the team in footballing terms is poor. Pure rubbish. HJK is about 5-6 goals better.

There is also another game later that day. Or perhaps there is as the host PK-35 has moved lately from Helsinki to Vantaa and for me it is slightly unsure if they can keep on training in Helsinki. I think and hope that it can be arranged. The game would be against Honka reserves who got promoted to division 2. An even match to be expected.

Finnair Stadium 5th January 2009

People here tend to be complaining about the conditions, cold weather and long distances. Though the surface of the pitch is artificial today would be kind of a cold day for football here. Helsinki -11 Celsius.

This is a stadium that I like to call as the coldest in the world, not only because of the climate but because of it´s structure, there are no walls to give shelter from the arctic wind from the Baltic Sea.

Big thinkers

'One accusation you can't throw at me is that I've always done my best.'
- Alan Shearer

'There's no in between - you're either good or bad. We were in between.'
- Gary Lineker

Finland, a land of Goalies?

It seems that we have had our fair share of goalkeepers but goalscorers and playmakers are harder to find. The trend is the same in ice hockey but as none of us here bothers about hockey let´s talk football!

To start from the creme de la creme;

Antti Niemi. For me personally one of the best goalkeepers in modern times. If he just had happened to born german or spanish he would be champion of the world or europe but with the finnish national team that was never too close. A career in Scotland and England, last teams were Southampton and Fulham but he was too modest, too honest, too loyal and too happy to mover anywhere in the hunt of Big Money. A fine man who retired from football in 2008 in need of rest and some surgery.

Jussi Jääskeläinen. Bolton Wanderer and the main reason for the other wanderers to still play premier league football.

Bubbling under;

Peter Enckelman at Cardiff City. A success in Wales after a disappointing spell at Blackburn. Next target in the FA-Cup is Arsenal.

Tomi Maanoja AIK Stockholm. The future awaits! After securing the Finnish U21 team in the Euro 2009 finals in Sweden in a penalty shoot-out against Austria he became famous of the phrase " vittu mä oon hyvä!" which describes in a quite of a vulgar way how good he himself thinks he is. A promising and very hard-working talent to watch.

Did you think that was all?

Bahne Magnus,1979
SWE: Halmstad (Allsvenskan)

Fredrikson Otto, 1981
NOR: Lilleström (Tippeligaen)

Jaakkola Anssi, 1987
ITA: Siena (Serie

Masalin Jon, 1986
NOR: HamKam (Tippeligaen)

Mäenpää Niki, 1985
NED: Den Bosch (Eerste divisie)

Vilmunen Mikko, 1980
NOR: Alta (Adeccoligaen)

Time to edit this post now; January 10th Lucas Hradecky from TPS gets a transfer to Esbjerg FB. A good move for the 19 year old who has mostly just been warming up the bench at TPS.

Finnish professionals abroad - Toni Lehtinen

There are more than a few Finnish football professionals plying their trade in Europe at the moment. You all know Sami Hyypiä from Liverpool but one of the newest, Mr. Toni Lehtinen who got a transfer from Haka Valkeakoski to Levadiakos in Greece.

We all know that the quality and level of professionalism in Finnish Veikkausliiga is not what it should be but personally I am surprised that Lehtinen - a striker with very limited footballing skills - was bought somewhere.

I have nothing against Lehtinen, I do not know him, but I can honestly say that I would not have paid a dime of him.

Today, January 4th 2009 he anyway started in the Greek Super League game against Aris and got substituted after 69 minutes of play when Levakiados was leading 1-0.

Lehtinen is one of the fellows whose career I will follow closely. Somehow I hope that I am wrong and he is a huge success in Greece, I just do not believe in fairy stories anymore.

Good luck Toni! You are going to need it.

Edit, FT Levadiakos 2 - 0 Aris Saloniki

Resultwise a good start for Toni Lehtinen, I am anxious to see what the reports have to say.

Edit; According to one reporter on the spot Lehtinen had a good day being very industrious and causing trouble for the visitor´s defense. Probably the reporter is slightly biased though but an interesting start for Lehtinen anyway.

One can of course also argue how high standards of play there are in the Greek Super League, is it any better than Veikkausliiga if we omit the top teams Olympiakos, Panathinaikos and P.A.O.K?

Another unforgettable FA cup round going on!

Most of the 3rd round games are about to kick off any minute now. For me this is the competition I envy the most. So many professional teams, so much passion and also, on the other side the teams who wish to get knocked out because of other competitions and relegations battles but are afraid to say so.

A dream day for a betting man. Or a football lover. Or both! My personal exceptations lie in Portsmouth, WBA and West Ham all having troubles against their opposites from lower leagues.

The cup competitions here in Finland are nothing like that. Unfortunately so, but now it is time to increase the volume on and the telly and concentrate.

Good luck!

Edit; Portsmouth and West Bromwich did not do well which for was really good news. West Ham won easily but two out three surprises is well enough for a good day at bookies!

In the year 2000

or is it already 2009 we are talking about? For my surprise there have already been a couple of visitors on this site though this actually is not yet meant to be public.

If ever.

This blog is more or less only a collection of my thoughts around something bigger, professional and ambitious. I am getting used to the idea of publishing stuff again.

It will get updated all the time however. If there are no new posts I am planning to edit the older ones which unfortunately have more or less just popped out of my head.

So what is the big secret then? A betting site? A tips selling site? Concentraded on one league and one market only? Or just some chit-chat about the most beautiful game of them all?

The future will tell. It always does.

"If history is going to repeat itself I should think we can expect the same thing again."
(TERRY VENABLES)