The Finnish Football Season is about to start!

In addition to these matches below I will also cover international matches, Cup, european competition and occasionally women when I get fresh info and it  is othewise quiet in the market. Possibly there will be some experiments with live info too in some form. There will be previews and estimations for all Veikkausliiga matches, estimations for all Ykkönen matches and for some Kakkonen matches - maybe 50 % - as well. Kakkonen info is in most cases impossible to get in time from reliable sources, but I will use my contacts and watch some 50 Kakkonen matches myself. Naturally very little detailed betting info will be published here because it would not be fair towards the paying customers, but there will be bits and pieces on regular basis.


At least after the big European leagues are on a break all Kakkonen matches and women´s league are in offer in Asia. There is no break during the World Cup, but the kick-off times will change here a bit.

	Veikkausliiga	Ykkönen	2 A	2 B	2 C (North)
Teams	14	14	14	14	14
Rounds	26	26	26	26	26
Matches	182	182	182	182	182
Start	16th April	18th April	25th April	27th April	1st May
Opening	KuPS – HJK	Klubi04-TPV	Kiffen-Riverball	Åbo IFK – EIF	FCV – Santa Claus
Match day	Fri-Mon	all	all	all	all
TV coverage	Yes	No	No	No	No

Finland Veikkausliiga transfers update

The key to success will be in avoiding important players to get injured, this list should give an overview of what has happened during the silly season. The list is probably not 100 % complete.

AC Oulu
+ Jani Luukkonen (FC OPA)
+ Juuso Majava (RoPS)
+ Mika Lähderinne (KPV)
+ Janne Hietanen (Roeselare, BEL)
+ Mika Hänninen (FC Lahti)
+ Ngambe Ngambe (Cameroon)
- John Jonke
- Tinho
- Niko Heiskanen (OPS-jp)
- Toni Kolehmainen (TPS)
- Tommi Siekkiinen (PS Kemi)
  Majava and Lähderinne definitely help, Hietanen is well-backed but overhyped defender with international experience. Luukkonen is 2nd choice gk. Oulu can consider themselves as winners in the transfer market, though Toni Kolehmainen going to TPS must have hurt. A regular starter in defence Tommi Kauppinen just injured himself seriously and will be unavailable for the whole season.

 
Haka
+ Jukka Santala (Mjällby AIF, SWE)
+ Xhevdet Gela (Atlantis FC)
+ Toni Kuivasto (Djurgårdens IF, SWE)
+ Jaakko Juuti (FC Hämeenlinna)
+ Ben Traore
+ Quincy Osei
- Jhon Cagua
- Diego Corpache
- Valeri Minkenen (FC Flora)
- Niko Hoikkala
- Mika Mäkitalo (FC Inter)
- Petri Viljanen (FC PoPa)
- Pietari Holopainen (KuPS)
- Jari  Nikkilä (TamU)
I seriously doubt that this is all. Kuivasto is an experienced central defender and Santala is a has-been in my papers, Juuti is no profile player and Traore and Osei are relatively new to this league and country and it is yet to see what they have to offer. In general Haka did lose more than gain in the transfer market, but they are still testing striker Nam from JJK who could be useful.
 
FC Honka
- Jarkko Värttö (FC Lahti)
- Joel Perovuo (Djurgården)
  Perovuo was one of the Leagues top players, Värttö got no minutes as a defender. No new players, but the existing young talents are all now a year older and more experienced and they should be happy at the Honka office, the plan of committing players with longer contracts seems to working. Markus Paatelainen who was injured for the whole season is about to make a come-back, but I am counting nothing on that.
 
FC Inter
+ Mika Mäkitalo (Haka)
+ Daniel Antunez (Pallo-Iirot) 
- Touko Tumanto (JJK)
- Aristides Pertot
- Claudio Verino
- Martin Civit
- Arttu Seppälä (VPS)
- Alberto Ramirez (Mexico)
The new signings are ok, and mostly dead wood left apart from Tumanto who has not been a profile player yet but should enjoy increased role at JJK. Ramirez also improved match by match and needs to be replaced.


JJK
+ Touko Tumanto (Inter)
+ Mikko Hyyrynen (Jaro)
+ Juha Pasoja (HamKam, NOR)
+ Jarkko Okkonen (VaKP)
+ Lasse Linjala (KPV)
- Nam Ik Kyung (ROC) (Haka)
 I would like add to new signings coach Kari Martonen from Honka. Winners of the silly season, no doubt!
 
FC Lahti
+ Pekka Sihvola (FC Hämeenlinna)
+ Jarkko Värttö (Honka)
+ Janne Leino (City Stars)
- Konsta Hietanen (MYPA)
- Mika Hänninen (AC Oulu)
- Jussi Heikkinen (FC Hämeenlinna)
- Kaarlo Rantanen
- Henri Toivomäki (Atalanta, Italia) 

- Kalle Eerola

 Lahti could do ok without all the long-term injured players, their material especially in the defence department is a bit thin. In my understanding also Northern Irishman Tennant McVea is signed. Defenders Janne Moilanen and Hannu Haara will undergo surgery again this week, more responsibility awaits Reipas youngsters Hertsi brothers? Sihvola has established himself as an excellent goal-scorer in the lower level Ykkönen.
 
FF Jaro
+ Jani Bäckman (Klubi 04)
+ Nosh A Lody (Klubi 04)
+ Tommi Haanpää (SJK)
+ Thomas Kula (JBK)
+ Markus Kronholm (JBK)
+ Ymer Xhaferi (KF Trepça'89, Kosovo)
+ Alexei Eremenko jr. (FK Metalist Kharkiv, loan)
+ Venance Zézé (FK Metalist Kharkiv, loan)
+ Maksim Vasiljev (Torpedo Zodino)
- Jonas Emet (TamU)
- Kristian Kojola (TamU)
- Mikko Hyyrynen (JJK)
- Jani Tanska (VPS)
- Jani Koivisto (FC Viikingit)
- Jens Portin (Gefle IF, SWE) 
  Both lists are too long to cause some worry, but the latest additions from Metallist bring a lot of joy and talent for the whole league. Money is a problem in Pietarsaari, or the lack of it. The step from JBK or SJK to Veikkausliiga is a long one.

HJK
+ Rafinha (TamU)
+ Janne Saarinen (Häcken, SWE)
+ Peter Magnusson (Djurgårdens IF, SWE)
- Tuomas Haapala (TamU)
- Petri Oravainen (KuPS)
- Valeri Popovits (Ilves)
- Jukka Sauso (Jönköpings Södra, SWE)
- Ville Taulo (Taranto, ITA)
- Paulus Roiha (Åtvidaberg, SWE)
- Mikko Hauhia (Akademisk Boldklub, DEN) 
  Rafinha is a useful player, but Saarinen does have a long injury history and will always be doubtful, and Magnusson seems like a panic buy. Most of the players who left are not really missed as such, but the material is not wide enough and the reserves from Klubi04 - Ojala, Sumusalo, Ring, Zeneli, Ramadingaye, Kibona - have to step up. A striker from Fulham reserves shouls also be on his way. Key striker Akseli Pelvas will return in June-July. Defender Jukka Raitala has been on loan at Hoffenheim and now the Germans used their option to buy him.
 
IFK Mariehamn
+ Petteri Forsell (VPS)
+ Mikko Paatelainen (TPS)
+ Echiabhi Okodugha (RoPS)
+ Medone Gueye (French lower league)
- Paulus Arajuuri (Kalmar, SWE)
- Alexandos Pappas
- Kenneth Gustavsson (Gunnilsen IF, SWE)
- Dmytro Pronevych 
Forsell is a quality lad, Paatelainen is at least industrious if not so skillful striker and Okodugha is a useful all-round defender. Arajuuri is well replaced, and the other ones leaving  - Gashi is gone too - are not extremely important.
 
KuPS
+ Petri Oravainen (HJK)
+ Pietari Holopainen (Haka)
+ Mikko Vilmunen (Alta, NOR)
+ Samuli Kaivonurmi (Warkaus JK)
+ Juho Nykänen (FC KooTeePee)
+ Petteri Rönkkö (Jippo)
+ Olajide Williams
- Pele Koljonen (MYPA)
- Jussi-Pekka Savolainen (VPS)
- Jani Hartikainen
- Tuomas Kuparinen (FC KooTeePee)
- Ville Iiskola (FC KooTeePee)
- Janne Reinikainen (MP) 
 KuPS lost Koljonen, but got a plenty in return. Winners.
 
MYPA
+ Pele Koljonen (KuPS)
+ Konsta Hietanen (FC Lahti)
+ Kim Alonen (TPS)
+ Ville Saxman (FC YPA)
- Toni Huttunen (retired)
- Saku Puhakainen (retired)
- Cleiton (loan ended)
- Tuomo Könönen (PS Kemi) 
 Pretty much unchanged side, which is a pity as MyPa is a boring sight. MyPa lack offensive power, but Koljonen should a help a bit in that department. 
 
Tampere United
+ Jonas Emet (Jaro)
+ Kristian Kojola (Jaro)
+ Tuomas Haapala (HJK)
+ Henri Myntti (Hansa Rostock, GER)
+ Jari Nikkilä (Haka)
+ William de Mattia (PoPa, loan)
- Rafinha (HJK)
- Henri Scheweleff (Ilves) 
 They look like winners on the paper, but the new players have mostly destroyed the balance. Too many injuries at TamU camp this pre-season, again.
 
TPS
+ Jonatan Johansson (no contract)
+ Jani Virtanen (Himki, RUS)
+ Toni Kolehmainen (AC Oulu)
+ Henrik Moisander (VPS)
+ Robert Milson (Fulham, loan)
- Wayne Brown (Fulham, loan ended)
- Mikko Paatelainen (IFK Mariehamn)
- Kasper Hämäläinen (Djurgården)
- Simo Valakari (retired)
- Iiro Aalto (Pallo-Iirot)
 Also manager changed from eccentric Pasi Rautiainen to a local lad Marko Rajamäki. Hämäläinen and Brown were top class, but the new signings are not bad at all.
 
VPS
+ Jani Tanska (FF Jaro)
+ Sami Salmi (Klubi 04)
+ Kim Böling (Närpes Kraft)
+ Jussi-Pekka Savolainen (KuPS)
+ Valtter Laaksonen (Sogndal, NOR)
+ Arttu Seppälä (FC Inter)
+ Brian Pope (VIFK)
+ Nam Ik-Kyung (RoPS)
+ Alessandro Marzuolin (PFC Marek Dupnitsa, BUL)
- Petteri Forsell (IFK Mariehamn)
- Jan Ahlvik (VIFK)
- Jani Lyyski (Djurgårdens IF, SWE)
- Henri Sillanpää (GAIS, SWE)
     VPS lost 3 three good players and got something in return, at least they are covered in numbers. The key positions at goal and in defence are covered, but I would not count on anyone to bang in the important goals in the summer. Böling is too young and Laaksonen is not as good as some seem to think, he was in Norway, but only in the Adecco league. Gk Pope is out and injured for the whole season, Marzuoli will replace him (as a 2nd choice keeper?)

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Veikkausliiga 2010 odds - Nordicbet

		HJK			3.00
		FC Honka			4.00
		TPS			5.50
		FC Inter			5.50
		Tampere United			12.00
		IFK Mariehamn			15.00
		MyPa			20.00
		JJK			40.00
		FC Haka			40.00
		FF Jaro			60.00
		FC Lahti			60.00
		VPS			100.00
		KuPS			100.00
		AC Oulu			125.00				+1

Veikkausliiga 2010 odds - Unibet

I wonder if any of these is value. 

		Win						(1-3)
	HJK Helsinki	2,80						1,25
	FC Honka Espoo	4,25						1,50
	TPS Turku	5,50						1,85
	FC Inter Turku	6,50						2,10
	Tampere Utd	12,00						3,25
	MyPa	20,00						4,50
	IFK Mariehamn	22,00						5,00
	FC Haka	30,00						7,00
	FC Lahti	40,00						11,00
	VPS	75,00						18,00
	FF Jaro	75,00						18,00
	JJK Jyväskylä	75,00						18,00
	KuPS	100,0						25,00
	AC Oulu	125,0						30,00

One quick bet - Viikingit -1.25 @ 2.00

No comments, off to the match.
Edit :FT 4-0. Match report in local lingo here. 

League Cup results and semi-finals

Some interesting action last night!

HJK - Jaro 1-3. Highlights at HJK TV here. I must say that a pretty much deserved away win. HJK were in shambles, but Jaro did well and Eremenko and Zézé are top class players. I would have found a better way to fing goal-scoring chances than HJK coach Antti Muurinen did, but that is not really my problem. Jaro gk Teles is shaky and the midfield does not really support the defenders, but for their good luck it did not matter last night. If I was to offer a contract for the Swedish newcomer now at HJK defence I would definitely not do it. HJK match report, biased and full of mistakes but otherwise ok.

AC Oulu - Honka 1-1, Honka won after penalties. Oulu dominated the first half, Honka the second. Vuorinen did not play for Honka. "More refined and better developed club won", said Oulu coach Juha Malinen.

JJK - TPS 2-2, JJK qualify after penalties. "Thanks for the footballing gods", sighed JJK coach Kari Martonen after been outplayed in the first half. Match evened up in the second half, and both had their chances but JJK were the lucky one.

VPS - Inter 1-2 Mistakes in the defense were the key in this obviously very poor quality match.

In the semifinals Honka will host Inter and Jaro welcome JJK to Pietarsaari. In the group phase both matches ended in a draw.

Today a friendly - Viikingit - HIFK

2010 betting stats so far

2010 Bets Finland		N	W	V	L	Money return
Jan		29	16	8	5	133,9
Feb		28	14	1,5	12,5	107,44
March		32	14,5	5,5	12	121,06
Total		89	44,5	15	29,5	119,39

Basically the stake is flat, but there have been both bigger stakes when seen necessary, some added stakes which increase the number of bets even if they are of the same match, and some bets which have been taken against the existing bet, not really looking for an arbitrage but rather to minimize the damage. All prices sbobet, approx. half of the picks in-running.