Nordic Football News

Since there is no hope for compromise amongst NFN Finnish’s “experts” and Veikkaaja decided not to listen to my infinite wisdom, I’ve decided to use this space to tell everyone how the upcoming Veikkausliiga season will play out. So listen up.

This season ranks among the most interesting in recent memory. I wouldn’t call it The Greatest Season Ever as some have, but certainly The Most Unpredictable Season Ever. Well, until next season that is when presumably three teams will be relegated. But more on that some other time.

To the task at hand. Let’s begin with the rear end of the league. The relegation battle promises to be intriguing, because I doubt we’ve seen the last of various teams moves. Dickson Nwakaeme will leave in the summer, Jari Litmanen has not confirmed whether he’ll play and so on. Or well, he has, but to what extent?

There certainly promises to be no shortage of action at the tail end of the league since, this already having been proclaimed  The Most Unpredictable Season Ever, there could be plenty of variety at the bottom.

They won’t be a part of the arse-end special, but don’t be surprised if Tampere United find themselves in a bind as the season winds down. But lets starts with the most obvious candidates.

FC Lahti

Last season: 11th in Veikkausliiga

Good: Not much. Rafael is their only proven striker and he’s slowly aging and injury prone. Litmanen will provide a boost whenever he plays, but will they be able to sort out their tactics when he’s out? Drilon Shala is poised for a breakout season. Ilkka Mäkelä is solid in organising teams defensively, so they should be able to keep things close.

Bad: Pretty much everything else. Center backs Janne Moilanen and Heikki Haara are lost perhaps for the entire season and there’s no news of the return of Atalanta-loanee Henri Toivomäki. The squad is young, paper thin and inexperienced. The coffers seem to be empty as well, so following Hugo Miranda’s acquisition I doubt much else will happen with the squad.

I can’t shake the feeling that this team is quite injury prone as well. Thanks though to a reader who pointed out Rafael’s health record. I seem to have a recollection of persistent knee troubles, but apparently I was wrong. Won’t be the last time.

Key man: Tennent McVea. The towering man from Northern Ireland is tasked with plugging the gaping hole at center back with Haara and Moilanen out. McVea appears to be a bit on the wide side, and there isn’t a lot of talent around him.

NFN predicts: Too thin, hopelessly lost at the back and injury prone. The late addition of Hugo Miranda to the back four tempts to change their rank, but I’m sticking with my guns. Unless Lahti bring in new faces, they’ll be bringing up the rear.

VPS

Last season: 8th in Veikkausliiga

Good: VPS were very active in plugging the vast holes left by departing stars Henri Sillanpää and Jani Lyyski. Jung-huyk Kwom should be a revelation in net. Jani Tanska has improved considerably in the last year. Jyri Hietaharju and Tony Björk form a solid duo in midfield.

Bad: The squad is still thin and mostly unproven. Up front there is a desperate need for a quality goal scorer, but VPS have to pin their hopes on Antonio Inutile growing up. Coach Tommi Pikkarainen is also an unknown. The squad feels so bland it might as well replace it’s logo with an MTV3 sticker. A little bit of everything, but nothing to stir hearts and minds.

Key man: Any striker. The group (Inutile, Arttu Seppälä, Valtter Laaksonen, Kim Böling, Pekka Kainu, Jussi Aalto) hasn’t a single proven scorer and consists mainly of ex-prospects and very ordinary players.

NFN predicts: Even if Pikkarainen is able to plug up the defense, scoring remains a massive issue. Nil-nils won’t end up cutting it. Relegation favorite no. 2 and top candidate for Blandest Team Of The Year, or in usual terms, this year’s MyPa.

JJK

Last season: 13th in Veikkausliiga

Good: New coach Kari Martonen has brought sense and purpose to the club. All of the new signings (Juha Pasoja, Jarkko Okkonen, Mikko Hyyrynen, Touko Tumanto) bring a wealth of experience to the club and the two former should plug up the defense nicely. Martonen will try to fuse an attacking style of play, so at least they should be fun to watch.,

Bad: Behind the top names there’s still an inherent lack of quality in the squad. The midfield in particular is thin and not very talented. Young Patrick Poutiainen will have the unenviable task of running the show. Tumanto will help, but otherwise it’s not looking very good. Up front Hyyrynen is a proven scorer, but very alone.

Key man: Christian Sund: “Kisu” has been known for his talent for quite some time. Martonen known how to extract a lot of out good players and Sund leads the list of players who must improve over last season (as he does most of the time). If he can bring stability and creativity, JJK can exceed expectations.

NFN predicts: It’ll be another tough year. JJK looks better on paper and did well in the league cup, but so have many teams in the past before going down. Martonen is unproven, and it’s good to remember that good assistants don’t always make good head coaches. How will his team react to adversity and playing early home games away from home?

AC Oulu

Last season: 1st in Ykkönen

Good: The promoted team has stayed pretty well intact. Coach Juha Malinen has forged an effective, high energy style of play that should suit a newly promoted team. Mika Nurmela continues to defy age and is in great form. Jarkko Hurme remains a very intriguing prospect. Janne Hietanen and Mika Lähderinne bring a wealth of experience to the back line, imperative for any new league team.

Bad: As with so many other teams, things look bleak up front. Donewell Yobe and Frank Jonke face the biggest pressure. ACO’s financial difficulties are well documented. Malinen did a splendid job keeping the issues out of the squad’s mind last year, but how easy will it be if similar problems arise once more? For all his strengths, Malinen is also known as a bit of a grating personality when things go downhill.

Key man: Mika Nurmela. His set pieces may forever receive derision from football fans thanks to an ill-advised endorsement by Antti Muurinen back in the day, but he’s still better at it than probably anyone else in the league. This team will live and die to the beat of Nurmela’s giant heart.

NFN predicts: Malinen and Nurmela are to Oulu what Batman and Robin are to Gotham City  (Sadly, Wonder Woman (Ville Nylund) has retired). The Dynamic Duo will save Oulu from relegation as long as typically Ouluish turmoil doesn’t take center stage.

KuPS

Last season: 12th in Veikkausliiga

Good: Dickson Nwakaeme is a Beast. He can and will win games on his own. Other new acquisitions (Petri Oravainen, Mikko Vilmunen, Pietari Holopainen) add experience and quality. Along with Balazs Balogh and Atte Hoivala, Holopainen should do a good job plugging the horrid defensive holes of last season. The team has improved in strides in the off-season tactically as well. Coach Esa Pekonen has installed a no-nonsense approach with sound tactical discipline.

Bad: The midfield is a mystery. Where will Miikka Ilo (Finland’s Paul Warhurst), Miikka Turunen and Ollo end up playing? Pekonen can reasort to too much fiddling and screaming when things don’t go well. The biggest question is, what happens when Dickson leaves? It’s a pretty safe bet KuPS will be active in the summer transfer window.

Key man: Petri Oravainen: The HJK import struggled to make an impression on his return to Helsinki, but he’s speedy and skilled. Should give KuPS a true threat down the flank. Oravainen’s consistency is a huge key this season in bridging the gap when Dickson leaves.

NFN predicts: KuPS will be the surprise team of the Veikkausliiga lower echelon. Dickson will grab points early on and a relatively deep, well organized squad will ensure continuity.