Nordic Football News

In: Dymytro Voloshyn, Marcus Olofsson, Kenneth Gustavsson, Tamás Gruborowics, Gustav Långbacka, Kenneth Vickström, Sasha Anttilainen, Arsim Gashi, Jimmy Sundman, Ante Simunac

Out: Daniel Norrmén, Travis Binnion, Jani Lyyski, Andreas Björk, Andreas Friman, Peter Sjölund, André Hansell, Petter Isaksson, David Carlsson, Anders Överström, Tommy Wirtanen, Arash Bayat, August Bergman, Akombo Ukeyima, Moses Reid

Coach: Pekka Lyyski

Claimed playing budget: €450,000

Egan says: A big re-building job has been undertaken at the Wiklof Holding Arena, with retirements decimating IFK’s squad. IFK stalwarts Carlsson and Wirtanen left for Allsvenskan too, leaving boots that will take some filling. Results have been good so far, and Gruborowics and Anttilainen are two of the better players from an awful KooTeePee squad. A lot will depend on injuries, but maybe August’s friendly against Atletico Madrid will not be the only bright spot in the Ålanders’ season.

Juha says: IFK are difficult to predict. They have lost quite a few players, but on the other hand IFK have had a good, solid pre-season, beating TPS and Inter and drawing with Lahti and Tampere United. If their good form is not just a symptom of other clubs testing new players and playing around with their squad, IFK should stay clear of relegation. As far as their material is concerned, IFK are to face the relegation battle. Games are not won on paper though.

Fan’s View: Our IFK fan is long-standing Green Mean Machine member, David Eriksson. Now studying in Uppsala, he still heads back home regularly to watch the green and whites.

1. Realistically, how will your team do?

Hopefully we’ll finish in the top half. If the starting eleven just can stay fit it might go really well. But if there’s an injury for any of our key players we are in trouble due to our small squad.

2. Which teams did you like and dislike most last season?

VPS played the most boring football in Veikkausliiga last year in my opinion and FC Lahti’s fans aren’t very popular on Åland. I wouldn’t say I like any other team in Veikkausliiga except IFK but if I have to say one it would be Inter or Honka who really played great football.

3. What was the best moment of last season?

Staying clear of relegation and  IFK fans keeping their good mood even when the team hit a rough patch. People really stepped up when it was needed and the mood never dropped at Wiklof Holding Arena.

4. What was the worst moment of last season?

The long losing streak we had in the summer. It was really tough!

5. If your club wasn’t in the football business what other business would it be in?

IFK Mariehamn would be a small family business that has done well and challenged the big multinational companies with the help of a well-thought out commercial strategy, strong local support and good management of the company. An upstart!

6. Who will win Veikkausliiga and who will go down? (Just the names will do)

I think HJK will win as they’ve got the best squad, on paper at least. KuPS will finish bottom and go straight down. They have the weakest squad in my opinion and JJK will be relegated after the qualifiers, the loss of Ady and Wusu will hit them hard.