In: Aleksei Kangaskolkka, Juha Pirinen, Johanes Mononen, Aapo Lappalainen, Ilari Ruuth, Juska Savolainen (on loan from Rosenborg until 31 July)
Out: Heikki Aho, Jussi Mäkelä, Tomi Petrescu, Henri Myntti, Tyler Hemming, Jussi Kuoppala, Daniel Nwoke
Coach: Ari Hjelm
Claimed playing budget: €796,800
Egan says: An extraordinary few winter months for TamU saw Jari Viita depart and Tim Rowe return to the board of directors, and a new sponsor offer some stability. Henri Myntti signed for 2. Bundesliga side Hansa Rostock, Tomi Petrescu joined Ascoli on loan, and TamU replaced them with a gaggle of teenagers. Incredibly, Ari Hjelm has fashioned the raw but talented youngsters and experienced internationals Mikko Kavén, Jari Niemi and Antti Pohja into an effective unit. Pre-season results have been good, and Hjelm is a formidable coach, but the team are too reliant on a few older players, and the uncertain form of promising youngsters, to be serious contenders for the title.
Juha says: TamU found the method to get around serious financial difficulties, and managed to build a good team. A good Liigacup campaign saw the club make it into the final, and with the right guidance Kangaskolkka could well be a leading Veikkausliiga striker. Savolainen is a great addition if he is half the player he was in 2007. As far as coaching is concerned, TamU have been very unprofessional for years, but the recent (if late) installation of physical coach Mikko Kujala and goalkeeping coach Mika Malinen has improved that area of the club. It is unlikely that TamU will be anywhere near winning the title, but a medal is by all means possible.
Fan’s View: Tampere United are represented by Antti Pettinen, a long-standing fan.
1. Realistically, how will your team do?
It depends on how the season starts. On paper, the team is better than last year and not far behind the 2007 double-winning team, so a top-4 finish is very possible. I’d say second place.
2. Which teams did you like and dislike most last season?
Above all and ’till I die: HJK. Otherwise, Honka, because they’re cocky and from Espoo, then TPS as they’re from Turku and RoPS, because they have absolutely no ambition whatsoever. Personally, I don’t care much about the style of play, as I think the variety in the styles is one of the things that makes football so fascinating.
3. What was the best moment of last season?
The away match against honka, which was a dramatic game – which we won, of course, 3-4. Otherwise, there was not much to celebrate.
4. What was the worst moment of last season?
The defeats agains HJK, in addition to the abysmal first few games of the season. That was painful.
5. If your club wasn’t in the football business what other business would it be in?
Tricky question. It wouldn’t probably be involved in any other business, as it is founded for football only. The ancestors might be (and are) involved in ice-hockey.
6. Who will win Veikkausliiga and who will go down? (Just the names will do)
The realistic answer is HJK (unfortunately) to win and JJK to go down.
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