Huhkajat meets Scotland in Glasgow on June 7. at 21:45. will show the match on its channels.
The international football season ends for several Huuhkajat players on Friday, when Finland meets Scotland in Glasgow.
On Tuesday, Finland suffered a 2-4 loss to Portugal. They were a source of joy Teemu Pukin two hits.
Like Portugal, Scotland is preparing for the European Championships, which will start on June 14 with the match between hosts Germany and Scotland.
The Scotland match may well be Markku Kanervan the last one as Huhkajie’s head coach. Ari Lahti, president of the Swedish Football Association, said that the coach will be announced in the next few weeks.
– Hopefully we can get things sorted out before midsummer and we can announce who will coach Huuhkaji in the Nations League and World Cup qualifiers.
On Thursday, Huuhkajie’s coach was present at the media briefing Mika Nurmela and the attacker Joel Pohjanpalowho were asked to comment on the situation in Kanerva.
Pohjanpalo burst into laughter when asked how it feels that the Scotland match could be the last under Kanerva.
– As such, I don’t need to comment on our coaching situation in any way. Just like anyone else, I read the papers and know the situation.
– Whether it’s Rive’s last game or not, it doesn’t affect me in any way. However, Rive has done a great job for Suomi-football, he has taken us to the games and we have played fantastic matches with him.
Mika Nurmela was asked if he knows about his future in Huuhkaj. Nurmela has worked in the Huuhkajie coaching group since 2017.
– Er… I don’t know. We haven’t talked about anything here. I think I also read Ari Lahti’s comment from , but I don’t know anything.
– The one who coaches Huuhkaji in the future will certainly build his coaching team according to what kind of combination he feels is best for Finnish football.
Debutantes as a source of joy
On Tuesday, Finland fell under the hammer of Portugal. Portugal took possession by 71 percent, goal expectation 3.36–0.96 and goal attempts 23–2.
– I think it served our case well. If you consider that our goal is to be able to challenge the countries of the first basket, and what kind of game it requires, it was a valuable experience for the future, Nurmela stated.
Nurmela was especially warmed by the fact that three Huuhkajat debutants were seen in the tough match against Portugal. 19 years old Juho Talvitie was at the opening. Players born in 2003 entered the field from the exchange Casper Terho and Leo Walta.
There are other young players who have made a breakthrough in Huuhkaj, such as Anssi Suhonen, Matti Peltola and Oliver Antman.
– We can still talk about outside this team Naatan from Skyta and Take it from Liimatawho take steps abroad and will be Huuhkajie players in the near future.
Nurmela points out that he has been a regional coach of the Football Association in Northern Finland for ten years and has seen Finland’s most potential players every year.
– Other players born in 2003 and those born in 2004 and 2005 are coming. As a whole, it looks incredibly good, Nurmela outlines and shines the potential of the current Pikkuuahkaji.
Good luck Suhonen
Speaking of young players. The Portugal match became bad news when Anssi Suhonen, 23, got a concussion and is not included against Scotland.
The HSV player, considered a diamond midfield promise, has suffered several serious injuries in his short career. There has been a torn anterior cruciate ligament and two fibula fractures.
Nurmela laments Suhonen’s unlucky bumpy journey as a professional and says that with all due respect to the traditional HSV playing in the 2nd Bundesliga, Suhonen could already be playing elsewhere.
– Ans has potential for top 5 leagues.
It has been considered whether the petite and agile Suhonen could avoid injuries by modifying his splashy playing style. Nurmela believes that playing style changes with age and experience.
– The style of play is also Anssi’s strength. He is extremely active in both directions and doesn’t leave any situation unplayed. A very dynamic midfielder.
Special situations as grief
The crown of sorrows for Huahkaji has been special situations. That’s how Portugal got their opening goal, when Richard Jensen wasted one of the world’s best strikers, Manchester City, in a corner kick By Ruben Dias.
Nurmela is responsible for special situations in the Finnish national team.
– Of course, special situations are an important part. When we plan special situations and scout opponents, we are generally physically inferior every game. Okay, that’s not an explanation.
– There was nothing structurally new or surprising in Portugal’s first goal. An important 1vs1 situation was lost.
Huahkajat uses a hybrid defense when defending corner kicks. Some of the defenders mark the area, some guard the man. Nurmela believes that Finland will continue in the same style.
– Especially at the end of the last qualifiers, we conceded goals from them. Of course, you have to try to react. We are constantly trying to think about which players are in key positions and how to make sure that we are more accurate at man guard. It’s the sum of many things.
Among Scotland’s number one stars are the Liverpool defender Andy RobertsonAston Villa’s Champions League led midfield John McGinn and ManU’s midfielder Scott McTominay.
However, they will face a very different team from Portugal.
Those who celebrated promotion to Serie A with Venezia FC Joel Pohjanpalo and Jesse Joronen joined the Huhkaji crew for the Scotland match.
– It won’t be easy. Their team is ready for the European Championships. Players are fighting for their place in the game. They definitely play with attitude and want to show the home crowd what kind of team is going to the games. We need to know how to respond in the right way, Pohjanpalo predicts.
Huhkajat meets Scotland in Glasgow on June 7. at 21:45. will show the match on its channels.
The men’s European football championships in Germany will be played from June 14 to July 14. All matches on channels.