The Veikkausliiga Football League has been played for less than three rounds, but the events of the Helsinki IFK season would already be the subject of a medium-term documentary.
The ownership patterns of the club went new in the winter and at the same time almost the entire player palette was empty. As the season approached, new players rushed in at a brisk pace. Many would rub their eyes when HIFK released the former Portuguese national team goalkeeper Concrete agreement.
Beton countryman elected head coach Bernardo Tavaresia was not seen in the end of the HIFK bench in any of the league matches. Tavares was absent from the start of the season in Seinäjoki due to illness and before the second match he resigned, citing family reasons. A few days later, Tavares was reportedly signed to a coach in Indonesia.
Now HIFK has a new commander. Served as the head coach of the Owners in 2011–2015 Mixu Paatelainen returns to the Veikkausliiga for the first time since 2007, when he coached TPS for bronze.
When he arrives in Helsinki, Paatelainen is a mystery that will bring a lot more interest to the Veikkausliiga. In recent years, Paatelainen has coached the national teams of Latvia and Hong Kong with poor success.
While coaching the owls, Paatelainen fell into the teeth of the supporters. The term Christmas tree, launched by a former top striker, became a joke, to which Paatelainen is still associated. Paatelainen, who persevered in the 4-3-2-1 group, was frustrated, repeatedly teased in front of the media and finally got fired in the middle of the poor European Championship qualifiers in the summer of 2015.
The Christmas tree jokes spread on social media as soon as the Paatelainen HIFK agreement came to light. The jokes are starting to get tired already. Behind the term Christmas tree, Huuhkaji had a beautiful idea of football based on ball control, for which, however, Paatelainen did not have the right kind of players and ultimately the humility to change the way he played enough.
At HIFK, Paatelainen has a lot to prove so that the shadow of failures in the shape of a Christmas tree still floating around him in Finland would give way.
A lot of time has passed since the peak moments of Paatelainen’s coaching career, but it is good to remember that there are only a handful of coaches in Finland who have created a career in international circles. In the 2010–11 season, Paatelainen was selected as the coach of the year in Scotland when he led the little Kilmarnock fifth in the main series.
It is true that Paatelainen has not coached the club for years, but he has stayed on top of the game’s trends. He has worked as an expert in international football for many years and was one of 16, among others About Uefa’s technical observer in last summer’s European Championship finals.
The starting situation at HIFK is strange, as the coach rarely jumps on a new team right at the beginning of the season. On the other hand, the HIFK team is still looking for a common tone, as the players of the Opening line-up, for example, Wilfried Kanon and Wilson Kamawuaka arrived in Helsinki only at the very beginning of the season.
HIFK, which operates on a small budget, has played well compared to its resources in previous seasons and reached last season Joaquin Gomezin led up to the upper finals to fight for European seats.
Gomez left for Seinäjoki and took with him a number of key players from last season, but for Paatelainen, the team also had credit horses. Sakari Mattila already played under Paatelainen on the national team.
The 3-5-2 game system used by HIFK last season and also at the beginning of this season shouts good wing-backs, which the company Pipe Saezin and Macario Hing-Gloverin form can be found. In terms of player types, it would be justified for Paatelainen to keep the line of three toppers in use.
Answers to the game questions will be received for the first time on Friday, when Paatelainen will be seen for the first time in HIFK colors in Valkeakoski against Haka. On Monday, HIFK will meet Lahti at home without Paatela.
Monday’s Veikkausliiga round will be followed by Puhe from 5.30 pm.
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Confirmation: Mixu Paatelainen appointed HIFK’s head coach for Veikkausliiga – glows things that can’t be bought in football