Huuhkajat ended up with a rare solution before the extremely important match against Slovenia – Markku Kanervalta gives his Danish colleague a firm thumbs up

Finland will meet Slovenia on Saturday at 19:00 in Ljubljana in the European football qualifying match. shows live broadcasts of all Huuhkajie qualifying matches.

The Finnish men’s national football team made a rare decision before Saturday’s extremely important European Championship qualifying match in Slovenia. The Huhkaji team did not go to the training ground at all on Thursday.

Huuhkajat arrived in Ljubljana on Monday, so the joint preparation time has been longer than many other qualifying matches.

– You have to think about the players’ normal rhythm. Usually we play every week and there is one day off at some point during the week. I think it was good to have one day a little more free. Sure, the players were in the gym, but we didn’t hold another meeting so that the players could get their thoughts off football. I have to think about not overloading the players too much, head coach Markku Kanerva reasoned.

Slovenia and Denmark are at the top of the H qualifying group with 13 points. Finland and Kazakhstan are the top two after a point. The two best in the group advance to next summer’s final tournament.

Six rounds have been played in the group, so each team has four matches left. After the away match against Slovenia, Huuhkajat will return to Finland, where they will host Kazakhstan next Tuesday.

Finland beat Slovenia 2–0 in a match played in Helsinki in June. Now Slovenia can play on their home field in Ljubljana. Slovenia last lost to Sweden at home in the Nations League in the summer of 2022.

– The home crowd’s support is significant. Slovenia have not lost once in their last six home games. Ball control is not an end in itself for Slovenia, but it may be that they will take it, Kanerva predicts.

Slovenia is a dangerous opponent, especially in special situations.

– There are a lot of different variations of the Slovenian jackpot. It is essential that the players are able to react quickly if something surprising happens. It’s the attitude that counts and how badass we can be.

Its own question mark is the grass of the Stozice stadium, which does not seem to be in particularly good condition. In Huahkaji’s Friday practices, there was an area at each end of the field where you couldn’t practice.

– Usually, the area of ​​sixteen is closed, but now the protected area is even bigger. Some of the reason for that is that they want to protect an area a little bigger than the tougher areas, Kanerva thought before Friday’s practice.

Kanerva commented on Skrabb’s absence

The Danish head coach of Kalmar in Sweden Henrik Jensen recently surprised Aftonbladet By Simon Skrabb absence of Huuhkaji. Skrabb is having a great season in Allsvenskan, and has scored six goals and provided eight assists for Kalmar.

Kanerva said at Friday’s media conference in Ljubljana that he has spoken with Skrabbi.

– I told him that the competitive situation is extremely tough at the moment. Simon is a certain type of player. The last time he was involved, we used a slightly different line-up. He has played well, and I have followed his moves in Kalmar, Kanerva said.

Skrabb, 28, who thrives as a winger and attacking midfielder, was last seen in Huuhkaj in November 2019 against Greece.

– There are other players who have been left out. We have to think about which role the players would fit and whether we have a use for the players of that role if we need changes in different game situations. You always have to make painful choices, Kanerva pointed out.

It’s not everyday that a club coach wonders in public about the player selections of the national team pilot.

– Yes, that in itself is quite rare. As an experienced coach, he (Jensen) probably understands that the head coach makes decisions with the best interests of the team in mind.

– I don’t know if he has watched our games. I don’t know if he has any suggestion then, in which role and in whose place Simon Skrabb should be put. It’s hard to say, but everyone has the right to their own opinions, Kanerva acknowledged.

Schüller: “We play with really big things”

The result of Saturday’s match will largely determine Huuhkajie’s chances of reaching the European Championships. If there is a tie between two teams in the group, the head-to-head matches determine the placings. To that extent, Huuhkajie’s 2–0 home win over Slovenia is meaningful in the back pocket.

Rasmus Schuller knows the stakes, but at the same time is excited that Huuhkajat is still fully involved in the battle for a place in the European Championships.

– Of course, a six-point match. But I am happy that we are in this situation now. We are already at the end of the qualifiers and we are playing for really big things. Everything is still in our own hands regarding the European Championship venue, Schüller thought.

– A big match, but it shouldn’t be overemphasized. We have to find the right kind of good drive, we can’t squeeze too much or our execution will fall apart, Schüller stressed.