HJK, who won the three previous men’s Finnish football championships, went into the Veikkausliiga season again as the overwhelming champion favorite.
Last season, HJK reached the group stage of the Europa League for the second time in its history. The European League brought about five million euros to HJK’s coffers. Of course, there were also expenses from the European game contract.
Going into this season, HJK’s announced player budget increased slightly again: to 2.1 million euros. The closest competitors, KuPS and Honka, said their player budget was exactly one million.
Before the start of the season, the preliminary speculations were as usual: is it possible to stop HJK? It was believed that HJK’s gap with its challengers has clearly grown.
The opening match of the season seemed to reflect the balance of power even in an amusing way, when HJK beat FC Honga 2–0 with a solid performance. The people of Espoo were considered HJK’s number one challenger during the season.
Then Honka lost his goal stick from last season Agon Sadiku to Rosenborg, Norway. The 20-year-old started as the top player against HJK Otso Koskinenwho is not even a striker by training.
HJK, on the other hand, made a triple substitution in the 67th minute of the game. They came to the field Perparim Hetemaj, Lucas Lingman and Santeri Hostikka – that is, three star category players who are also familiar from the national team.
From their first five games, HJK won four, conceding only one goal. Since then, HJK has won only one of their five Veikkausliiga matches.
Read more: HJK is unbelievably stupid! See how KTP leveled in the last moments: “Absolutely insane meltdown”
Toni Koskela is not worried
Head coach of HJK Toni Koskela says that during the recent poor run of results “all the games have been different”. He says that, for example, in the draw against Ilves, HJK was weak throughout the match, but yesterday against Honka, they were a clearly better team.
Sometimes points have been lost “completely by my own fooling around”, like as a guest of KTP.
– The common denominator is that we have to be more efficient and be able to create more chances from the moments we have. On the other hand, we need to defend our own box better.
As a guest of KTP, HJK led 2–0 after the opening period, but the game ended 3–3. As a guest of Ilves, HJK managed to get level in extra time of the match, but in Mariehamn, on the other hand, the defensive block of the hosts held throughout the match.
Koskela denies that there is cause for greater concern now.
– Every coach is constantly thinking about how to play better. There are many obvious reasons [nykyiseen tuloskuntoon].
– We need to get the players fit and get to play with our key players. That’s one important thing that only time can help with. But the short answer is, I can’t say I’m terribly worried.
Another cluster of injuries
HJK has had a lot of injuries, especially in the defender department. Injured his knee last June Valtteri Moren will undergo another operation, and his season is over. away from Mariehamn on Saturday were on the sidelines side pack Try Soiri and toppers Oliver Pettersson mixed Aapo Halme.
Side pack Kevin Kouassivi-Benissan is recovering from a stress injury. A key player in midfield Lucas Lingman returned to the ring against Honka after a heel injury. Striker Roope Risk was against Honka in the opening for the first time in a year.
According to Koskela, HJK does not have a particularly big injury problem, as 75 percent of the lineup has been available, which he says corresponds to normal international standards.
– Injuries have hit the same playing spots, which is a pity in the way that it reduces the options.
However, Koskela is happy that the situation seems bright, even considering Saturday’s SJK top match.
– For a long time, I thought it would be a difficult situation to choose a lineup. Several good Veikkausliiga players are even left out of the lineup.
Familiar crisis?
In the first five matches of the season, HJK’s goal difference was 10–1. In the last five Veikkausliiga matches, it is 9–7.
SJK has risen to the top of the league table, which is the only team without losses. KuPS, which started the season with three losses and then changed coaches, has risen to equal points with HJK.
In the fitness scale of the last five matches, HJK is only sixth.
Standings based on each team’s last five matches.
1. SJK, 15 points
2. KuPS, 12
3. AC Oulu, 9
4. Lynx, 7
5. Haka, 7
6. HJK, 6
7. FC Honka, 6
8. VPS, 5
9. IFK Mariehamn, 5
10. KTP, 5
11. FC Inter, 4
12. FC Lahti, 2
A similar “crisis phase” hit HJK a year ago. In May-June 2022, HJK played four series matches without a win: two draws with KuPS and losses to AC Oulu and Mariehamn. After that, HJK advanced to the European League and the Finnish championship.
HJK’s GPA is now 1.9 from the beginning of the season. Last season, the Club’s Point Average was practically the same after 14 matches, i.e. when the mentioned “crisis phase” had hit the road.
In Koskela’s opinion, it is self-evident that there will be weak phases during the season. He says that there are few clubs in the whole world that are able to maintain their results throughout the season.
– The most important thing is to be able to look behind the result and think about which things need to be fixed and which are at a sufficient level.
– The stupidest thing would be to start thinking about terribly radical things because of individual results.
However, Sen Koskela admits that there is some kind of common factor in last season’s weak period: a cluster of injuries.
Last June, HJK lost to VPS as a guest in the Finnish Cup to the ill Riski, Anthony Olusanya and Moren’s. At the same time, HJK terminated the contract of their Brazilian key player Jair’s with because of this criminal conviction.
– It is a skill to deal with adversity. It’s not worth making big conclusions in May-June. Then championships are not decided.
Supporters’ feedback did not slow down
When HJK’s players and coaching staff thanked their supporters yesterday after the Honka defeat, Koskela received a harsh response from the supporter’s stand, even laced with swear words.
– It’s relevant. Wins are expected in HJK. Everyone is disappointed when we don’t win.
– How would you say that now? It doesn’t distract my thoughts like that. Let’s win games, then everyone will be happy.
Koskela moved from Rovaniemi to HJK’s main manager in the 2019 season. During the 2021 season, HJK extended his contract by two years. Koskela is used to the fact that there is turmoil around him as well.
After last season, Koskela negotiated Together with the big Swedish club Malmö FF, HJK, on the other hand, surveyed options for a new head coach.
During last summer’s “crisis phase”, Koskela was asked to be fired. It’s not new, because in the club every loss of points is a crisis of some kind.
Koskela’s management methods also became a problem. Helsingin Sanomat by Last spring, Koskela received a warning for inappropriate treatment of players.
How does Koskela feel about his position as head coach right now?
– Just in the way that I focus on training and there is another important game on Saturday. Let’s prepare for it and try to be more efficient. It’s pretty much guaranteed that we’ll win the game then.