Markku Kanervan continuation as the head coach of the Finnish men’s national football team is hot.
The final stages of Finland’s European Championship qualifying group in 2023 went poorly. However, based on their results in the Nations League, Finland qualified for the European Championship further qualification, but the European Championship dream was dashed last week in a dull 1-4 loss as a guest of Wales.
Kanerva has been piloting Huuhkaj since December 2016. Under Kanerva, Finland has played 56 competitive matches, of which there are 28 wins, 6 draws and 22 losses.
Read more: Analysis: A big bias is easily attached to the results of the whiners – what has really happened during Markku Kanerva’s time?
The length of Kanerva’s contract has also caused surprise. Kanerva’s contract will continue until the end of this year. In the fall of 2024, Finland will play in the Nations League, but the World Cup qualifiers will not start until 2025.
If the coach is changed, shouldn’t it be done quickly so that the new coach has more time to prepare for the World Cup qualifiers?
Read more: Pekka Holopainen’s column: Markku Kanerva’s departure does not solve the Huhkajie’s biggest problem – the silver bullet will not fly anywhere to help
This is how Ari Lahti answered now
Chairman of the Finnish Football Association Ari Lahti has emphasized composure in interviews. He has said that he will have discussions with Kanerva soon.
Lahti has said that the goal is to decide on the continuation of “Rive” quickly, half or the other. According to Lahti, the Football Association has surveyed coaching candidates.
Lahti was a guest at ‘s studio during the break of Tuesday night’s national match against Estonia.
The head coach issue is hot. Will Kanerva continue as Finland’s head coach in the fall, when the new project towards new dreams begins?
– At the moment, the situation is that Markku Kanerva has a contract until the end of the year. Nothing else is currently known.
Is it possible that Markku Kanerva would sign an extension contract and the contract would continue even after the turn of the year?
– Yes, it is quite possible. No decisions have been made regarding it. It has been agreed with Kanerva that when these games are over and the Easter sheep are eaten, then we will sit down and talk like man to man.
– The purpose, of course, is to look at what his own motivation and goals are. They will be discussed then and after that we will look at further patterns.
They decide
Sports expert Antti Pohja asked Lahte in the studio to open the recruitment process for the head coach.
Who participates in it and what are the criteria?
– First of all, we have an existing process all the time for all national team coaches. We have a backup plan just in case, so that if something happens, we will be able to react fairly quickly.
– Now, as far as the head coach is concerned, the situation is such that we have mapped out the options well in advance. So we haven’t talked to anyone outside, but we have done this work within the framework of our sports organization.
Lahti said that the group in question includes the director of sports Aki Hyryläinenresearch and development manager Ville-Pekka Inkilä as well as their team. According to Lahti, it is about “a few people”.
In addition, Lahti and the general secretary of the Finnish Football Federation decide on the head coach Marco Casagrande.
What kinds of things come up in conversations? What do you think that coach should be like?
– In my opinion, if asked, it should be someone who wins games. A successful coach, Lahti laughed first.
– Of course, speaking more seriously, there are certain game-related issues that Finnish football and our entire coaching line lead to. Those qualities, and then, of course, the qualities of people management. But you really shouldn’t underestimate the importance of motivation. Being a motivating coach is extremely important for the little ones as well as for the players of the A national team.
By autumn
Ari Lahti started as the president of the Finnish Football Association in 2018. He has not previously hired a Huuhkajie head coach, except of course the extension contracts made to Kanerva.
Is there any pressure because the success has been good and the bar has been raised quite high?
– Of course, responsibility is always heavy in these jobs. Fortunately, I have been able to train around KuPS for at least a couple of decades, so I know what that choice of coach means.
– Yes, responsibility, I can feel it. The head coach of Huuhkajie is of course a significant figure from the point of view of Finnish football and the sports audience.
Is Finnish head coaching an interesting job in the world? Is it possible to catch a so-called big fish here?
– Yes, this is certainly of interest to the world as well. The starting point is that we have not limited this search for coaches to any nationality.
– In exactly the same way as the head coach selection of Helmareit. International candidates participated in it until the end, but we ended up doing it Marko to Saloranta. At that time, mainly because we knew that the team needs new players, so there must be a coach who knows the junior stock.
When will we hear the news, who will coach Huuhkaji, firstly in next summer’s training matches and then when the new project starts in the fall?
– They say that the essential thing is precisely the autumn League of Nations. However, it means competitive matches and is a good training ground for World Cup qualifiers. Before that.
There is no more specific date?
– No.
When you look at, for example, statistics, such as expected goals, from recent years’ national matches and Huuhkajie’s player material – the clubs the players play for – Finland’s prestigious tournament venue cannot be considered a standard.
This is what ‘s expert pointed out Miika Nuutinenwho emphasized that there is a place for a critical discussion about Huuhkajie’s way of playing and Kanerva’s position, but the discussion should be conducted through realities.
– The fact that Huuhkajat is competing for a place in the competition always requires overperformance compared to the player material. The team has two players who play in Europe’s top 5 leagues. It’s a pretty harsh situation.