Teemu to play tonight

[pete 320]

Pukki is to play  against France in friendly.  Reported by Sky Sports News.

Was hoping he might only play in the two qualifiers instead of playing meaningless fixture.

Another 3 games in 7 days for Finland after City's demanding schedule more chances for injury.

[Alex Moss 2,165]

29 minutes ago, pete said:

Pukki is to play  against France in friendly.  Reported by Sky Sports News.

Was hoping he might only play in the two qualifiers instead of playing meaningless fixture.

Another 3 games in 7 days for Finland after City's demanding schedule more chances for injury.

Yep, concerning. The national sides have the players by the b0ll0ck5 at the moment though - pull out of the friendlies and I’m sure the threat is there that you will be putting your place in the squad for the Euro’s at risk. But more fool them if Pukki’s recent injury flares up and he’s not in shape for next summer - he’s their only hope of pulling off shock results. From Teemu’s point of view, I laughed almost uncontrollably when the Finland manager urged Teemu to make a move away from Carrow Rd upon our relegation, intimating that he could be risking his chances of getting on the plane next summer. Yeah right, because obviously the Finland manager has a plethora of striking talent to replace their national HERO, and of course playing in the Championship is a step down from the Finnish Premier League - what a total idiot! 

[TheGunnShow 5,977]

42 minutes ago, Alex Moss said:

Yep, concerning. The national sides have the players by the b0ll0ck5 at the moment though - pull out of the friendlies and I’m sure the threat is there that you will be putting your place in the squad for the Euro’s at risk. But more fool them if Pukki’s recent injury flares up and he’s not in shape for next summer - he’s their only hope of pulling off shock results. From Teemu’s point of view, I laughed almost uncontrollably when the Finland manager urged Teemu to make a move away from Carrow Rd upon our relegation, intimating that he could be risking his chances of getting on the plane next summer. Yeah right, because obviously the Finland manager has a plethora of striking talent to replace their national HERO, and of course playing in the Championship is a step down from the Finnish Premier League - what a total idiot! 

Re. the bit in bold, you'll not find too many Finnish national team players in their native country. Finland's league is professional but the best players basically do the same as in Iceland and move early on. If they stay in Nordic countries, they'll go to Sweden, Denmark or Norway as all three leagues are generally better.

Finland had its own Leicester City moment regarding underdogs piling it on to glory back in 2016 as well, when IFK Mariehamn somehow won the whole shebang. We're talking about a club where they all speak Swedish, from a town with a population of just over 11,000, on a group of Swedish-speaking islands between mainland Sweden and mainland Finland (remote, basically) - and they won the Finnish title.

Which brings me to one of my favourite football stories. Did the half-marathon there in 2017. Turned down a hot date to pick up an IFK Mariehamn shirt with my name on the back but the day before I'd wandered around Mariehamn, wandered into the stadium, and only ended up chatting to the Director of Football for about ten minutes (I'd ordered the shirt then, but had to pick it up the day after).

[Alex Moss 2,165]

4 minutes ago, TheGunnShow said:

Re. the bit in bold, you'll not find too many Finnish national team players in their native country. Finland's league is professional but the best players basically do the same as in Iceland and move early on. If they stay in Nordic countries, they'll go to Sweden, Denmark or Norway as all three leagues are generally better.

Finland had its own Leicester City moment regarding underdogs piling it on to glory back in 2016 as well, when IFK Mariehamn somehow won the whole shebang. We're talking about a club where they all speak Swedish, from a town with a population of just over 11,000, on a group of Swedish-speaking islands between mainland Sweden and mainland Finland (remote, basically) - and they won the Finnish title.

Which brings me to one of my favourite football stories. Did the half-marathon there in 2017. Turned down a hot date to pick up an IFK Mariehamn shirt with my name on the back but the day before I'd wandered around Mariehamn, wandered into the stadium, and only ended up chatting to the Director of Football for about ten minutes (I'd ordered the shirt then, but had to pick it up the day after).

Nice little story there at the end, Gunny 👍. Good to see you got your priorities straight over date v football shirt 😉. The only other thing I’d say is the Championship is still surely a higher level than those Northern European countries you’ve mentioned and I doubt the Finland manager is telling the rest of his squad that that level isn’t good enough. Teemu’s their best player! 

[TheGunnShow 5,977]

Just now, Alex Moss said:

Nice little story there at the end, Gunny 👍. Good to see you got your priorities straight over date v football shirt 😉. The only other thing I’d say is the Championship is still surely a higher level than those Northern European countries you’ve mentioned and I doubt the Finland manager is telling the rest of his squad that that level isn’t good enough. Teemu’s their best player! 

I'd peg Finland's top flight as being quite mixed, obviously HJK Helsinki are fairly dominant but I would peg them as mid-Championship level, but your weaker teams are probably top of League 2. Norway's top flight is probably a bit better but again, the weaker teams there tend to be more than a division below (by English standards) the better sides. That said, Bodo Glimt look like they're going to win it for the first time and generally they've been relative makeweights behind powerhouses such as Rosenborg and Molde.

Sweden and Denmark have the best Nordic top flight leagues simply as there is more money in them. I'm not saying they're comparable to the Premier League, but I would reckon they are around Championship level, but again with the caveat that their weakest teams would be lower than the likes of Wycombe / Coventry etc.

[TeemuVanBasten 3,327]

20 minutes ago, TheGunnShow said:

Re. the bit in bold, you'll not find too many Finnish national team players in their native country. Finland's league is professional but the best players basically do the same as in Iceland and move early on. If they stay in Nordic countries, they'll go to Sweden, Denmark or Norway as all three leagues are generally better.

Finland had its own Leicester City moment regarding underdogs piling it on to glory back in 2016 as well, when IFK Mariehamn somehow won the whole shebang. We're talking about a club where they all speak Swedish, from a town with a population of just over 11,000, on a group of Swedish-speaking islands between mainland Sweden and mainland Finland (remote, basically) - and they won the Finnish title.

Which brings me to one of my favourite football stories. Did the half-marathon there in 2017. Turned down a hot date to pick up an IFK Mariehamn shirt with my name on the back but the day before I'd wandered around Mariehamn, wandered into the stadium, and only ended up chatting to the Director of Football for about ten minutes (I'd ordered the shirt then, but had to pick it up the day after).

Ah, you made a mistake there. Should have asked the girl if she'd be up for having a nosey around a football stadium, if she said yes and didn't moan you'd have found a real keeper! 

 

[TeemuVanBasten 3,327]

7 minutes ago, TheGunnShow said:

I'd peg Finland's top flight as being quite mixed, obviously HJK Helsinki are fairly dominant but I would peg them as mid-Championship level, but your weaker teams are probably top of League 2. Norway's top flight is probably a bit better but again, the weaker teams there tend to be more than a division below (by English standards) the better sides. 

Sounds a bit like the Scottish League then!

[TheGunnShow 5,977]

Just now, TeemuVanBasten said:

Ah, you made a mistake there. Should have asked the girl if she'd be up for having a nosey around a football stadium, if she said yes and didn't moan you'd have found a real keeper! 

 

There was a fundamentally bigger problem. She was running the marathon (and was Finnish, we're talking about a race in Finland, albeit a part where they all speak Swedish) and I was only doing the half. I think she might have been running when the match kicked off.

It was great. Nearly PBed the half-marathon (missed by under 40 seconds), went to my hotel, got showered, got changed, and watched IFK Mariehamn face Ilves in the last game of the 2017 Veikkausliga. And I got a IFK Mariehamn shirt with my name on the back.

[Rich T The Biscuit 562]

47 minutes ago, TeemuVanBasten said:

Ah, you made a mistake there. Should have asked the girl if she'd be up for having a nosey around a football stadium, if she said yes and didn't moan you'd have found a real keeper! 

 

A keeper, surely on a date you want a striker 😂

I'll get my coat 🤷‍♂️😂

[TheGunnShow 5,977]

31 minutes ago, Rich T The Biscuit said:

A keeper, surely on a date you want a striker 😂

I'll get my coat 🤷‍♂️😂

Fair point, you want to score, not keep clean sheets...

[Alex Moss 2,165]

31 minutes ago, Rich T The Biscuit said:

A keeper, surely on a date you want a striker 😂

I'll get my coat 🤷‍♂️😂

Exactly, with the 2 best centre forwards around!

[Alex Moss 2,165]

Pukki hasn’t started tonight so not sure what Sky were reporting on, but no complaints here to be honest!

[Branston Pickle 3,673]

Yes, back to the football🙂...no Pukki but Finland currently 2-0 ahead

[TheGunnShow 5,977]

1 hour ago, Alex Moss said:

Exactly, with the 2 best centre forwards around!

Just make sure the t-i-t-s up top have a bit of support!

Edited November 11, 2020 by TheGunnShow

[hepphep 175]

Both started with 2nd team. Finland had none of usual starting eleven players starting. Quite a result though, with two youngsters scoring in their debut! One of those was Brentford's Marcus Forss. He will come really good in a year or two.

[Rock The Boat 1,332]

2 hours ago, hepphep said:

Both started with 2nd team. Finland had none of usual starting eleven players starting. Quite a result though, with two youngsters scoring in their debut! One of those was Brentford's Marcus Forss. He will come really good in a year or two.

With us, hopefully.

[TIL 1010 4,777]

Looks like Pukki came on as an 80th minute sub.

Edited November 12, 2020 by TIL 1010

[BobLoz3 494]

14 hours ago, hepphep said:

Both started with 2nd team. Finland had none of usual starting eleven players starting. Quite a result though, with two youngsters scoring in their debut! One of those was Brentford's Marcus Forss. He will come really good in a year or two.

Yeah mentioned this to some pals earlier. He looks a useful player, scoring in the championship already. Finland's new hope!

[Dr Greenthumb 750]

14 hours ago, hepphep said:

Both started with 2nd team. Finland had none of usual starting eleven players starting. Quite a result though, with two youngsters scoring in their debut! One of those was Brentford's Marcus Forss. He will come really good in a year or two.

I wonder if the Finland coach will tell him he shouldn’t be playing in the championship