A busy show of international qualifiers, with both the Huuhkajat and Helmarit competing to qualify for upcoming World Cups. Mark W, Keke, Mark H and Rich look at the recent result for the Finland Women's team and look forward to imminent games for the Men's team.

They then turn their attention to the closing stages of the 2021 Veikkausliiga season. The regular season has now finished and the league splits into two final series'. For each club, the FFS team discuss their league position, any recent news or events and their prospects in the final stages.

Show Notes and links

FFS Merch https://www.teepublic.com/user/finnish-football-show

Buy Us A Coffee https://www.buymeacoffee.com/FFSpodcast

Merry-go-round = Carousel or karuselli

This is the episode that Mark H has been promising/threatening for a couple of weeks. The team discuss the recent spate of sackings, announcements of resignations (pre-signations?) and rumoured manager transfers for 2022. Attention then turns to SJK Seinäjoki, who are firmly embroiled in this silly-season and whose fans are about to take action and boycott the upcoming game with FC Inter Turku.

Show notes & links

FFS Merch https://www.teepublic.com/user/finnish-football-show

Buy Us A Coffee https://www.buymeacoffee.com/FFSpodcast

On Tuesday night, 7th September, Markku Kanerva’s Huuhkajat travel to Lyon to face a struggling France side, full of quality but down on their luck. Any points from this away side will keep Finland in a play-off place, which may be necessary as Bosnia-Herzegovina play Kazakhstan in the group’s other game, kick-off is at 21:45, Finland time, at the Groupama stadium in Lyon...

Read Mark H's match report of France 2-0 Finland

FFS Merch

Buy Us A Coffee

On Saturday afternoon Markku Kanerva's Finland moved into second place in Group D with a comfortable win over Kazakhstan in the late summer sun in Helsinki. With Helsinki covid-restrictions eased the day before he game allowing more tickets to be released the home crowd were in fine voice in the late summer sun... 

Mark H, Keke and Rich get together to discuss the action as Finland move up group D, before turning their attention to France vs Finland on Tuesday 7th September.

Read Mark H's match report of Finland 1-0 Kazakhstan

Tim Sparv's blog post 'We need to talk about Qatar'

Read Mark H's match preview of France vs Finland

FFS Merch

Buy Us A Coffee

The arrival of the Kazakhstan squad to Helsinki provides Finnish fans something of a rarity a Saturday afternoon kick off. Ordinarily, the Kazakhs would provide a stubborn but ultimately beatable opponent, but they’ve proven too tough for Ukraine and frustrated the French during their creditable 2-0 defeat. If Finland are to stand any chance of a play-off spot, this is a must-win game.  Kick off at the Olympiastadion is 16.00.

Read Mark H's match preview

FFS Merch

Buy Us A Coffee

What turned out to be the most exciting news of the evening, filtered through just before kick off at the Olympiastadion, Helsinki. Kazakhstan had grabbed a 96th minute equalizer against Ukraine, leaving Finland eyeing up 2nd place in Group D.

Read Mark H's match report 

FFS Merch

Buy Us A Coffee

On Wednesday night Finland entertain a Wales side that proved to be a thorn in Markku Kaberva's side in last season's Nations League campaign. Both teams will be looking to experiment in a friendly that preceeds a double-header of World Cup qualifiers. Kick off is at 19.00 at a limited capacity Olympiastadion.

Read the blog post

FFS Merch https://www.teepublic.com/user/finnish-football-show

Buy Us A Coffee https://www.buymeacoffee.com/FFSpodcast

Another packed show, as Mark W, Keke, Mark H and Rich get together to preview the Finland national team squad  that was just announced and preview the three upcoming games against Wales, Kazakhstan and France.

They also look at the Pikkuhuuhkajat (the U-21) squad that was also announced and ponder the quality of the next generation of potential Huuhkajat. Finally, they turn their attention to recent transfers for Finnish players moving overseas and take a quick look at the current Veikkausliiga standings.

Show notes & links

FFS Merch https://www.teepublic.com/user/finnish-football-show

Buy Us A Coffee https://www.buymeacoffee.com/FFSpodcast

In this episode, Keke and Rich are joined by another Huuhkajat star, Robert Taylor, who talks them through his career. It's an inspirational story!

Having been told he wasn't good enough for the Northern Counties league in England, his determination to succeed eventually drove him to score for the Finland national team and travel to Euro 2020.

• FFS store

Robert gives us his perspective on that surreal night at the Parken Stadium in Copenhagen, and reflects on the Chrsitian Eriksen situation, and also gives a little insight into the off-field scandal at SK Brann in August 2021.

Show notes and links 

(KuPS Kuopio image from KuPS.fi pre Vorskla match)

After the craziness of the Euros – the FFS team was crazy-busy representing Finland across the world's media – you MAY have noticed!), crazy-tired staying up until 1:00 AM watching too many games of football, and crazy-hot (at least here in Finland) – it's been nice to calm down and return to normality.

Mark W and Rich get together to look back at the recent European action for HJK Helsinki, KuPS Kuopio, Inter Turku and Honka, and look forward to upcoming ties for HJK and KuPS.

We reflect on a comment from Joni Kauko, about transfers to Brexit Britain, which seems to have started having an effect on Finnish players. We also look back at the last month of Veikkausliiga action, which has giving us a league table that is tight at both ends.

Show notes & links

FFS Merch https://www.teepublic.com/user/finnish-football-show

Buy Us A Coffee https://www.buymeacoffee.com/FFSpodcast