Episode 11. 

The Veikkausliiga draws to a close, Rich, Mark & Mark review the whole season and hailing the 2016 Vaeikkauliiga Champions, IFK Mariehamn. We also salute the over-achievement of Ilves and discuss ‘Why is FFS so anti-HJK Helsinki?’ – we’re not, really.

We look back (and laugh) at our pre-season predictions on the league table. Needless to say, we were pretty hopeless, although Keke was less hopeless than most!

Rich also raises the Suomen Cup group stage shambles. And why clubs' applications to participate in the  competition are down by 80%. You need to listen carefully, it's nuts!

Show notes & links

Episode 10. 

A strangely narrow-sighted episode which focuses on the two recent World Cup qualifying games; 3-2 defeat away to Iceland and a 1-0 defeat at home to Croatia.

Keke Myllari joins us again to share his experiences travelling away to Reykjavik for more last-minute heartbreak, while Mark H was in the Ratina stadium, Tampere, to see Finland start the game with a team that included 7 (SEVEN) defenders!

Find out why a ‘big announcement’ from the Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) provoked a rant from Mark H.

Show notes & links

Episode 9. 

We start by introducing a guest to the Show. Simon Gray joined us to talk to us about recent events in Kakkonen (Finland’s third level of football). Simon played in the recent 8-0 defeat for FC Virkiä from Lapua that got some of our listeners and presenters rather excited. This was his debut in professional football, at the ripe old age of 50!!

He also told us about Virkiä’s links to Liverpool FC, and the summer training camps that have been held in Lapua in recent years. Finally, Simon got the chance to meet a hero recently in a training session with Jari Litmanen, the man known as 'Kuningas' in Finland.

Following on from losing the Suomen Cup final (on penalties to SJK) HJK faced HIFK in the Stadin Derby  (Helsinki derby) which resulted in a dramatic 2-1 victory for HIFK and disturbances in the crowd.

Finally, with 3 full rounds of games remaining, we look at the question posed in FFS8: ‘Does anyone want to win this league?’

Show notes & links

Episode 8. 

As the World Cup qualifying campaign kicks-off, we look at Finland’s first two qualifiers; 2-0 defeat away to Germany and 1-1 draw at home to a freshly-minted Kosovo, and we wax-lyrical about Huuhkajat centre back Paulus Arajuuri.

Also, Veikkausliiga at the ⅔ stage sees HJK Helsinki rising high on a wave of mediocre form. We discuss some recent transfers and talk about a couple of British players shining in the Finnish league. You can also learn what made Mark H say 'Ohhh. I love Roope Riski!' ❤️

Show notes & links

Episode 7. 

This episode is a little different, as the extended FFS team each took one of Finland's opponents in the upcoming qualification campaign, for the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

Thanks to our recent guests, Keke Myllari and Henry Hakamäki, who seem to have made themselves quite at home on the podcast and each profiled a team in this episode too. This is the running order:

CROATIA – Rich Nelson @EscapeToSuomi

UKRAINE–Henry Hakamäki @Huck1995

KOSOVO – Mark Wiltshear @explorefinland with a LOT of help from Mehmet Hetemaj from @SJK_Seinajoki

ICELAND – Keke Myllari @kekemyllari

TURKEY – Mark Hayton @FCSuomi

Show notes & links

Episode 6. 

Rich has taken a hiatus from the show (paternity leave), so Mark & Mark invite friends of the show, Henry Hakamäki and Keke Myllari, to stand-in. We look back to Finland’s recent friendly games; 1-1 draw with Belgium and a 2-0 defeat to Italy, both improvements on recent form. We also look at the Veikkausliig at the ⅓ stage; who has suprised us (IFK Mariehamn, Ilves & Kemi) plus the struggles of HIFK Helsinki.

Show notes & links

Episode 5. 

Mark, Rich & Mark ponder the title question as Finland, under new manager Hans Backe, receive two morale-sapping defeats 5-0 away to Poland and 2-0 away to Norway. I mean, really! We also reflect on the first few games of the 2016 Veikkausliiga season and make predictions for the forthcoming league campaign, starting with ‘who will finish fourth’ apparently!

Show notes & links

As a supplement to the live recorded Finnish Football Show, here's a selection of short articles, which were previously published online. These two articles, written and presented by Henry Hakamäki and Keke Myllari, were both inspired by the recent game between HIFK and FC Lahti, which was played behind closed doors. For no real reason.

The original blog posts:

Behind Closed Doors - a Liigacup story by Henry Hakamäki, originally published on EscapeToSuomi.net

Football In Finland – Raising The Profile by Keke Myllari, published by Stand magazine and on Keke's blog

Show notes & links

Episode 4. 

As the closed-season continues, Mark, Mark & Rich look at the recent exploits of Finns playing outside of Finland. We also look at upsets and surprises in the pre-season Liigacup competition and consider a few more transfers involving Finnish players and clubs.

Show notes & links

Episode 3.