FFS Awaydays: Travelling To Finland For A Football Fix

Producer Mark gets together with two football fans from England who both travelled to Finland just to watch football. Well that and to try Finnish food. Yes, really!

Longtime FFS follower, Joe Parr caught Mark’s attention with a shout-out on The Sweeper podcast about his connection to Musan Salama (MuSa), who play in Kakkonen, the Finnish fourt tier. Jonny Hibberd set his sights higher by paying a flying visit to watch KuPS Kuopio in the Veikkausliiga, but it was his mission to to try a local delicacy that first inspired his trip. Continue reading FFS Awaydays: Travelling To Finland For A Football Fix

Veikkausliiga at ‘Vappu’. Which team is where after 4-5 games?

Hyvää vappua kaikille!

Mark W & Rasmus get together on the Labour Day holiday and spend an hour mulling over the first month of Veikkausliiga action. All teams have played 4-5 games which is a good point to discuss the front-runners, the chasing pack and those lagging behind. Here why Rasmus descibes HJK Helsink as ‘a bit unlucky’ as they lose their first three games – to the delight of fans from all the other Veikkausliiga teams 😆 Continue reading Veikkausliiga at ‘Vappu’. Which team is where after 4-5 games?

Huuhkajat World Cup Qualifier Match Reports. Helmarit Nations League Group B3 Match Reports.

Keke & Mark H are ‘let loose’ on the pod as Producer Mark is either a) skiving or, b) recovering from the three Veikkausliiga preview pods – you decide reader/listener/viewer 😉

Mark & Keke look back at Jacob Friis’ first competitve games as Huuhkajat head coach. Two matches that saw Finland win 1-0 away to Malta, before drawing away 2-2 with Lithuania. Then they turn their attention to the Helmarit and two more Nations League games, a 0-0 draw at home to Belarus followed by a 3-0 home win over Hungary. Continue reading Huuhkajat World Cup Qualifier Match Reports. Helmarit Nations League Group B3 Match Reports.

Veikkausliiga 2025 Preview: SJK Seinäjoki, FF Jaro, KuPS Kuopio, VPS Vaasa

The third and final episode in this series, in which the FFS team present previews for each Veikkausliiga team. In this episode, we hear from Petter Brunell on Jaro, Julian Dawe & Lari Paski on SJK, Jouni Laukkanen on KuPS and Sebastian Pundars on VPS.

Producer Mark is now going to have a lie down to prepare for the start of the season 😴 Continue reading Veikkausliiga 2025 Preview: SJK Seinäjoki, FF Jaro, KuPS Kuopio, VPS Vaasa

Veikkausliiga 2025 Preview: KTP, IF Gnistan, Inter Turku & Ilves

The second episode in a series of shows, in which the FFS team present previews for each Veikkausliiga team. In this episode, we hear from Sami Lindfors on KTP, John Ehrnstén on IF Gnistan, Inter Turku fan Jussi and FFS regulars Jamie and Rasmus discuus their team, Ilves. Continue reading Veikkausliiga 2025 Preview: KTP, IF Gnistan, Inter Turku & Ilves

Veikkausliiga 2025 Preview: Haka, IFK Mariehamn, AC Oulu & HJK Helsinki

This is the first in a series of shows, in which the FFS team present previews for each Veikkausliiga team. In the first episode, we hear from Ally Manson on HJK Helsinki, Johan Lindblom on IFK Mariehamn, Tuomas Komulainen on AC Oulu and Tuomas Vaalta on FC Haka. Continue reading Veikkausliiga 2025 Preview: Haka, IFK Mariehamn, AC Oulu & HJK Helsinki

Finland World Cup Qualifier Match Previews. Jacob Friis Names His First Huuhkajat Squad. Keke’s Passport Gets Some Action.

Mark W and Keke with a hastily arranged episode, recorded the day after new Huuhkajat head coach, Jacob Friis, names his first squad. They look for any surprising selections, discuss the positives of continuity and consider the significance of the U21’s selecting a strong squad for the Euros in June.

They then preview Finland’s first two World Cup qualifiers away to Malta and Lithuania, and Keke gets ready for his trip to Ta’ Qali (or the National Stadium). Listen out for an update on the FFS schedule for 2025, as Mark tries not to admit he has too many pods on the go! Continue reading Finland World Cup Qualifier Match Previews. Jacob Friis Names His First Huuhkajat Squad. Keke’s Passport Gets Some Action.

New Huuhkajat Head Coach. Liigacup update. Transfers for Finns Overseas. Suomen Cup Round 0, ‘Juuson Kierros’.

Mark W, Keke and Rasmus return from the winter hibernation with a round-up of recent events in the world of Finnish football. They start by sharing what they know about new Huuhkajat Head Coach, Jacob Friis, and it turns out they know more than they first thought! 🤓

They give a brief update on the Liigacup and Mark fumes at the thuggish tactics of ‘dirty Jaro’.Keke gives the low-down on the exploits of Finnish players overseas and some key transfers, including several Helmarit who have moved to play near to Keke. 😮

Finally, they look forward to round ‘0’ [ZERO] of the Suomen Cup and discuss why it’s known as Juuso’s Round – only to discover that FFS has TWO members playing in this round of the cup! 🤯 Continue reading New Huuhkajat Head Coach. Liigacup update. Transfers for Finns Overseas. Suomen Cup Round 0, ‘Juuson Kierros’.

Huuhkajat Nations League Relegation. ‘Rive’ Kanerva Sacked. Helmarit & Pikkuhuuhkajat Qualify For Euro 2025 🔥

Mark W and Keke get together to look back at two more defeats and relegation to Nations League C for Finland. This run of 6 defeats was also the final action in Markku ‘Rive’ Kanerva’s distinguished spell as Huuhkajat head coach. Ally sent his thoughts on Finland 0-2 Greece and Mark H, creator of the word Rivelution, explains why “Rive deserves a statue!”

Attention then turns to the women’s national team, as the Helmarit qualify for Euro 2025 in Switzerland with an aggregate 2-0 victory over Scotland. The men’s under-21s, the Pikkuhuuhkajat, add to a busy summer next year, qualifying for their Euro 2025 in Slovakia by trouncing Norway 6-3 on aggregate! Continue reading Huuhkajat Nations League Relegation. ‘Rive’ Kanerva Sacked. Helmarit & Pikkuhuuhkajat Qualify For Euro 2025 🔥

Helmarit Match Reports: Montenegro 0-1 Finland + Finland 5-0 Montenegro. Plus Huuhkajat Nations League Preview.

Mark W and Keke make up a threadbare looking FFS team for this epsidoe, too review the recent, back-to-back wins for the women’s national team. The Helmarit beat Montenegro to go through the Euro 2025 second playoff round against Scotland, with the winner earning a place in the finals in Switzerland next July.

On Tuesday 12.11. the group for the next Women’s Nations League were announced, Mark and Keke also discuss Finland’s opponents in group B3. They then turn their attention to the men’s national team, as the Huuhkajat prepare to face Ireland and Greece in group B2, knowing that two wins is the only thing that will save them from relegation to League C 😰 Continue reading Helmarit Match Reports: Montenegro 0-1 Finland + Finland 5-0 Montenegro. Plus Huuhkajat Nations League Preview.