33.7K
Downloads
186
Episodes
The original English-language podcast about Finnish football. Presented by Mark W, Mark H, Rich, Keke & Ally, five Brits with Finnish wives and shared passion for the beautiful game. @explorefinland @fcsuomi @escapetosuomi @kekemyllari & @mano99 bring you a variety of show formats; the original Finnish Football Show discussion show, interviews with key people in Finnish football, and Match Reports of key Finnish national team games. FFS – supporting football in Finland since 2015.
Episodes
Wednesday May 27, 2020
Wednesday May 27, 2020
Mark W speaks to Chris Cleaver, the British football agent at Scandinavian FI OÜ Player Agency. Chris is the former captain & first team coach of SJK Seinäjoki in Finland. He talks about his playing career in Finland, bookended with spells in Seinäjoki, before explaining about the transition to becoming an agent and how this has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Sunday May 17, 2020
Sunday May 17, 2020
Back in February 2020, the Finnish Football Show team got together online to record FFS27. Mark began that episode with the words "We started recording this show at 21:45 because we've had some technical problems for the last 20 minutes, which were MY fault this time...!"
What you are about to hear is what happened before the show, eventually, went live.
Thursday May 07, 2020
Thursday May 07, 2020
Yes, we know, it’s been ages since the last show, but this time it really ISN’T our fault. There’s been this virus thing, you see. This episode is something a little different. Firtsly, it's only Mark W & Keke, but this time we are joined by a very special guest, Mikko Laitinen, Marketing Manager at Suomen Palloliitto – the Finnish Football Association.
Mikko talks to us about financial challenges within Finnish football and, conversely, the commercial opportunities offered by the impressive performances of the Huuhkajat. Mikko also explained the background to the "Kauden tärkein ottelu" (the Season's Most Important Game) campaign, which enables fans to support Finnish football during this difficult time. Encouragingly, the start of the 2020 Veikkausliiga season was also announced on 6.5.2020, the day of the recording, so of course we talked about that too.
🎟 Buy tickets for the Kauden tärkein ottelu" (the Season's Most Important Game) campaign
Sunday May 03, 2020
Sunday May 03, 2020
Rich speaks to Jonne Lindblom, a former agent and now the Sporting Director of KuPS Kuopio in Finland. Jonne explains how KuPS is helping its players maintain fitness during the COVID-19 pandemic. He looks at the challenge the corona virus poses for new manager, Arne Erlandsen, to communicate his ideas to the team, as they prepare for the defence of the Veikkausliiga title they won in 2019 – whenever that defence might start!
Jonne tells about his role as Sporting Director (handling recruitment, scouting, player contracts and agents). He also gives some insight into his close involvement, as an agent, in the rise of Alfredo Morelos. Then he looks forward to future plans for a new stadium in Kuopio and his determination to develop the KuPS Academy, so it provides more players for the first team squad.
Friday Apr 24, 2020
Friday Apr 24, 2020
Keke talks to Finland international player (or Huuhkaja) Markus Halsti, who explains how he, and fellow Finn Joni Kauko, are trying to keep fit for Esbjerg fB in Denmark, and how they could be recalled to action with a days notice, even though the club coaches are currently NOT ALLOWED to train them!
Markus tells about his special connection with HJK Helsinki and FF Malmo and his experiences at D.C. United in Major League Soccer – including how USA fan culture incorporates chainsaws! 😨 Finally Markus shares his disappointment at not swapping shirts with Xabi Alonso and why he couldn't celebrate on the pitch after THAT Liechtenstein game, when Finland qualified for Euro 2020.
Wednesday Apr 15, 2020
Wednesday Apr 15, 2020
Mark W talks to SJK Seinäjoki's new 1st Team Coach, Joaquin Gomez about his bold move from Spain to the UK and dramatic rise, as a coach and assistant manager, through the Football League (EFL). We talk about how meeting Sami Hyypiä and Antti Niemi, later led to opportunities to become coach for Finland U21s and, latterly, SJK. Finally, he explains how they are keeping the SJK players fit, physically and mentally, during this period of uncertainty.
Thursday Apr 02, 2020
Thursday Apr 02, 2020
Keke speaks to Jussi Hartikainen, the Executive Director of the Finland national team supporters club, Suomen Maajoukkueen Kannattajat ry. Also known as SMJK to its friends.
Jussi explains how the SMJK has handled the postponement of Euro 2020, how he manages relations with the Finnish Football Association, Palloliitto, the prospect of club football restarting anytime soon and the prospects for his club FC Vikingit. Oh, and the new SMJK beer: Pohjoiskaarre Pale Ale.
Wednesday Mar 25, 2020
Wednesday Mar 25, 2020
How do we talk about Finnish football, when there's no football in Finland to talk about? In this mini-series, Behind the Quarantine, we will speak to people behind the scenes of Finnish football to find out how their daily routine has been affected by COVID-19.
In this episode, Mark W speaks to Richie Dorman, the British technical director of SJK Seinäjoki. Richie talks about his career in Finland from player to technical director, seemingly overnight, and what how SJK is taking care of it's players, employees and Academy during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Friday Mar 13, 2020
Friday Mar 13, 2020
There's so much going on in the world of Finnish football, that Keke, Rich, Mark & Mark are back together only two weeks after the last show. It's like waiting for a bus, the Finnish Football Show, you wait two months for one, then two come along together.
We'll look back at the draw for the 2020-21 Nations League and Helsingin Sanomat journalist, Ari Virtanen's, recent book launch. A book that features a mention of a certain Mark Hayton, yes, that Mark Hayton. We also look forward to the new Finland national team kit for Euro 2020. And we'll discuss whether there will actually BE a Euro 2020 due to the Corona virus, COVID-19 or whatever it's called this week!
Tuesday Feb 25, 2020
Tuesday Feb 25, 2020
Mark W, Mark H, Rich & Keke get together for the first time in 2020 and look back at Rich's interview with Tim Sparv and recent events in the Suomen Cup. We also look forward to Huuhkajat fixtures in 2020 and a surprisingly long section on recent transfers involving Finnish players and clubs.