Comment | The Huhkaji’s new coaches say two words – this is what it’s all about

Markku Kanerva60, received a one-and-a-half-year contract extension as head coach of the men’s national soccer team in June. At the same time, it became clear that he will reach a historic milestone in September.

After the first two matches of the Nations League, Kanerva sidelines Olavi Laaksonen A record of 91 matches as the head coach of the national team.

Kanerva has been the head coach in 83 matches in his career, which started at the end of 2016. In addition, before that he was temporary head coach in six matches.

Kanerva’s current number of matches, 89, says a lot about how good a job he has done. He is the most successful coach in the history of the Finnish national team.

Over a long period of time, anyone’s face and thoughts wear out. When the last EC qualifiers ended in disappointment, Kanerva and Palloliito had a tight spot.

The football association had recognized that there was a need for a game change in Huuhkaj.

The Balloliitto did not want, and perhaps could not, make a complete change. The need was met by reforming the national team’s coaching group.

The new coaching group was presented for the first time at the same event in Helsinki this week. In addition to Kanerva, it includes assistant coaches Jani Honkavaara, Teemu Tainio and Tim Sparv.

On Monday At Kalastajatorpa, Kanerva emphasized how the assistant coaches were chosen by him.

“We discussed the needs for reform. I said I would assemble my own team. If it doesn’t work, it may be that I won’t go to work,” Kanerva said.

Sparv and Tainio bring credibility to the coaching group thanks to their great playing careers. Tainio is reportedly the only Finnish player who has been able to lift the trophy at London’s Wembley stadium, where Finland plays against England on Tuesday.

Jani Honkavaara, on the other hand, brings the know-how of a successful club coach. Sparv has a hint of stardust. He works as an assistant coach for Sparta Prague, which is playing in the Champions League this season.

What things can these three coaches change in Huuhkaj?

I tried to find out that question this week in Helsinki at Kalastajatorpa, on my way to Athens and during the first Nations League match in Athens.

Traditionally, coaches want to keep game-related matters to themselves, so you have to look for answers in keywords and between the lines.

About conversations With Kanerva and the assistant coaches, an interesting pic
ture was drawn of what things the new assistant coaches want to see in Huuhkaj.

The coaches mentioned the word principle twenty times, the word intensity half a dozen times, and the word identity a few times.

Kanerva’s new assistant coaches want to see the national team have an identity: clear game principles and intensity in both training and games.

They are also things that may have been lacking in Huuhkaj during the last EC qualifiers.

Maybe Kanerva’s coaching team in recent years focused too much on the opponent’s game at the expense of their own game, and Finland’s way of playing was regulated too much. Own identity and players’ strengths were lost. Now your own game is in the center again.

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“We try to prioritize playing in the middle and defending in the middle.”

Finnish national team coach Jani Honkavaara at Huuhkajie’s training in Piraeus on Friday. Picture: Rio Gandara / HS

Danger spoke specifically about clear game principles.

“We’ve twisted and turned things a lot and held long meetings about what the principles of our playing are. That’s the biggest thing. Now they are clear until they change,” Honkavaara said.

“We wouldn’t even have to have a discussion about whether a three- or four-player defense line is more suitable for Huuhkaj. Principles are much more important.”

Honkavaara meant that the grouping of the team could change, but the game principles would still remain the same.

Honkavaara also told about an interesting focus area in the Huuhkajie game.

“We try to prioritize playing in the middle and defending in the middle. It’s a clear area that we want to take advantage of.”

Huuhkajie’s head coach Markku Kanerva (second left) talked with his coaches Jani Honkavaara (left), Tim Sparvi (second right) and Teemu Tainio during Finland’s final training in Piraeus. Picture: Rio Gandara / HS

Sparv talked about how the team must have a clear identity.

“You mustn’t look too much at the opponent. I understand that the context is different in Sparta Praha and Huuhkaj. I appreciate that there are clear principles that can be seen from game to game.”

Sparv is so diplomatic that he doesn’t accidentally judge the work of the previous coaching team. It became clear when I asked about whether he has seen a clear playing identity in the national team.

“We can always do things better. We cannot be satisfied that we have always done things this way. The best organizations are always looking ahead,” Sparv replied.

Sparv also talked about the importance of intensity.

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“Ultimately, I’m looking for a way to move forward.”

About exercises according to the received information, the work on the training ground has been more intense than before. The new assistant coaches have clearly brought new energy to the team. The same information was also confirmed by Kanerva in Athens on Friday.

“Enthusiasm has been seen in the actions of the coaches. Trainings have been held with good intensity and good enthusiasm,” Kanerva said.

It is clear that the new ideas and game principles may not appear immediately in a very radical way when Huuhkajien play the first matches of the Nations League against Greece on Saturday and against England on Tuesday.

According to Kanerva, the coaching team has started to make changes starting with the basics.

“We have thought about game-like principles. In a certain way, we will consistently take them forward. We have started with the basics, that is, how we open the game and get past the first press”, Kanerva described the process in Athens.

“We always have to consider the opponent. We’re not good enough to knock everyone down with this way of playing.”

Now Kanerva is boldly pushing new ideas. A lot can depend on how much he is ready to give space to new ideas.

“Ultimately, I’m looking for a way to move forward.”

Greece-Finland will be played in Piraeus on Saturday at 21:45. YLE TV2 will show the match.