One has to wonder why HJK does not succeed in acquiring several top reinforcements from abroad, writes Anssi Karjalainen.
HJK pilot Toni Koskela’s CV is tough, but is it still enough for abroad? Jussi Eskola
HJK has set a high level of requirements. It wants to be a big Northern European club. Play every season in the group stage of the Euro competition, even in the Champions League.
This season’s acquisitions included Jukka Raitala, Joona Toivio, Perparim Hetemaj, Pyry Soiri, Arttu Hoskonen, Paulus Arajuuri, Aapo Halme and Murilo. The roster is tough, but you don’t need to be a talent scout in the super class to see their level. The reasons for each of the above are known to even the most basic viewer.
HJK’s resources are in a class of their own in Finland, so attracting them is easier than local opponents HIFK or Honga. Thanks to the thick wallet, it can acquire a really wide circle of players for a heavy season.
But those hutikuds, there were a lot of them. Nassim Boujellab, Manuel Martic, Bojan Radulovic, Malik Abubakari and Fabian Serrarens sat on the bench in the match that decided the continuation of the European League against AS Roma. Only Malik’s benching could be considered a surprise.
Once again, one has to wonder why HJK does not manage to get reinforcements from abroad, which it could play in the opening in the toughest games of the season.
At the end of last season, the activities of the sports management were also in trouble. That’s when HJK failed in their goalkeeper acquisitions, and top player Valtteri Moren played as a full-back.
Last March, HJK reported “reorganizing his scouting team”. Miika Takkula has the biggest Nazis, the title of sports and development director. Henri Määttä (Head of scouting), Simon Garnier (Head of data) and Swedish Lukas Berglund have been involved in player monitoring.
Joona Toivio was supposed to be a big reinforcement for HJK’s defense. However, playing time was limited. Jussi Eskola
Head coach Toni Koskela and assistant coach Toni Korkekunnas have also played a part in building the team, it is written in the release. Whose purchase, for example, was the Huhkajat hero Toivio? The topper, who returned to his home country from Sweden’s top club Häcken, was not part of Koskela’s plans at any point based on playing time.
The upper midfield and attack head Boujellab and Serrarens had good CVs, so in that respect the searches of the sports management cannot be fully judged. The performances on the field of play were far from what many expected.
Under Koskela, Santeri Väänänen, Hoskonen and David Browne, among others, have been extremely successful when given responsibility. When you lose Koskela’s credit, it’s hard to get it back.
Logan Rogerson’s minutes were on the cards at the Club, so he was loaned to Haka for last season. In the season that ended, Rogerson really broke through in Valkeakoski and was among the league’s best on the wing.
Pyry Hannola moved to SJK in the spring, even though he had gotten minutes in the Liigacup in an HJK shirt. According to IL’s information, Hannola ended up in Koskela’s doghouse, and to get out of there, transfer was the only solution.
Goalkeeper Conor Hazard is one of the few successful foreign searches – i.e. those that every season ticket holder did not know in advance. HJK needs key players like Hazard, Ferhan Hasan and João Klaussso that it could dominate the domestic league and seriously fight even for the group stage of the Champions League.
Malik Abubakari (in front) who arrived from Malmö did not bring the needed power. Frank Cilius
Helsingin sanomat newspaper reported earlier that Takkula will not continue as sports and development director, but will move to work for HJK ry.
Whoever inherits the task, it’s a big job. HJK’s midfield star duo Santeri Väänänen-Lucas Lingman will probably head elsewhere. Lingman has a valid contract with Helsingborg, but the Swedish divari or the Veikkausliiga would no longer serve the aspiring national team player.
Väänänen’s transfer abroad has already been on the cards in previous transfer windows, but injuries have come at bad times.
And what does Koskela do? The track record is convincing when you look at HJK’s achievements during his time: three Finnish championships, two seasons in a row to the group stage of the Euro competition.