Janne Palomäki
Toni Koskela is coaching HJK in his last season, writes Janne Palomäki.
HJK, led by Toni Koskela, is trying to complete the treble with Eurocup group appearances. Matti Raivio / AOP
There was certainly an element of Lapland in José Mourinho’s praise, even though the man is from the suburbs of Lisbon.
– I have done my homework well. HJK’s head coach has organized his team very well. I’m impressed with how he’s gotten his ideas into his team, The Special One praised Toni Koskela in September.
Of course, Mourinho played his own psychological game, but his assessment is not completely out of the blue either.
Koskela is the only Finnish coach who has led his team to the group stage of the Eurocups twice.
Still his value is not seen at least in the offices of Töölöläisstadion. Koskela will not get an extension contract, even if he stretches the Club’s European pipeline to the third group adventure. Instead, the head coach may well get the boot if Larne does not fall in the two-part qualifier.
Koskela has reportedly vented his bad feelings to CEO Aki Riihilahti. In his opinion, it is incomprehensible that even though the team under his command has won UEFA gold for millions of euros, the player budget has not increased significantly.
Riihilahti is guarding the cash vault, and does not want to reward the head coach with a new contract. On these screens, Koskela would demand a salary increase. From the point of view of the fans of Finnish football, it is a shame that the country’s biggest club has such a bad cross-behaviour.