Huuhkajien Uusi Aikakausi: Jacob Friisin Johdolla Kohti Tulevaisuutta

A new era is at hand. Finland’s national football team, Huuhkajat, steps into a new chapter of its history. And in this chapter, the pen is held by the Dane **Jacob Friis**. His name carries with it the promise of change, perhaps even revolution, that would rattle the foundations of Finnish football. The **World Cup qualifiers** in March will no longer be just matches; they will be the **litmus test** in which we see the kind of soul that Huuhkajat have to fight with in the coming years.

When the **list of names** was finally revealed, there was a collective holding of breath. **Who made it? Who didn’t? And who rose up to become the first hero of this new era?** Friis’s first line-up is now before us—and each name tells a story.

In the shadow of newcomers and returnees, Tikkanen steps into the light

One name shines in the limelight of this new era: Ville Tikkanen. The HjK defender—still an **unknown quantity** on international pitches—is now given the chance to step into the **legendary footprints** of those who came before him. In making this debut, he joins a **pantheon of heroes** whose initial forays into the **Maajoukkue** have become the stuff of legend. Who doesn’t remember how **Teemu Pukki** burst onto the scene and made **history** one night in October?

But this line-up is not just a collection of first-timers. We find here some **old friends** who return to the fold of **Huuhkajat** after a long, desert-like stretch away from the national team:

• Noah Pallas – His last appearance for the Maajoukkue had begun to fade into forgettable memory. Now, he is back, wearing the **recognizable hues** of the national team after his time with Vålerenga.
• Fredrik Jensen, Leo Väisänen, and Adam Ståhl – Their return reminds us how **close this team is** to its real last line of defense against the audacity of **opponents**.

A new head coach, a new philosophy—what does it mean?

Jacob Friis is not a familiar face in **Finnish football**. He hails from **Denmark**, a country that has given the world, amongst other things, Christian Eriksen, Michael Laudrup, and that **red-and-white** history that ended in triumph at the **Euro 1992 tournament** held in Sweden. Friis carries with him a Scandinavian philosophy of football that emphasizes:

• Good **organization**
• Daring **attacking play**
• Giving players the **license to be audacious**

Now, the **Huuhkajat** have to step up and make a choice: **be daring or be careful**?

Are they going to play for the **fast break** that leads directly to **goal-scoring opportunities**? Or have they been put together as the kind of team that could dominate possession and carry out a **”beautiful football”** philosophy, similar to what was seen with the **DFB’s transformation** of the German football team?

Looking ahead—challenges await

When the **Huuhkajat** take the field in early **March** against **Malta** and **Lithuania**, they will not be met with the friendliest of welcomes. Either one of these two matches could potentially be a **minefield** for the national team’s ambitions and for **Huuhkajat’s head coach**, who is getting ready for his **first match** after the past three months of exploring the players he could name in his starting eleven.

Haastetta odottaa. Etsikäämme meille kentällä tilaa, jotta jotkut nimet pääsevät näyttäytymään – ja jalkapallon nöyrä käsi riemuitsee, ettemme välitä siitä, mistä ollaan mieltä. Siksi, kuten edellä jo mainittiin, voitto on koko Huuhkajien joukkueelle ja valmennukselle suunnattu manifesti.