Greatest Games: HJK Helsinki 3 Athletic 3, 2012

The Blizzard

On this week’s Greatest Games, Jonathan and Marcus are joined by Eero Laurila to discuss what it’s like to spy on Marcelo Bielsa and the state of football in Finland via the 2012 Europa League qualifier between HJK Helsinki and Athletic.

At the time Athletic were led by the influential Argentine coach Marcelo Bielsa, whilst their hosts had former Finland national team manager Antti Muurinen in charge. The Finnish side were to lose 9-3 on aggregate but the occasion proves to be a perfect platform to discuss advances made in Finland over the past 20 years up to qualification for the current European Championship.

About the panel:

Jonathan Wilson founded The Blizzard in 2011 and is editor of the magazine. He’s contributed to numerous publications including the Guardian and Sports Illustrated as well as having authored Behind the Curtain, Inverting the Pyramid, The Outsider, Angels with Dirty Faces and most recently The Names Heard Long Ago, among others.

Marcus Speller is a host of the Football Ramble podcast as well as Answerable Questions with Questionable Answers. Marcus also regularly hosts our live Q&A events across the country alongside Jonathan.

Eero Laurila is a former football correspondent covering the Premier and Football League, now back in his native country, Finland, coaching third-tier side Espoon Palloseura and runs the football website brittifutis.com.
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