Paatelainen picks surprise HJK name for upcoming internationals, but no place so far for veteran Jari Litmanen

Two European Championships qualifiers offer some room for experiment and ushering in new players

Mixu Paatelainen

The recently-appointed (April 1st) head coach of Finland's national football team Mika-Matti "Mixu" Paatelainen has named his first squad.
      The side will be playing San Marino next week, in the reverse fixture of a game Finland won 8-0 at home last autumn, and will then meet the appreciably more difficult Sweden (also away) four days later, on June 7th.
      If the last despatches to come out of Paatelainen's office were about continuity - with the announcement that defensive stalwart Sami Hyypiä will be taking a coaching role in the future - the accent this time was on youth and on the necessary change-of-generation in the Finnish team.

The surprise name on the list is perhaps that of Helsinki HJK's young Alexander Ring, a 20-year-old midfielder who learned his trade in the German youth leagues, where he played for Bayer Leverkusen among others.
      Ring has three Finland caps at Under-21 level, but this would be a first appearance with the seniors if he is selected.
      Among the familiar names not on the list are that of goalkeeper Otto Fredrikson, and midfielder Teemu Tainio.
      Tainio has left to continue his career in the United States.

Lauri Dalla Valle, 19, is in the group of players picked to attend a training camp with the senior team, and is also selected for the Under-21 squad, who play a European Championship qualifier against Malta on June 3rd.
      Paatelainen could lift him into the senior squad later.
      Dalla Valle, who has dual citizenship between Italy and Finland, has represented Finland at junior level, but has been a bit less keen to oblige at the threshold U-21 stage, in case he might instead have an avenue into the Italian national side.

The big news, if it can be seen as such, is that there is no room at the inn for veteran midfielder Jari Litmanen.
      According to Paatelainen this does not necessarily mean that the 40-year-old Litmanen's days of wearing a Finnish jersey are irrevocably over, but given the nature of the upcoming matches - Finland have little or no chance of qualification, and so experimentation is an option - and the fact that Litmanen has played only three times as a substitute in the Veikkaus League this season, his role would have been a bit questionable.
      Four or five more names may be added later.

      Finnish national side to play San Marino (3.6.) and Sweden (7.6.), UEFA European Championships Group E

Goalkeepers

Jukka Lehtovaara, TPS

Lukas Hradecky, Esbjerg fB

Anssi Jaakkola, Kilmarnock FC

Defenders

Veli Lampi, Willem II

Niklas Moisander, AZ Alkmaar

Markus Heikkinen, SK Rapid Wien

Petri Pasanen, Werder Bremen

Jukka Raitala, SC Paderborn 07

Joona Toivio, Djurgårdens IF

Midfield and Strikers