FC Haka to appeal against Finnish FA's negative decision on UEFA Cup entry
The Football Association of Finland has decided to prevent FC Haka from entering the UEFA Cup.
According to a decision by the association's UEFA Licence Committee, "FC Haka has failed to provide the UEFA Licence Committee by the set deadline with binding documents that would have unquestionably attested to the club's capability to complete the international season 2008-2009".
For all that, Haka is allowed to continue in Finland's top division Veikkausliiga, even though the league licence conditions are not that dissimilar from those for the UEFA Cup. According to the issued statement, the members of the Licence Committee led by the Veikkausliiga chairman Hannu Rautiainen cannot comment on the decision because of the possible appeal process. And an appeal is on its way, for FC Haka does not accept the ruling, which it feels was reached based on inadequate criteria.
The appeal has to be filed within a week, and it will be looked into by the UEFA Team Licence Appeal Committee led by Professor of Sports Law Heikki Halila. The appeal committee has two weeks to process the appeal. FC Haka deputy chairman Seppo Lahtinen admitted in a telephone interview with Helsingin Sanomat that the team's finances have been really tight, "but not in such a condition that the team would not be able to carry out its activities as planned".
"Furthermore, it is a weird decision, because this way the Football Association only adds to the team's financial distress", Lahti continued, in a reference to the fact that the start-up money alone for participation in the UEFA Cup is nearly EUR 100,000 and any possible success in the Cup could earn the team considerably more. In a Haka statement issued late last night, deputy chairman Lahtinen questions the UEFA Licence Committee's decision from many angles. Lahtinen believes the committee has failed to understand properly the economic situation between FC Haka and the recently-established FC Haka Oy limited liability company.
"The UEFA team licence decision that we have received is clearly based on claims and statements that FC Haka can easily rectify", Lahtinen points out.
If Haka's participation in the UEFA Cup is refused, FC TPS Turku will take its place. TPS, in turn, would then be replaced in the 2008 UEFA Intertoto Cup by MyPa of Myllykoski. Haka were last season's runners-up in the league, ahead of TPS.
League Champions Tampere United will enter the qualifying rounds of the European Champions League, and FC Honka of Espoo, who were defeated by Tampere United in the final of the Finnish Cup, will enter the UEFA Cup. FF Jaro, in turn, is entering the early summer draw for a UEFA Cup Fair Play position.
WHITES TO FACE TPS IN INTERTOTO CUP
THE draw for the last UEFA Intertoto Cup was made in Nyon on Monday with clubs from 50 nations set to compete for eleven berths in the 2008/09 UEFA Cup second qualifying round, one of those teams will be Lisburn Distillery.
The Whites have been drawn against Finnish opposition in TPS Turku and will be at home for the first leg on June 21/22 with the second leg on June 28/29. If the Whites are successful they will face a team from Denmark in the next round, again at home first, on July 5/6. The winner of that round will then face the Premier League representative.
"This is the last Intertoto Cup so we will be one of the last teams to compete in it," said Distillery boss Paul Kirk. "We will give the players May off and then get them back in about the second week of June and begin our preparations for the home leg."
There was also good news for the Whites this week when Hamilton secured the Scottish First Division title, it means they will receive another GBP 10,000 as part of the transfer of Andrew Waterworth. Initially the Whites received GBP 20,000 and they also have a sell-on clause if Waterworth is transferred.
2008 Johnston Press Digital Publishing
Draw made for Intertoto finale
The draw for the last UEFA Intertoto Cup was made in Nyon today with clubs from 50 nations set to compete for eleven berths in the 2008/09 UEFA Cup second qualifying round.
Final event
Having been designated as a UEFA Cup qualifier by European football's governing body in 1995, the revamp of the continental club competitions from 2009/10 will mean an end to the summer event, which this year runs on consecutive weekends from 21/22 June until 26/27 July. FC Girondins de Bordeaux's feat of reaching the 1995/96 UEFA Cup final remains the best run of any Intertoto winner; this season Hamburger SV did best of the eleven qualifiers by progressing to the Round of 16.
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Webo hungry for more
Achille Webo believes that Mallorca can qualify for Europe if they continue their good run.
The Cameroonian claims that the Liga side are good enough to avoid the drop and can even fight for Uefa Cup or Intertoto Cup 2008 qualification this season. The red and black impressed last Saturday when they drew against top of the league Real Madrid at home and they could have won if Daniel Guiza had taken a late chance.
Webo, whose first season at the club has been beset by injuries, is positive for the future of the Balearic club.
"We are very motivated by the game against Sevilla because we are at a turning point to aspire to something more relaxing," he said. "We have to think of staying up and something else. We have played great games against top teams because they attack as opposed to the other teams that close the door."
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Hibs and Falkirk will fight for Intertoto place
HIBS and Falkirk face a straight fight for a place in the Intertoto Cup after Hearts decided not to put themselves forward for Europe's third-tier tournament.
The SFA have informed UEFA of their intention to take up their single spot in the last Intertoto Cup, with the side finishing highest in the table at the end of the season representing the country. Hibs still hope to seal third place and the coveted UEFA Cup qualification that comes with it but, if need be, would accept European football via the
back door. A win on Monday at Aberdeen would clinch Falkirk an historic top-six finish and they would then set their sights on catching Hibs, who currently lie five points above them. However, if Falkirk fail in their quest to join the league's elite for the first time, Hibs will be guaranteed an Intertoto Cup place at least.
A spokesperson for the SFA said: "I can confirm we will be using our place in the Intertoto Cup next season."
Hibs have competed in the Intertoto Cup twice, exiting at the first hurdle to FK Vetra in 2004 and narrowly missing out on advancing to the UEFA Cup qualifiers last season when they were knocked out by the Danish team OB Odense on away goals. Hibs boss Mixu Paatelainen was looking forward to leading former Finnish club TPS Turku into this year's competition before his return to Scotland and views the much maligned tournament in a positive light.
He said: "I think it's good to play competitive games rather than pre-season friendlies. We're pretty inexperienced in terms of European football so it would be good for the younger players. It is also a possible avenue into the UEFA Cup itself and that's an additional source of revenue for the club, so there are plenty of benefits."
The Intertoto Cup provides passage to the final qualifying round of the UEFA Cup for a total of 11 teams. Scotland's representatives have to win two ties to progress. Having previously shown interest in participating, Hearts yesterday revealed they had ruled it out. The Tynecastle outfit also announced they had turned down the offer of a "major and highly-lucrative international challenge match" this summer. Hearts' managing director Campbell Ogilvie said: "Before anything else, the number one priority for Hearts' pre-season is ensuring the most effective preparation.
"In future years we might consider the opportunity to participate in a tournament such as the Intertoto Cup, as it offers an excellent route to the UEFA Cup, or another major international friendly such as last year's game against Barcelona, which was attended by 58,000 supporters. However, our strong feeling was that our pre-season had to offer the best opportunity to be ready for the start of the new campaign. My colleagues in the football department led the way in the recommendations and, as a club, Hearts is entirely behind the rationale involved.
"Season 2008-09 is a very important one in the history of Hearts and everything we do must be right."
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Eriksson on blueprint for success
Sven Goran Eriksson believes time is on his side as he bids to turn Manchester City into a major force. The Swede has spent nearly GBP 50 million on players since his arrival at Eastlands in 2007 and Eriksson is confident more funds will become available from owner Thaksin Shinawatra in the summer, even if a Uefa Cup berth fails to materialise.
"It is a three-year project at least," Eriksson said in the Manchester Evening News. "He (Shinawatra) has never said by what date he wants to have the best team in the world!"
The Swede is under no illusions though that the Thai benefactor will expect European success to follow at some stage, and the first step can be taken with qualification this season according to the manager. "What is important in the next 10 games is that we follow through what we started earlier in the season and continue to fight right to the end."
There is a strong possibility that only one of England's automatic Uefa Cup places will be awarded on league position and City could face a date with the Intertoto.
"You can win the Uefa Cup from the Intertoto and if that is the only way we can qualify, then we shall take it," added Eriksson.
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Moyes predicts big things for Baines
Everton manager David Moyes says full-back Leighton Baines can be a massive player for the club for years to come.
Baines, who joined The Toffees from Wigan Athletic last summer, has struggled with a succession of niggling injuries since the beginning of the season and has featured in just 14 of the side's 41 games up to this point. Having been on the brink of an England call-up at Wigan, the GBP 6million signing's lack of game time has been one of the few low points in what has been a great season for the Merseyside club, but Moyes expects the player to show his full potential before long, if he can get in the team that is.
"I've spoken to Leighton," said the former Preston boss. "I've reassured him. But he has got nothing to worry about because he has got a big future as a left-back here. If we are going to challenge for trophies in the future, I honestly don't think there can be a guaranteed place for anyone. We have got competition everywhere. The three central defenders have been absolutely top drawer. There are people here who we are desperately trying to get games, just look at Leighton. We think the world of him and he is going to be our left-back for a long time to come. But, just at the present time, for different reasons, he is finding it hard to get in. He has picked up one or two niggling injuries and that has cost him. But I can see him being Everton's left-back for many years."
Meanwhile, as the season gets set to reach a thrilling climax, Everton, who lead the way in the chase for the fourth Champions League place, have applied for a place in next season's InterToto Cup, as a European place from the league looks even harder to obtain following Tottenham Hotspur’s claiming of The Carling Cup on Sunday.
"Everton's chief executive Keith Wyness said: "Clearly European qualification through our league position or via The Uefa Cup is our main priority. However because of the deadline for Intertoto Cup applications, it would be remiss of us not to put our name forward."
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