East-End Eagle
27-10-2000, 07:57 PM
Not that much about Palace but afew intersting lines and comments that will no doubt result in a response or two.....
Mikael Forssell is a teenager with a double dream - to become a Chelsea great and knock England out of the World Cup. Finland's answer to Michael Owen, currently on loan from Chelsea to Crystal Palace, spoke to Joe Bernstein in the skysports.com BIG INTERVIEW
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How are old you?
Mikael Forssell: I’m 19.
What is it like for a 19-year-old to be living abroad?
I brought my mum with me when I came so it made things easier. I speak four languages which helped and I’ve been ready for this my whole life. I came to England when I was 17, I had been practising mornings and evenings my whole life to play football. So I got my head ready for this.
Did the club (Chelsea) look after you, arrange your house and things like that?
Everything was taken care of every day; if I had some problems I could call someone. They have a fantastic organisation there and they take really good care of the players.
Is your mum still with you?
Not full-time! But she still flies over here a lot. My whole family enjoys life in London.
People were talking about Michael Owen and Joe Cole from the age of about 15 so when they made their debuts a lot was expected. Was it the same for you in Finland?
I scored a lot of goals there so there was quite a lot of talk. I started training with the first-team at HJK Helsinki when I was 15 after scoring lots of goals for the youth sides. I left after one season for Chelsea.
Were you scared of coming to England and suddenly training every day with superstars?
I played three games in the Champions League for Helsinki so I had some experience. I didn't feel I had to apologise for being there with the other Chelsea players; I had to believe I was good enough and show them in training I was as good as them or better. Then you get their respect. Then you’re in there.
Who helped you at Chelsea settle down?
The players were fantastic - it was easy with so many foreigners there, they all knew what it was like. The staff met me at the airport. Everything was fixed up - all my energy could go on the football. Tore Andre Flo had come from Norway and we had a lot in common; both playing in Scandinavia and Chelsea was our first big club. I speak Norwegian and he speaks Swedish so we could communicate really well. I’m good friends with him.
You’ve joined Crystal Palace on loan for the season. Was it a good idea to drop down a division but get more regular football?
Last season I was injured and that was a major blow after playing well when I joined Chelsea. Then, they had to buy strikers, now there are four world-class strikers at the club so I thought it was better that I would come to Palace, play all the time and be ready in a year’s time.
Are you happy with your time so far with Palace?
Of course, we haven’t won games and there have been some difficulties. You just have to face them and work through them and work as hard as you can to go past them. It’s sometimes uphill in football.
What are your best assets as a striker and which do you think you need to work on?
Everyone’s talking about my quick feet (laughs). I like the ball, playing with it and have always trained with the ball. I should be quite strong and have pace as well. To improve? Just getting used to knowing the game, movement on the pitch with and without the ball - where to go and where to run. I know I’m not the finished article yet.
Are you a goalscorer or a creator?
I won’t create for anyone! I definitely want to score goals - a lot of goals.
You scored a magnificent goal on your home debut for Chelsea, a curling shot. How did you feel after that went in?
It was a big thing for me. I knew from then on that I could make it and I just had to keep on going and work.
You are still registered as a Chelsea player. Do you see that is where your future will be after this season?
That is what I am working for. After this season I still have two years on my Chelsea contract and I know they are not keen to sell me or anything.
Has anyone spoken to you since Claudio Ranieri replaced Gianluca Vialli as manager?
I have been in contact with Colin Hutchinson (Chelsea Chief Executive) quite a lot and Ranieri (pictured) watched Palace’s game at Fulham.
They know me and are watching me. Ray Wilkins calls me all the time; they want to keep me they say and as it is I am a Chelsea player.
As you speak four languages, maybe they want you as a translator.
Not Italian yet. (laughs)
You played for Finland against England recently, who was marking you?
Southgate and Keown - I was playing as a lone striker.
Did the Finnish team feel they were England’s equals?
Definitely, everyone knew they had problems after Keegan left but we didn’t know if England would play well as they were fired up or badly. We had to go and play our own game, we knew it would be cold, windy and the pitch wouldn’t be the best. And with the home stadium full, we knew we could do it. After the game finished 0-0, we were disappointed we hadn’t won because we had some chances, even though England can say it was a goal by Ray Parlour or that our goalkeeper should have been sent off.
But Finland shouldn’t be able to hold a country the size of England to a draw
That’s true but look at Norway, how well they have done through the years with a population of four million people. England have fantastic players like Keown and Scholes so they shouldn’t have any excuses. If they are that good, they can play well whoever the manager is.
As someone who has played against England recently, are we really that bad?
I know you have the players - they are good enough. I think it is only a matter of time before it all comes together. But Finland are improving really quickly, our players are with good teams and our football is getting stronger all the time. Most countries in Europe are capable of beating big countries.
Do you think Finland have a chance of qualifying for the next World Cup?
I don’t want to respect Germany too much. England has problems, unless they win the next game they are really screwed. We are better than Greece, we know that. We are better than Albania, we know that. It’s how we play against Germany and England, if we beat Greece at home and Albania away we will put everything into the England and Germany games.
What was it like facing Keown and Southgate after playing against Division One defenders week-in week-out?
Actually, I think it is easier to play against them than in the First Division. I don’t mean easier to score goals against them(!) but in Division One it’s really physical - a lot more physical than the Premier League. It is really quick and you always know you have two big, strong central defenders and they just to want to kill you (laughs). I like playing with the ball and you can do that in the Premier League, they don’t just attack you - they think with their mind and play a bit more intelligently. That is better for a striker like me.
So is the Premier League more suited to your style?
Definitely because it is a bit more technical as everyone knows. But the First Division is a fantastic league - it is very exciting.
Are you mates with the other Finland players in England, like Sami Hyypia?
We are all friends; Jonatan Johannson at Charlton is a fantastic player - I am in contact with him all the time. We meet up all the time, dinner, golf. Anti Heinola at QPR comes with us.
Palace have bought a new striker Dougie Freedman. He is similar to you - can you keep your place in the Palace team?
I have to accept the manager’s decision. The season is really long and sometimes you have to rest. We have to see it how goes.
In a way, you’ve had five managers this season. Vialli and Ranieri are your official managers at Chelsea, you have your Finland manager and at Palace, Steve Coppell was the manager and now it is Alan Smith.
That’s true. Some managers know me better than others. It was a bit of a shock when I had been at Palace one day and someone said in the dressing room that Coppell was gone. The reason I came here was Coppell because he was so fantastic last season but Alan is a good manager and now he has it in him to turn everything around.
With your reputation, people might have expected you to score more goals this season in the First Division.
At the start of the season, I scored a few goals. Then Alan put me on the bench for three games, then I scored, then he put me on the bench again. And after that I played one game, then went to the national team, then I was on the bench again. So I haven’t had a run - it’s all been bits and pieces. We’ve been losing games so I feel I haven’t had the chances to score the goals which is frustrating but I have to keep on going.
You were substituted on Saturday in the 3-2 defeat against Portsmouth.
I was disappointed, I had to say that. I thought I had played well, made the second goal and didn’t accept I had to be the one to come off - but I have to respect the decision!
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CHATLINES
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Hobbies: Golf which I took up in the summer and movies. The last one I saw was Road Trip - brilliant, really funny. American Pie was one of my all-time top films.
Academic qualfications: “I’ve just passed 4 A’levels in Finland - Maths, English, Finnish and Swedish.
Playing idols: Jari Litmanen was the big superstar in Finland but I was always watching Maradona, he was my hero. I have a huge collection of football videos - particularly strikers, how they move and score.
Best Premiership striker: Dwight Yorke. He likes the ball at his feet but there are a lot of good players around. Tore Andre Flo is another one, Michael Owen is another one.
Playing ambition: To score lots of goals and be remembered by fans as someone who could be an entertainer. I like to produce bits of skill which excite the crowd. It’s about winning, but also entertaining as David Ginola said.
Your England strikers: England should play with two strikers; it is what they are used to and it suits them. Michael Owen would be first-choice, a fantastic player.
Mikael Forssell is a teenager with a double dream - to become a Chelsea great and knock England out of the World Cup. Finland's answer to Michael Owen, currently on loan from Chelsea to Crystal Palace, spoke to Joe Bernstein in the skysports.com BIG INTERVIEW
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
How are old you?
Mikael Forssell: I’m 19.
What is it like for a 19-year-old to be living abroad?
I brought my mum with me when I came so it made things easier. I speak four languages which helped and I’ve been ready for this my whole life. I came to England when I was 17, I had been practising mornings and evenings my whole life to play football. So I got my head ready for this.
Did the club (Chelsea) look after you, arrange your house and things like that?
Everything was taken care of every day; if I had some problems I could call someone. They have a fantastic organisation there and they take really good care of the players.
Is your mum still with you?
Not full-time! But she still flies over here a lot. My whole family enjoys life in London.
People were talking about Michael Owen and Joe Cole from the age of about 15 so when they made their debuts a lot was expected. Was it the same for you in Finland?
I scored a lot of goals there so there was quite a lot of talk. I started training with the first-team at HJK Helsinki when I was 15 after scoring lots of goals for the youth sides. I left after one season for Chelsea.
Were you scared of coming to England and suddenly training every day with superstars?
I played three games in the Champions League for Helsinki so I had some experience. I didn't feel I had to apologise for being there with the other Chelsea players; I had to believe I was good enough and show them in training I was as good as them or better. Then you get their respect. Then you’re in there.
Who helped you at Chelsea settle down?
The players were fantastic - it was easy with so many foreigners there, they all knew what it was like. The staff met me at the airport. Everything was fixed up - all my energy could go on the football. Tore Andre Flo had come from Norway and we had a lot in common; both playing in Scandinavia and Chelsea was our first big club. I speak Norwegian and he speaks Swedish so we could communicate really well. I’m good friends with him.
You’ve joined Crystal Palace on loan for the season. Was it a good idea to drop down a division but get more regular football?
Last season I was injured and that was a major blow after playing well when I joined Chelsea. Then, they had to buy strikers, now there are four world-class strikers at the club so I thought it was better that I would come to Palace, play all the time and be ready in a year’s time.
Are you happy with your time so far with Palace?
Of course, we haven’t won games and there have been some difficulties. You just have to face them and work through them and work as hard as you can to go past them. It’s sometimes uphill in football.
What are your best assets as a striker and which do you think you need to work on?
Everyone’s talking about my quick feet (laughs). I like the ball, playing with it and have always trained with the ball. I should be quite strong and have pace as well. To improve? Just getting used to knowing the game, movement on the pitch with and without the ball - where to go and where to run. I know I’m not the finished article yet.
Are you a goalscorer or a creator?
I won’t create for anyone! I definitely want to score goals - a lot of goals.
You scored a magnificent goal on your home debut for Chelsea, a curling shot. How did you feel after that went in?
It was a big thing for me. I knew from then on that I could make it and I just had to keep on going and work.
You are still registered as a Chelsea player. Do you see that is where your future will be after this season?
That is what I am working for. After this season I still have two years on my Chelsea contract and I know they are not keen to sell me or anything.
Has anyone spoken to you since Claudio Ranieri replaced Gianluca Vialli as manager?
I have been in contact with Colin Hutchinson (Chelsea Chief Executive) quite a lot and Ranieri (pictured) watched Palace’s game at Fulham.
They know me and are watching me. Ray Wilkins calls me all the time; they want to keep me they say and as it is I am a Chelsea player.
As you speak four languages, maybe they want you as a translator.
Not Italian yet. (laughs)
You played for Finland against England recently, who was marking you?
Southgate and Keown - I was playing as a lone striker.
Did the Finnish team feel they were England’s equals?
Definitely, everyone knew they had problems after Keegan left but we didn’t know if England would play well as they were fired up or badly. We had to go and play our own game, we knew it would be cold, windy and the pitch wouldn’t be the best. And with the home stadium full, we knew we could do it. After the game finished 0-0, we were disappointed we hadn’t won because we had some chances, even though England can say it was a goal by Ray Parlour or that our goalkeeper should have been sent off.
But Finland shouldn’t be able to hold a country the size of England to a draw
That’s true but look at Norway, how well they have done through the years with a population of four million people. England have fantastic players like Keown and Scholes so they shouldn’t have any excuses. If they are that good, they can play well whoever the manager is.
As someone who has played against England recently, are we really that bad?
I know you have the players - they are good enough. I think it is only a matter of time before it all comes together. But Finland are improving really quickly, our players are with good teams and our football is getting stronger all the time. Most countries in Europe are capable of beating big countries.
Do you think Finland have a chance of qualifying for the next World Cup?
I don’t want to respect Germany too much. England has problems, unless they win the next game they are really screwed. We are better than Greece, we know that. We are better than Albania, we know that. It’s how we play against Germany and England, if we beat Greece at home and Albania away we will put everything into the England and Germany games.
What was it like facing Keown and Southgate after playing against Division One defenders week-in week-out?
Actually, I think it is easier to play against them than in the First Division. I don’t mean easier to score goals against them(!) but in Division One it’s really physical - a lot more physical than the Premier League. It is really quick and you always know you have two big, strong central defenders and they just to want to kill you (laughs). I like playing with the ball and you can do that in the Premier League, they don’t just attack you - they think with their mind and play a bit more intelligently. That is better for a striker like me.
So is the Premier League more suited to your style?
Definitely because it is a bit more technical as everyone knows. But the First Division is a fantastic league - it is very exciting.
Are you mates with the other Finland players in England, like Sami Hyypia?
We are all friends; Jonatan Johannson at Charlton is a fantastic player - I am in contact with him all the time. We meet up all the time, dinner, golf. Anti Heinola at QPR comes with us.
Palace have bought a new striker Dougie Freedman. He is similar to you - can you keep your place in the Palace team?
I have to accept the manager’s decision. The season is really long and sometimes you have to rest. We have to see it how goes.
In a way, you’ve had five managers this season. Vialli and Ranieri are your official managers at Chelsea, you have your Finland manager and at Palace, Steve Coppell was the manager and now it is Alan Smith.
That’s true. Some managers know me better than others. It was a bit of a shock when I had been at Palace one day and someone said in the dressing room that Coppell was gone. The reason I came here was Coppell because he was so fantastic last season but Alan is a good manager and now he has it in him to turn everything around.
With your reputation, people might have expected you to score more goals this season in the First Division.
At the start of the season, I scored a few goals. Then Alan put me on the bench for three games, then I scored, then he put me on the bench again. And after that I played one game, then went to the national team, then I was on the bench again. So I haven’t had a run - it’s all been bits and pieces. We’ve been losing games so I feel I haven’t had the chances to score the goals which is frustrating but I have to keep on going.
You were substituted on Saturday in the 3-2 defeat against Portsmouth.
I was disappointed, I had to say that. I thought I had played well, made the second goal and didn’t accept I had to be the one to come off - but I have to respect the decision!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CHATLINES
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hobbies: Golf which I took up in the summer and movies. The last one I saw was Road Trip - brilliant, really funny. American Pie was one of my all-time top films.
Academic qualfications: “I’ve just passed 4 A’levels in Finland - Maths, English, Finnish and Swedish.
Playing idols: Jari Litmanen was the big superstar in Finland but I was always watching Maradona, he was my hero. I have a huge collection of football videos - particularly strikers, how they move and score.
Best Premiership striker: Dwight Yorke. He likes the ball at his feet but there are a lot of good players around. Tore Andre Flo is another one, Michael Owen is another one.
Playing ambition: To score lots of goals and be remembered by fans as someone who could be an entertainer. I like to produce bits of skill which excite the crowd. It’s about winning, but also entertaining as David Ginola said.
Your England strikers: England should play with two strikers; it is what they are used to and it suits them. Michael Owen would be first-choice, a fantastic player.