Sligo Rovers’ new signing
HE admits to knowing nothing about Sligo Rovers before he got the call from manager Liam Buckley, but new signing Teemu Penninkangas feels that moving to the Bit O’Red is a step-up for his career.
The 27-year-old joins the Bit O’ Red after spending all his career in his native Finland where he won several trophies including the league title and both domestic Cups.
He moves from Lahti, having also played for Inter Turku, Tampareen Ilves, SJK and Jazz.
He played Champions League qualifiers with SJK having won the league with them for the first time in their history.
At 6ft 4in, Penninkangas can play at left-back, left-wing back or centre half.
Speaking at his unveiling last Friday, Penninkangas said: “I had a couple of good options in Finland also. I have played all my career in Finland, for me this was a kind of a step up.”
While he admits his knowledge of Sligo and the League of Ireland is limited, he did his research on the internet and liked what he say.
“I knew a couple of Irish teams, didn’t know Sligo. Sometimes I have seen clips of Irish league but that’s it,” he said.
He added: “The main thing was going abroad. This time, the offers were only from Finland and some offers from abroad but they weren’t so concrete. This one, I started to think a little bit, and I googled this team and everything. It was too easy somehow. When I heard about this opportunity, I said to my agent that ‘I want to take this one’ and after that it was only Sligo Rovers for me.”
GIVING IT EVERYTHING Penninkangas says he will give it everything every week, no matter where he is playing on the pitch,
“I’m a player who always gives everything. I always work hard, it’s a little bit difficult to say because I have played in many positions in my career, it depends if I’m a centre-back or left-back.
“Let’s see if I’m centre-back, of course I’m strong, good in the air, good in oneon-ones. Of course (score goals)! If I’m left-back I like going up and down and making runs, you may not believe that when you see how big a man I am. I always put everything in.”
His first impressions of The Showgrounds were good, including the training facilities and Sean Fallon Centre.
“It’s kind of similar to Finland. In Finland we play a lot of games on artificial grounds so it’s like normal for me. Everything looks good. The ground looks nice.
“It’s nice here. In Finland we have three months of pre-season where we train hard before the season starts. Here it’s only a few weeks and then we can start. I’m so excited to start the season.
“I think it’s the same sort of level as the Finnish league. I think it’s also physical league, but I think it will be a step forward for me. I have never played here, I can’t say. I believe it is a step forward.”
Prior to the signing of Penninkangas, Buckley had pinpointed a defender and a striker as his final additions ahead of the 2020 season.
VERSATILITY
The versatility of Penninkangas was one of the factors in Buckley’s decision to sign him.
“We’re light on numbers from a defensive point of view, depending on what shape we take. He came across our radar, we checked out bits and pieces from him. I liked what I saw, made contact a few weeks back. Glad to get the deal over the line, I think he’ll be a good signing for us.
He can play left-back, he can play wide left, he can play wide in a 3-5-2, he can play anywhere across the back if we did happen to go three so a good bit of versatility. In fairness we do have a good bit of that around the squad, John Dunleavy can play in a few different spots, Lewis Banks can play in a few different spots. Most of them are reasonably versatile, when you have a tight squad it’s important that you have that.
“He’s competition for left back, that’s for sure. He’s certainly competition for the left side. If we play 3-5-2 which we tried a couple of times last year he can definitely play in that position also.”
Injuries to Regan Donelon last year meant that Lewis Banks spend periods filling in at left back. Buckley was keen to get more cover for the left side ahead of 2020.
“Unfortunately Regan had two or three different injuries last year and I was conscious of that and made sure to get cover in all the positions. In fairness, Lewis Banks can play right or left, he’s very good.”
Hopeful that the Finnish man will settle in quickly, the Rovers boss says he has a number of attractive attributes.
“He’s been doing a bit of training himself. We’re only back a week. He’s got about five weeks before Finn Harps. He’ll acclimatise himself to here, bearing in mind the dressing room and that.
“We have a fantastic dressing room like that. All the guys that we’ve brought in have been welcomed in really well. I’ve no doubt that he will enjoy himself and hopefully he can settle in quickly.
“The players just have to fit the way we’re trying to play. We’re definitely going to have a better go at it this year. It is great that they are that height, especially from a defensive point of view because set plays are a very important part of the game. He can play, he can put in crosses, he’s got good fitness, good physical presence.
SLIGO/LEITRIM YOUTHS RESULTS AND FIXTURES
And to boot, he’s a good lad.
“He’ll add a bit of experience. He speaks English which is great. I’m excited about it. He will add quite a bit to us.”
He can now turn his attention fully to bringing in another striker after last week’s news that Romeo Parkes would have to remain in the United States for 2020.
MURRAY FITNESS Buckley also confirmed that Ronan Murray is in rehab following a minor procedure a number of weeks ago.
“We’ve another forward to bring in along with Ronan Coughlan and Ronan Murray. We need to get Ronan Murray fit, he’s in rehab at the minute. He had a minor procedure done there six to eight weeks ago.
“He’ll be back as quickly as he can. We’re definitely in the market for another centre forward.
“I feel if we get one centre forward in that’s it, budget wise we’re fairly tight. The next centre forward is important. We have a talented group of players here. Individually I’m delighted with them, they’re conditioning is fantastic. It’s just collectively we have to get a definite way.”
He is restricted somewhat by budgets, and many managers have highlighted the difficulties of trying to acquire a prolific striker.
“The difficulty I have is budget. I checked out a player there recently during the week, he was Bosnian I think. He ended up in Kazakhstan and came back so I checked him out.
“I made a phone call, he was in the market for a new team. When his agent told me he was looking for around €300,000 I went off him fairly quickly!
“Locally here, we know the scene, I don’t think there’s anything here locally that will improve us at the moment. When you’re looking at Britain you’re mainly looking at the U23s development league where we got Lewis from, and you can be lucky there.
“You can source a good player there. It’s extremely tricky. There’s a lot of due diligence involved, in relation to watching videos, speaking to people, agents, injury profiles, where they’ve moved, how many teams they’ve had over the last few years, why have they been moving. I think we’ve done well with our signings.”
Rovers will play their first pre-season friendly this Saturday, January 18th against Galway in Solar 21 Park, Castlebar at 1pm.
The friendly against Drogheda United, due to take place on Friday January 24th will not take place on this date now, while Rovers will take on Ballinamallard on Tuesday January 28th at Ferney Park.
Rovers announced yesterday that they will travel to Athlone Town Stadium on Saturday February 1st to take on Athlone.