On Tuesday, the Veikkausliiga announced that from 2014, all matches will be played using a Select Brillant Super football. HJK will continue to use Adidas balls until their existing contract finishes at the end of 2014.
The Veikkausliiga ball, coming your way soon (photo from VL)
While Select aren't one of the immediately famous names, they have a wide reputation in Europe as providers of balls to the Danish and Belgian national teams, as well as several clubs throughout the continent. Veikkausliiga club Honka also currently use Select balls.
Rasmus Schüller wants the Select ball (photo via HS)
Initial reactions to the news were that the players were happy to consistently use one make of ball... But reactions to the ball itself have been mixed (at best). AC Oulu goalkeeper David Monsalve told me that Select balls don't move as much as those made by Adidas. Meanwhile VPS captain Sebastian Strandvall bemoaned the quality of the balls "B-quality", and TPS player Juho Lähde believes that defenders will suffer concussions in wet weather...
Needless to say, everyone using the same ball will be of benefit, and removes any indications of advantage. Unless HJK do something with it next year... But it seems that the users of the ball are unhappy.
I've never played with a Select football - if someone would like to send me one so I can test it out at a rubbish 5-a-side level, I'll tell you my address...
*I've edited this article to include the end date of HJK's deal with Adidas, the name of the ball, and added some more player reaction.
*I've edited this article to include the end date of HJK's deal with Adidas, the name of the ball, and added some more player reaction.
