On Tuesday the 9th of February, Rumori Calcio got to know their 9 opponents for season 2016 in IV.Liiga.
Rumori Calcio was drawn into the newly created Northern/Western group (teams from Tallinn and surroundings and Western Estonia) with the following teams.
RJK Märjamaa
FC Haapsalu Harrastajad
Trummi SK Kohila
Tallinna JK Augur
Tallinna FC Majandusmagister
FC Toompea
Tallinna FC Eston Villa II
Tabasalu JK Charma II
JK Jalgpallihaigla
The calendar will be known in next days, but we start to check what our opponents will look like according to information and statistics available on the Estonian FA website (www.jalgpall.ee)
RJK MÄRJAMAA
Full name: Raplamaa Jalgpalliklubi Märjamaa
Venue: Märjamaa Gümnaasium Stadium (grass)
Travelling distance: 67km
Colours: Blue jersey, black shorts, black socks
Nickname: unknown
They came 5th in a group of 10 (the previous Western group) with 24 points in 18 games (7w, 2d and 8l) and a goal difference of -3 (34 v. 37).
Up to last season, it was an all-Estonian side (they had 25 players) with no foreigners.
The older player is Toomas Sassian (1966), 8 games last season for a total of 422 minutes (most of the times he was a sub).
The most famous player was Janno Kivisild (1977).
For those not familiar with Estonian football, he is the Estonian national team assistant coach of Swedish Magnus Pehrsson (head coach). Notwithstanding his demanding tasks, he has had time to play 5 times including a cup tie against FC Transferwise (2-1, scorecard here).
Except Valeri Shipulin (1982) all other players are born after 1990 (included), the youngest being Gert Gabrite and Kristo Kaljumaa (1999).
The topscorer was 1994-born Jesper Vahur, 11 goals in 24 games.
HAAPSALU HARRASTAJAD
or* 
*at time of writing they are still deciding which logo to adopt
Full name: FC Haapsalu Harrastajad
Venue: Risti stadium (grass)
Travelling distance: 66km
Colours: navy blue (?)
Nickname: unknown
We know very little about this club since they are brand new in IV.Liiga as we are.
It seems they also come from Rahvaliiga.
All we know is that, contrary to their name referring to the Estonian Western city of Haapsalu, they will play in the grass pitch of a parish nearby, Risti (32km from Haapsalu).
All we found was this video below of a futsal game they held few days ago against Palivere SK.
Harrastajad (it means literally ‘amateurs’) are those with the darker jerseys.
In the Facebook group discussion, Rumori Calcio was mentioned as follows:
Andree R: Rumori Calcio must be this team with superstars, isn’t it? 😀
Bert R: If foreigner = superstar, then yes…
We will try to live up to their high expectations…
Full name: Trummi Spordi Klubi Kohila
Venue: Kohila Gümnaasium Stadium (grass)
Travelling distance: 34km
Colours: Yellow jersey, dark-blue shorts, yellow socks
Nickname: unknown
They finished the IV.Liiga Western group at 4th place, with 25 points, 16 adrift group winners Pärnu Poseidon (40 points and our cup opponents last season). It was the result of 7w, 4d and 7l with a goal difference of +5 (55 v 50).
In the last game of season 2015 they played against RJK Märjamaa and it ended up with a scoredraw (1-1). Trummi played almost for all the game down to 10 man (Lullu was sent off on 22′). The game was 0-0 up to 83′ minutes when Kadakas opened the score for Trummi only to be levelled 3 minutes later by Märjamaa’s topscorer, Vahur.
The game was directed by Andrei Brõtkin who was the referee in our first international game against UCL Academicals last August (0-6 for the English side).
Mr Brõtkin who was promoted to referee elite group (Premium Liiga and Esiliiga, first and second tier) for season 2016.
Sven-Jarno Lullu was the team’s topscorer with 14 goals in 12 games. He also played for III.Liiga side JK Kaitseliit Kalev as Trummi was their double. Lullu scored a hattrick in a Estonian Cup 2015-16 thrashing of Rahvaliiga side JK Küsimärk (12-1, we won with Küsimärk at Jõgeva Winter Futsal Cup 7-0 back in January).
Lullu is a 1983-born is a team with players born no later than 1990.
Lullu was subject of a spoof special on Estonian news show ‘Seitsemesed Uudised’ (News at 7pm) featuring popular football commentator, Kalev Kruus, as anchorman. If you understand Estonian a bit, watch the video below.
Their motto is ‘paneme õitsema’, kind of ‘let’s make (flowers) blossom’. It might have a double meaning we are failing to catch right now.
Raul Seema (1976) was a team-member of Kristiina Shmigun skiing team (2 gold medals in Winter Olympics in Turin 2006 and 1 silver medal 4 years later in Vancouver in ladies crosscountry skiing) and is still in Estonian men’s team.
Full name: Tallinna JK Augur
Venue: Keila Stadium (artificial)
Travelling distance: 30km
Colours: Black jersey, shorts and socks
Nickname: unknown
Despite the name, they also player outside of Tallinn, in the town of Keila (about 9,000 inhabitants).
The brand ‘Augur’ is more known for the futsal team: Augur Enemat, which turned Estonian Champions in 2014-15 and are currently top of the table, 11 points clear of the second. Augur Enemat are a feeder of the Estonian national futsal team. However, this is the only tie since no player for this current season’s futsal squad belonged to JK Augur in 2015 when they closed their season in the IV.Liiga Eastern group 7th our of 8. They collected 17 points as a result of 5w, 2d and 14l. The goal difference is quite striking: -59! They scored 20 but conceded 79 times, the worst defence of the Eastern group, even worse than the last team (FC Saksa Premium) which conceded only 36 times compared.
The biggest thrashing they allowed was a 13-0 from FC Infonet III (the third team of top-flight club FC Infonet) as they played just with 10 men.
They played with just 11 men and no subs against IV.Liiga 2015 Champions, Väätsa Vald, losing 10-0 and allowing Raido Nurk 6 goals!
They collected a couple of technical home wins against FC Saksa Premium presumably for no-show of the visitors.
Team age range is from 1966 (Tarass Fedorenko) to 1999 (Rauno Kütt).
‘I know their goalkeeper, Caspar Janter,’ said Rumori Calcio coach, Angelo Palmeri ‘we were teammates at FC Pokkeriprod (now FC All In, in IV.Liiga Northern/Eastern group -edit). He was quite young and unexperienced then, but I am sure that despite his 20, he has gained more experience now especially after a tough season like this: 79 goals are no joke…it will be nice to see him again, hopefully we manage to make him collect as many balls as possible from the back of then net again (smiles -edit)‘
Full name: Tallinna FC Majandusmagister
Venue: Laagri Stadium (artificial)
Travelling distance: within Tallinn’s boundaries
Colours: Grey jersey, red shorts and white socks
Nickname: unknown
We will know this opposition better on the 3rd of April when, on our last pre-season friendly game, we will take them on in Laagri Stadium.
According to last season stats, they ended up as last in the dissolved Northern group: 11 points in 21 games, 2w, 5d and 14l with a -24 goal difference (26 v 50).
Their last win in the league goes back to the 30th of August 2015 when they beat FC Reaal away 2-0. The goals were scored by Andrus Kolomainen on penalty (6′) and by Robert Pallas (83′).
The team featured 4 brothers: the Pallas (Robert and Gunnar) and the Lukka’s (Rauno and Siim) they all retired at the end of last season. The Põld’s (Kevin and Mario) have only the same name but are not relatives.
Their topscorer did not make it to the league’s top10 (lowest tally of the top was 9 goals by Ricardo De Souza from Eston Villa).
Full name: Tallinna FC Toompea
Venue: Wismari Stadium (artificial)
Travelling distance: Tallinn
Colours: White jersey, black shorts and black socks
Nickname: unknown
One of the oldest club in the group since FC Toompea was founded in 1994, 3 years after Estonian restored independence.
The name chosen and the symbol (Toompea castle tower, Pikk Hermann) have not been made by chance. Since start, the club was represented by many Estonian politicians with the hobby of football (Toompea castle is the Estonian House of Parliament).
Last year they were placed in IV.Liiga Western group and ended last with just 9 points in 18 games: 2w, 3d and 13l. The goal difference was -32 (28 v 60).
The play in the historical pitch of Wismari, close to Karli Church, not far from Toompea hill itself. The artificial turf was changed in recent times, however, when comes to changing rooms, the situation is a bit dramatic (check yourself some pictures from 2013, not much has changed since then).
Among their players there is also ETV news anchorman Priit Kuusk, a passionate Tartu Rock fan (basketball).
One of the representatives is Margus Liigand, member of the board for Swedbank Insurance division.
Their topscorer was Karel Kask with 10 goals, who managed to grab the last place in the top10 for the Western group.
Full name: Tallinna FC Eston Villa II
Venue: Wismari Stadium (artificial)
Travelling distance: Tallinn
Colours: Blue jersey, black shorts and blue socks
Nickname: unknown
With Eston Villa promoted to III.Liiga, the club from Tallinn with a name certainly inspired by English club Aston Villa, have left us with their double (a first time).
We know very little about who, from the first team, will compose the double, however some players from the winning side of 2015 might occasionally join the double to give a hand.
The most notable is Englishman Daniel Field, who scored 32 goals 21 games (including cup ties). Worth a mention are also Kristian Matt (9 goals) and Portuguese Ricardo De Sousa (9 goals). Ricardo wished to visit one training of Rumori Calcio in Autumn and gave a great impression of fast and technical wing player.
Another foreigner is Hungarian Andras Golencser who played 18 games and scored 1 goal.
Eston Villa II coach will be former Levadia and international player Mati Pari (22 caps and 1 goal with Estonia) who nowadays is Levadia’s youth sector chief. Among their rows will feature also new hire, Italian Giacomo Piron, who was in talks to join Rumori Calcio during Autumn. ‘Yes, I was in talks with Angelo to join the club,’ revealed Giacomo to our website ‘however, since I joined Levadia youth coaching staff last September, I was offered to play with Eston Villa by Mati himself.’ Giacomo has chosen number 21 as his idol at Juventus, Argentine striker Paulo Dybala. Giacomo admitted it will be kind of weird to play against a club with Italian name in Estonia, albeit whether he will play for first or second team is still unsure.
Raivar Vaher, 1981-born defender from Eston Villa talked to us about the double team: ‘we train there 3 times a week,‘ stressed Raivar sending a clear message to all the other opponents ‘this season will be remarkable as we came out with 2 teams and altogether we have more than players – Welsh, Portuguese-Swiss, Hungarian, Spanish, Italian (Giacomo Piron -edit) and from Guatemala’ revealed Raivar as Eston Villa might be a competitor in ‘stealing’ foreign talent.
Last season their cup game was broadcast by Estonian media outlet Õhtuleht (highlights available here) with Mati Pari delivering a wondering a-la’ Cristiano Ronaldo set-piece to open the score (FT score 2-1 vs. FC Tartu).
JK CHARMA II
Full name: Tabasalu JK Charma II
Venue: Männiku Stadium (artificial)
Travelling distance: Tallinn
Colours: Blue jersey, shorts and socks
Nickname: unknown
Another double team. Despite the name referring to Tabasalu, their home pitch is in Nõmme, Männiku (where Mart Poom Academy is located).
They classified 4th out of 8 in 2o15 Eastern group of IV.Liiga. 33 points collected in 21 games (10w, 3d and 8l), they are probably the group’s great favourites for the final win in 2016.
Last season they scored 40 goals and suffered 46. The oldest player is Toomas Lillemets (1976) and the youngest a couple of 1999. No player is worth of mention when comes to goals scored as none of them made it to the top10 (the lowest tally in the list was Artjom Badjuk with 8 goals from FC Infonet III).
Full name: Tallinna JK Jalgpallihaigla
Venue: Kalev Stadium (artificial)
Travelling distance: Tallinn
Colours: Green jersey, black shorts and black socks
Nickname: Haigla, Teine Eesti Koondis (The Second Estonian National Team)
Together with FC Toompea, another old club of Estonian lower leagues as they were founded in 1994. Initially it was formed by a group of club FC Flora fans. The club is not connected and is not a direct emanation of Estonian national team fans group ‘Jalgpallihaigla’ (Football Sanitarium). Their banner is always present at the Estonian national team games in the Southern stand and it is different from the one of the fans group. Albeit, some members of the club are also members of the fans group.
Most of them have nicknames on the jerseys (the most interesting is ‘Kirves’, ‘The Axe’) and last season they featured only three players born in the 90’s.
Last year they were coached by our club member, Danish René Moeller who also played for them several years ago.
In their ranks also another club member, Slovenian Dejan Seliśek who helped our Rahvaliiga team last season as registered player and whose future at the club is still uncertain.
Another foreigner was Lithuanian Byla Laurynas (goalkeeper), who only played 4 games.
Haigla were 6th out of 8th in the defunct Northern group with 21 points in 21 games. They won 6 times, but lost 14 and ended up drawing 6 times. Their goal difference was -30 (41 v 71).
Haigla closed season 2015 with a heavy loss: 0-6 to group winners FC Eston Villa (hattrick by Daniel Field, league’s topscorer).
The debut in the league should be on the 10th of April. More info about opponent and whether will be a home game or not will follow in next days as the calendar will be made.
