Daniel Håkans – From Vaasa to Lech Poznan

Finnish football national team member joined Lech Poznań

Lech Poznań, founded in August 1920 in Dębiec, is one of Poland's oldest and most successful clubs. Competing in the Ekstraklasa, it boasts nine Polish Championship titles (also this year), five Polish Cup victories, and six Super Cups, ranking fifth in the all-time Ekstraklasa table.

Two famous Finnish players, Kasper Hämäläinen and Paulus Arajuuri, have represented Lech during the last decade, highlighting the strong football ties between the two countries. Daniel Håkans, who recently debuted for the Finnish national team, joined Lech Poznań in summer 2024 from Vålerenga. We met with him at Inea Stadium in Poznań to discuss how he dashed off to Poland and get his impressions of the new club. 

Welcome to Poznań – how did your journey with Lech Poznań begin?

Thanks! After the end of last season, our team in Norway was unfortunately relegated from the main league, meaning that I had to look for new opportunities. I wanted to continue playing at the highest possible level, and Lech Poznań was one of several European teams that expressed an interest. Their offer seemed the most promising, which is why I decided on this club.

Indeed, Lech Poznań is one of the TOP three clubs here in Poland. How did your season start? Have you scored any goals this season?

The new season has started really promisingly. Unfortunately, I had a minor injury that took me out of the game for a while, but luckily it is nothing serious. I am working intensively to get back to full fitness and all indications are that I will be able to return to regular training and playing in a few weeks. I am looking forward to that. I haven’t scored any goals yet, but I did get an assist. The goals will come soon!

Did you know anything about Poland before?

Honestly, Poznań as a city and Poland as a country are new to me. However, I was aware that Poland is a significant country for sports, especially football. So far, I’ve been very positively surprised by my experiences!

How do matches in Norway compare to those in Poland?

In Poznań, we can definitely count on much bigger crowds and the stadium is bigger than the one in Norway. Of course, we had a lot of dedicated fans in Norway too, and Vålerenga was one of the best clubs there. I have to admit that I am really looking forward to the match against Legia to see how crazy it will be!

How was your move to Poznań and what do you think of Polish cuisine?

The move went really well and I'm delighted to be here! The club has helped me a lot and I feel great here. I haven't delved into Polish cuisine yet, but I've noticed that the locals often start their meal with soup. I keep still going directly to pasta. 

Do you use Polish during training sessions?

Not really. Our head coach is from Denmark and our assistant coach is Norwegian, so we primarily communicate in English. Additionally, with seven or eight Scandinavian players in the team, we often use Swedish as well. I have to admit that Polish seems quite challenging!

Have you played for the Finnish national team?

Yes, I played in the Euro qualifiers and scored four goals, so it couldn’t have been much better! Joining Lech was a great move from that perspective, as playing for a bigger team should be a valuable experience. When I arrived here, I noticed that the entire city is passionate about Lech and lives and breathes football.

That’s quite a big deal, especially with the team colors reflecting the Finnish flag! Have you been recognized on the streets yet?

Yes, actually! I’ve been recognized several times, especially by younger fans who come up to ask for photos and autographs. It’s a great feeling to connect with the supporters like that!

Where do you see yourself in ten years?

I hope to be playing in one of the top five leagues and representing my national team in many matches! However, by then, I’ll be 34 years old, so it’s possible that I might even be considering retirement around that time. 

Thank you for the conversation, Daniel, and best of luck in the upcoming season!

Thank you too!