According to head coach Marko Saloranna, Helmarie’s concentration has remained essential despite the Anni Hartikainen case.
Sakari Lund,
Hinn Hirvonen
20-year defender promise Anni Hartikainen is not involved in Helmarien’s Nations League final match against Slovakia.
The women’s national soccer team traveled to Slovakia after the Romania match on Friday, but Hartikainen stayed together Aada Nurmen, Lotta Lindström and Natalia Kuikan to be awarded at the Captain’s Ball gala organized on Friday. The awarded players traveled to Slovakia on Saturday morning, but Hartikainen missed the flight.
Head coach of the national team Marko Saloranta commented Hartikainen’s situation to Urheilu in Trnava, Slovakia.
– We have values and operating methods. We do not only represent this team, but the whole of Finnish football. Anni was unable to respect those values, Saloranta says.
There have been rumors that Hartikainen’s case involved a lot of alcohol consumption. Can you comment on this?
– I want to be honest. Since I haven’t been there, I can’t answer that. I can’t say anything for sure, so there’s no point in commenting on it.
Hartikainen was chosen as the player of the year in the National League. He has won three consecutive Finnish championships in the shirt of KuPS. On Thursday, he scored against Romania. There has been talk of Hartikainen moving abroad.
What is the situation regarding the national team, Did the door close for good?
– I talked with Ann yesterday. We agreed to sit down when I get home from here because it’s better to talk face to face. This is a place to grow, everyone makes mistakes. No decisions have been made about that. Ann has hard days ahead, we don’t leave anyone alone, says the head coach.
Saloranta also regrets the situation from the team’s point of view.
– Even though the group win was decided, we have a competitive match left. Otherwise, we have been learning the culture of winning all along. Of course, this situation has messed up our everyday life a bit.
On the other hand, Saloranta reminds us that things can always come up that don’t go according to plan, and we have to be ready for that too. According to him, Helmarit has performed well in this regard.
– The team seems really tight and united. We can also face such things and we can take it so that we become stronger from this.
The training plans in Trnava have also changed due to the snowfall and the icy training field
– You have to be really proud of this team, how they stay focused on the essentials.