HAMBURG. The traditions of German football include practices open to the public. Supporters get significantly closer to the players than in other big football countries, regardless of club size.
That was before. The corona pandemic changed everything and the doors to the training grounds have remained visibly closed, like the gates of stadiums.
From early spring, stadiums opened completely in Germany as the last major football country in Europe. The Finnish camera team is told that the Hamburg Traditional Society’s HSV rehearsals are still held in camera – at least in principle.
The truth brightens when you arrive at the edge of the training ground at the foot of HSV’s nearly 60,000-seat Volksparkstadion. There is a public walkway between the training ground and the stadium, from where joggers run past it. The training center is in no way closed to prying eyes.
On a sunny spring day, there are about twenty enthusiastic fans waiting for players. Retirees dressed in the colors of a traditional club that has flown to the second series repeat the rumors. One of them hangs dozens of flags from different states on the fence bordering the field. The same is reportedly repeated almost daily, and no one knows why.
The goalkeepers arrive in the grass down the stairs first. Supporters are greeted politely and especially the look of a five-year-old HSV shirt fan is brightening. Soon down the stairs to the perfect grass field, the players will also descend.
As the rehearsals begin, German media is also leaking to the scene. The most anticipated player today is Finnish.
Anssi Suhonen, 21, has risen to the starting line-up of a team fighting for a series promotion and has played convincingly recently. The place in the opening line-up in the German Cup semi-final against the Bundesliga against Freiburg is a sign of confidence.
– It was the first big game for me and then the room was still full, 57,000 spectators. Quite an amazing game. If there is more, there will certainly be more and faster development, Suhonen tells Urheilu.
HSV was left at Freiburg’s feet in the match, but Suhonen succeeded personally. The Finn made a narrowing paint, which was, however, discarded as an exception after the VAR examination. When Suhonen was substituted, the crowd applauded the home crowd.
– It felt really good that they got up and applauded me. Yes, it was a bit comforting, even though we were losing three goals.
In the next league match against Jahn Regensburg, Suhonen was in the opening again and scored his second goal of the season in an important victory. Suhonen has now opened in six matches in the tube. HSV is firmly in place in the Bundesliga qualifiers when one series round is left unplayed. A direct ascent is still possible if the arch-enemy Werder Bremen stumbles.
Suhonen, who enjoys the middle ground, has aroused interest in Germany even more widely, as several local newspapers and Sky Sport, which owns TV rights for the Bundesliga, are also interviewing Finns. You can tell that Suhonen is a well-liked person in the company. And why not, he is practically the club’s own breeder, like his own son.
Suhonen, who made an effort from Järvenpää to the world, moved to the HSV Academy from Käpylän Pallo when he was only 16 years old. He was housed on the HSV campus next to the stadium for three years and in the same environment he has grown into a professional. Only a few academy players ever make it to the national team, but Suhonen has passed a tight sieve.
HSV’s hard-paced workouts today focus on small games, just as KäPan’s workouts used to do. Suhonen especially likes small games.
– When you practice a lot of small games, it is easier to play football on a big field when there is more space. I like it when there isn’t that much time on the field, he says.
There have been several Finnish players at HSV in recent years. At the moment, the brothers who have joined KäPaa are also playing at the Academy Juho and Jesse Kilo.
Now playing in Hamburg on the fourth level of Germany Tobias Fagerström was already in HSV before Suho. Another Finn played an important role in the repatriation of 16-year-old Suhonen, not least because Suhonen could not speak enough English or German when he left.
– We still spend a lot of time together with Tobias. He really helped me a lot in the beginning. I learned German properly in two years and now that I’ve gotten to play with men, schools and German lessons are over. Now we just kick the ball and go ahead, Suhonen times with a smile on his face.
Going out into the world at the age of 16 without language skills requires courage, and Suhonen has really had enough of that. In academia, one cannot do without the discipline that the Finn emphasizes in his speech. There is only one way to the top: hard daily work.
– When after the workout the others go to the shower and go home, then you have to stay kicking for a little longer or do a gym. Whoever trains more develops more. That’s what I’ve always thought about in my head, Suhonen says.
The rehearsals end and the players move to the locker room side in small groups. Anssi Suhonen has exports today, as in addition to TV channels, she is covered by journalists from three local newspapers. In the background HSV’s head coach Tim Walter notices Suhonen’s surrounding group of journalists, shows thumbs up and acknowledges something to the young Finn. Teammates also show up in the direction of Suhonen. It is clear that the situation is new to Finns.
After sharing the photos and autographs, Suhonen rises up the stairs to the stadium and to the weight room. An HSV spokesperson talks about the day’s schedule and tells the story of how Suhonen, during her academic years, was able to practice alone in the evening light at night to the amazement of the field managers.
Listening to the stories of Suhonen and those who know him is easy to believe.
– He’s determined to be a football player. Everything he does in his life aims to become a good player, the head coach of the Finnish national team under the age of 21 Juha Malinen describes.
Suhonen has not yet joined the A national team. Under the age of 21, he is arguably one of the team’s leading figures and the first names to be chosen by Maline for his line-up.
Suhonen flashes that his debut in the Owl’s Shirt could take place as early as June, when four matches in the League of Nations are about to begin. Suhonen has discussed the matter Markku Kanervan with.
– It would be a great honor to play for the A national team. I’ve been dreaming about it since I was little and now I’m just waiting for the invitation to come at some point and get me on the field to show off my own skills. I just talked to “Riven” that there may be a request in the summer, Suhonen says.
According to the German magazine Bild, a lot depends on the European Championship qualifier for those under 21 years of age. Finland still has the opportunity to advance to the Games when the last three matches are played in June. If the European Championship venue gets out of hand, Suhonen will go straight to the Owners’ trip.
– The order of values is clear. Owls are always first, but of course we also take into account the situation of people under 21, Malinen says.
The interviews will take place in the VIP space of the Volksparkstadion, where HSV’s successful history and traditions are straightforward. The biggest moment in the history of the six-time German champion was the victory of the European Cup, the predecessor of the Champions League, in 1983. The VIP space is decorated with a full-size picture of the legend of Felix Magathin against the victorious Juventus.
The benches that open from the VIP room to the field are named. The first belongs Horst Hrubeschille, one of the major players of HSV and the German national team. Hrubesch, who scored two goals in the European Championship finals in Rome in 1980, is now the director of the HSV Academy.
HSV, as the only club in the country, had never fallen from Germany’s highest league level before spring 2018. Now the sleeping giant is stuck on the second series stage. The coach has changed drastically in recent years, and now the club is trying to return to the Bundesliga under Tim Walter. He has previously worked at Bayern Munich, among others.
Walter arrives in the interview room and reminds his compatriot very much of his essence and gestures Jürgen Kloppia. The grin stays on her face throughout the interview. It is Walter who has been elevating Suho to his current role in HSV this season.
– Anssi is a great person and a handsome man, Walter laughs.
Suhonen is known as a tireless midfielder who moves with a wide radius and takes the ball to himself. It is Suhonen’s energy that has impressed the head coach.
– Anssi is always ready when he gets the ball. He wants to get deep into the opponent’s line with and without the ball. He is always taking initiatives and wants to score goals and work in front of the team. He’s the perfect team player, Walter praises.
The same things are repeated in Juha Malinen’s assessment of Suhonen’s characteristics in the field. The 170-centimeter has the ability to continuously advance the game. The small size has sometimes caused problems along the way.
– He should still be even more physical. The way he goes to press situations and dueling is an example for parents as well. There will still be situations where he is too easily knocked out, Malinen says.
Suhonen recently signed an extension agreement with HSV until 2026. Based on the words of head coach Walter, a lot has been counted on Suhonen in the future. Without injuries and corona problems, playing time could have come a lot longer this season. The previous season went gingerbread after the knee ligament tore.
– The follow-up agreement was a great thing for the club and above all for him and his development, because he can play a lot here. It is necessary for him to play constantly and at a good level. We need players like him who made an effort at the academy because we don’t have the same amounts of money as many other clubs, Walter says.
The interview with Tim Walter ends and the spokesperson shouts that Suhonen will arrive for an interview within ten minutes. At the same time, Walter’s grin disappears from his face, and after a rigorous German conversation with the spokesman, Walter states in English that the team is facing an important video conference that will last at least an hour. So the interview is still waiting.
When the meeting is pretty much over an hour later, a football player with a relaxed essence arrives in a room full of history. And why not, as the game progresses, responsibility comes and there is a fresh follow-up contract in the back pocket.
– I wanted an extension agreement with HSV. Of course, I’m happy about that and now the playing time has started to come. If I continue with the same model, the future looks bright, Suhonen ponders.
When Suho is asked to describe himself as a player, the answer is not the most common. Instead of listing the traits, he begins to unknowingly say what he wants to do on the field.
– I want to have fun, that is, get a lot of ball touches and get a lot of goals and assists. Without the ball, I want to squeeze and get the ball out of the opponent as quickly as possible.
Yeah Al that sounds pretty crap to me, Looks like it ‘s a good idea to have fun. When the day at HSV’s stadium and training center comes to an end, Suhonen will stop at the ping pong table in the player tunnel. Playing table tennis is Suhonen’s hobby outside the football field.
– While living on campus, we always played after rehearsals. I can play to some extent. I could almost change careers! At least no winner has been found yet, Suhonen laughs.
Otherwise, Anssi Suhonen’s life revolves around football. As has been spinning for years. After a day of training, Suhonen usually goes out to eat with friends and then recovers again. The big football dreams are bright in the minds of Finns.
– The first goal is to go to the Bundesliga with HSV or at some point get to play there yourself. That is the next step. Of course, it would be nice to get to play in the Champions League, Suhonen says.
Many of Suhonen’s goals and dreams have already come true. On the map, the road from the tick on the HSV Academy campus to the bright lights of the stadium is barely a hundred meters away. The journey on the ground has been considerably longer.