The Swedish Football Association and head coach Anna Signeul have agreed to terminate the Swedish coach’s contract.
The Football Association and the head coach of the women’s national football team Anna Signeul have canceled Signeul’s contract. According to the Finnish Football Association’s press release, Signeul will leave the position of head coach immediately. The head coach of the 17-year-old girls’ national team will start as the temporary coach of Helmarei Marko Saloranta.
The Swedish coach’s contract was to expire at the end of the year. The board of the Football Association discussed the termination of the contract at its meeting on Monday evening.
Signeul, 61,’s last job was the ongoing women’s European Championships, where Finland’s team ended in the group stage. Signeul’s management style sparked discussion during the Games.
At the beginning of the Games, Urheilu’s expert Maiju Rootsalainen said that as an assistant coach of the women’s A national team, she experienced inappropriate treatment related to motherhood and becoming a mother.
After the European Championships, Signeul said that the commotion disturbed his focus on the tournament.
– It’s never nice when a lot of negative things are written. I don’t want to take a stand on those during the tournament. It wouldn’t be right for the players, the management or myself. We were here to play and we tried to focus on that, Signeul said after the tournament in Finland.
Signeul has been the head coach of the Helmarei since 2017. In the Finnish Football Association’s press release, Signeul wishes the Finnish national team all the best for the future.
– Despite the challenges and the intense pressure in the games, I want to thank the players and the coaching team for committing to the project and giving their all. I am proud of the work, the results and the development of the resources of the women’s A national team that we achieved together.
Helmareit’s matches continue with the World Cup qualifiers at the beginning of September against Ireland and Sweden. The Finnish Football Federation has also launched a search for the head coach of the women’s A national team.
President of the Football Association Ari Lahten According to Signeul, he brought to the national team the level of requirements required for top football and promoted the advancement of Finnish players to top European clubs and leagues.
– The European Championship was the end of the project led by Signeuli, and now the Balloliitto thought it was a good time to prepare for the future and set a new direction. We wish Anna all the best in the future, Lahti said in the press release.
Story edited at 8:37 a.m.: added Anna Signeuli’s comments and at 9:08 a.m. background on the commotion during the European Championships.