Åland United will face football in the National League on Ilves on 14.5. from 3 p.m. The match can be watched live on TV2 and Arena.
MARIANHAMINA. The rays of the sun glisten on the main street of Mariehamn, the edge of which is adorned with daffodils brought in front of the flower shop.
Spring seems to be longer than in mainland Finland. The thermometer rises to ten degrees, but the incisive wind makes sure the winter jacket isn’t a bad choice even in May.
The main street is not yet flooded with tourists. Most of Mariehamn’s ship passengers have rushed to another ship at the terminal in a hurry. It transports them back to Turku without even stepping on the streets of the city.
A kilometer from the harbor, locals have gathered on the main street to enjoy a sunny spring day. The rumors change happily into Swedish, and for a moment you can imagine being abroad.
If you want to meet friends in a café, you have to do it during the day, even on a daily basis. The café closes its doors at four o’clock in the afternoon.
That is why the interview has been arranged before the exercises. One of the most famous characters on the island is clearly distinguished from the front of the café. Anna Westerlund however, be allowed to sit still.
– At the gym, dads come to talk sometimes, Westerlund acknowledges with a laugh and adds that he is allowed to sit in peace all year round.
Despite that he passed in February (moving to another service) In a match against France Jari Litmasen as the Finnish footballer who has played the most A-national matches ever. Now there are a stack of 141 matches, compared to 137 for the “King”.
– Of course it’s a big deal. I can admit that a couple of games before the record I knew how much I should still play. Now I can just enjoy. It’s with me until someone else breaks it. I no longer count how many games I’ve played, Westerlund talks.
“If you want to go abroad, you can get there”
The credit stopper of the helmsmen is not a new resident of the island. The season that has begun is already the fourth in the ranks of Åland United.
Before moving to Åland, Westerlund had time to play abroad for ten years: first in Sweden in Umeå and Piitime, then in Lilleström in Norway. Sweden’s Damallsvenskan was still one of the world’s toughest series in the 2010s, and Westerlund was also allowed to live a professional life in Norway.
He moved to Åland United because he missed something new – and closer to home. Westerlund, from Parais in Mariehamn, has stayed as he has enjoyed the island.
– I don’t want to go abroad just to say I play abroad. There is a certain sense of security here. I’m not an urban girl. What is here is enough for me. I don’t need bread and circus fun, Westerlund acknowledges.
Right now, Westerlund doesn’t need to go abroad. The offers came after he moved to Mariehamn, but recently they have come mainly from Finland.
– But today it is easier than ten years ago. If you want to go abroad, you can get there. If the national team management said I had to play tougher matches, then I would leave.
However, the pace of matches in the domestic series is considerably slower than in tough international games. In the last two years, in addition to Westerlund, only HJK Essi Sainio. The Åland United player has also been on the national team, Dana Leskinenbut its debut is still expected.
In the national league, the level is not the same as in the world top leagues. From the beginning of the season, the level differences between the top and tail teams in the series have also become clear: for example, KuPS broke the dull 9–0 readings on the board when visiting Nurmijärvi.
– Not all teams are as good as KuPS and HJK, some of the games are a bit easier. But if I compare to Norway, where I played for several years, we dominate virtually all games. It’s almost harder to play here. You really have to defend your own box.
Playing in Finland means that Westerlund has to practice more in order to stay involved in international games as well. He often runs after his own workouts.
– Of course it would be better if it was a top team in the world, but that is not a threshold issue. Why wouldn’t I be on the national team when I play in the domestic league? I do extra work, but it doesn’t hurt. It’s about my motivation. I do it because I want to be with the national team. It also serves Åland United that I am in good shape in our own games.
One and a half hours of practice at Åland United in the afternoon is coming to an end. The little boy juniors are already rushing to the field excitedly. Most of Åland United’s players head to the booth, some are left to fend for a while.
Let Westerlund’s rehearsals continue. He jogs to the end of the field, puts his watch on and squeaks to run.
His companions are not running friends, but that doesn’t bother Westerlund. The minutes pass quickly as the defender jumps from end to end.
Even Westerlund’s rehearsals are soon over.
– I’m not the fastest visitor to the shower, but I promise I won’t stay in the sauna, he gasps.
The team has only got its own locker room from the stadium last season. This is also largely due to the experienced topper, who was demanding his own locker room for the team, just like any other club on the island, IFK Mariehamn’s Veikkausliiga team has.
Life on football terms
Otherwise, everyday life in Åland is equal on a Finnish scale. Westerlund is one of the few who is allowed to focus solely on football, even if he plays in the National League.
– We are well taken care of here. Åland United is a club that must have the conditions. We have to take care of foreign players and at the same time they also take care of us Finns, Westerlund says.
Everyday life goes largely on the terms of the sport.
– If I don’t go to the gym in the morning, I wake up, have breakfast, go outside and wait for the football training to start in the afternoon. If we have a gym, I go to the gym, eat and then work out again. On the island, I get to focus on training holistically. There are days when I develop something else and hang out with teammates or do other projects.
Westerlund has no hobbies, in his own words.
– I’m a little bored. I have no special interests. I watch TV, series and in good weather I go for a walk, take a thermos coffee and sit in a nice place. I go with the flow.
Filming continues at Westerlund’s home, where he shows, laughing at his empty television table as evidence.
– If you want to take a stock photo where I’m reading a book, you can’t!
On the island, Westerlund is also preparing for the third European Championships in his career. He belongs to the head coach Anna Signeulin credit players, and there is no indication that the top will be changed on the eve of the Games.
While in 2009 Westerlund was still in the home pit team pit, he is now the team’s most experienced player.
A lot has happened over the years. When Westerlund was young, he did not admire any national team player because he could not name a single one.
– I didn’t even know that there was a women’s national team. I was just playing. I had no hopes or expectations.
Westerlund was not at all sure he wanted to even be a football player. One of the factors behind the decisive decision was the recent piloting of the national team of girls under the age of 17 at the European Championships. Marko Saloranta. He was also Westerlund’s coach early in his career at SC Raisio and later at Honka.
– He made me continue. He made me stop cross-country skiing, or it wasn’t his fault, but he looked like football is nice. Marko has taught me a lot, I appreciate him highly.
Now Westerlund has enjoyed football for decades. He celebrated his 33rd birthday a month ago.
– I know I’m 33, thanks for the reminder, he says with a laugh, but then gets serious.
– This is asked almost every time. When is the last game? When will you quit? I haven’t said anything best before my day in my career. I don’t see what the passport reads, but I also don’t want to be the one who just gets worse and worse, but still plays because he wants to be involved.
– I don’t want to stop playing football and think I could have continued. I still love football and I think it’s nice to play. I haven’t decided on a graduation date, but I’m not playing until I am 40 years old. I can promise it and you have it on tape now!
Westerlund laughs again, as he often does.
The twinkle in the corner of your eye is and will remain, even if the games end over time.
– Now I have the goal of the European Championships and then let’s see what happens next.