Eight years is a long time, especially in the career of a professional soccer player. That’s how long Espoo’s FC Hongan has been Roman Eremenko from the last time at the Helsinki Olympic Stadium.
– This looks good, I haven’t seen this since the last time I played here, Eremenko tells Urheilu, looking at the stands of “Stadika”.
FC Honka, represented by Eremenko, will face Tampere Ilves tomorrow, Saturday, in the final match of the football Suomen Cup. “Last time” Eremenko, on the other hand, means the European Championship qualifying game against Hungary played in June 2015. After the struggle that ended in a 1–0 victory for the visitors, the head coach at the time Mixu Paatelainen was dismissed from the helm of the national team.
Nowadays, it is much more convenient to wipe with Huuhkaji than it was back then.
– I hope there will be a crowd for the final match. Of course, I don’t think that as much as what was last here. I have watched Huuhkajie’s matches, there has been a really good atmosphere here, says Eremenko.
Eremenko himself has not been with the national team for a while, after playing his last national match in September 2016. After that, Eremenko gave a doping test after the Champions League match, from which it was found that he had used cocaine. He was suspended for two years.
– It was a big mistake that taught me the hard way, the former national team midfielder describes.
Not Messi’s number of trophies
The turn that changed the direction of Eremenko’s career finally brought him back to his homeland. Now, when playing in Honga’s ranks, the first thing on his mind is Saturday’s final match against Ilves. The first trophy on Finnish courts would be a big deal.
– This is a good opportunity for us to take the trophy. Even personally, no one will have too many of them during their career. Except for one of Messi or other big stars, Eremenko says with a laugh.
He might be downplaying his own achievements a bit. The quarterback is the champion of Russia and Ukraine. The trophy cabinet also contains one Russian cup championship and four Ukrainian Super Cups (a match between the Ukrainian champion and the cup winner).
– However, it’s rare, that’s why everything has to be in the game on Saturday, he says.
However, he wants to emphasize to his younger teammates exactly the exceptionality of winning championships. He hasn’t had time yet.
– I haven’t had time to say it yet, maybe I have to in training tomorrow. Even when I was younger, I thought that “yes, there’s still time for that”, but those championships won’t happen terribly during my career.
Face off against tough opponents
In the men’s Finnish Cup, in addition to the cup championship, the winner is offered a place in the European Games. The winning club will therefore receive prize money in many ways, which is a very important condition for development in Finnish football.
So what does the experienced Eremenko think makes Honga a winner?
– We have a lot of good players and when we are on top of the game, it is difficult to play against us. We will try to be in that condition on Saturday, he answers.
He does not look down on the final opponent Ilves.
– That is also a difficult team to play against. We last met about a month ago. Ilves is a competitive and physically strong team in my opinion. They also have several sharp players in attack, so the final is sure to be a good match.
The return seasons to the Finnish fields were twofold
This season has been Eremenko’s second since returning to the field in Finland. He managed to not play for almost two whole years, until he made a return to the football field last season in the ranks of Helsinki IFK. From this season in Espoo, the artist has, according to what he has told, gotten the most out of it in a different way.
– I have enjoyed this season. My start to this season was difficult, because I wasn’t quite in top shape. But, in June-July I started to be where I wanted to be. It’s been nice since then, describes Eremenko, who joined Honga at the beginning of May.
Last season at HIFK was difficult for the whole Helsinki club. The club organization was in a state of disarray and on the playing field the shield jerseys drifted into the throwing bags of the series. At the end of the season, HIFK fell to Ikkö.
Eremenko does not come out with a broad description of the difficult season.
– They say that I myself was glad to be able to play football after a long time. However, I hadn’t been able to play for a long time. Let’s leave it at that.
As stated, many things change in a football player’s career in eight years. However, Eremenko has remained steadfast during all the twists and turns.
Namely Adidas’s legendary shoe model, which was suitable even for the King. Jari Litmasen too the Copa Mundial model that made it iconic is now used by few professional football boots. Eremenko has not wanted to give up his shoes.
– I’ve tried other buttons, but they hurt. So I always go back to the Copa Mundials, laughing as the interview ends.
The men’s Finnish Cup final will be played at the Helsinki Olympic Stadium on Saturday from 16:00. Espoo’s FC Honka and Tampere’s Ilves meet in the final match. In addition to the cup championship, the winner will take home 50,000 euros in prize money and one of Finland’s country spots for next summer’s European Games.