The 2024 training of the Helsinki Football Club’s men’s representative team started on Monday. The first day of training has not meant a press conference in the past, but now one was organized at the premises of HJK’s home arena at the beginning of the day.
HJK’s new head coach was introduced at the event Ossi Virta. CEO of HJK Aki Riihilahti and athletic director Vesa Mäki opened events from the background of the head coach.
– It’s nice that there is so much interest in HJK in the first days of January, Riihilahti smiled at the beginning and apologized on behalf of the club that there has been confusion in communication recently.
Before Christmas, it became public that from HJK’s head coach, From Ferran Sibila the Veikkausliiga lacks the mandatory Uefa Pro coaching license.
HJK’s plan was for Sibila to get to the course starting in February in Sweden, as a coach on the course is equated with a coach who completed the course in the license regulations.
In the end, Sibila was not accepted for the course, when Sweden wanted to invest in people who coach in the domestic market.
Last Friday, the deal was decided when HJK appointed Ossi Virra as head coach. Sibila is an assistant coach who is responsible for the development of HJK’s game process.
Virta is the head coach until Sibila gets to the Uefa Pro course. This could happen during next summer.
The HJK bosses talked about their “preliminary information”
Soppa had time to mix up that HJK’s bulletin according to which it had preliminary information about Sibila’s admission to the Uefa Pro course in Sweden. Helsingin Sanomat published the thingwhere the Swedish Football Association Roger Sandberg vehemently denied that anyone could have had preliminary information.
Mäki, who was hired as HJK’s sports director last summer, had led the recruitment of a new head coach during the late summer and fall.
– During the first or second phone call with Ferran, it became clear that he lacks a Uefa Pro qualification.
– In that context, Ferran informed me that he has asked the training department of the Swedish Football Association, and they have given a clear answer that he can attend a course in Sweden, as long as he coaches in a club that requires a Uefa Pro qualification.
During the fall, it was known that Virta would continue coaching HJK. The club is considering the possible formations of its coaching team and new hires. As part of the background work, HJK had mapped views of Ferran Sibila from her previous clubs.
– We also received clear information from elsewhere that Ferran will be accepted to Sweden for the course, as long as there is a need. We relied on this information, Mäki stated.
In this regard, Vesa Mäki raised his hand as a sign of error, because he had not made a confirmation call to the Swedish Federation regarding the matter.
– Even though that information came to us from two parties, I should have verified it.
Mäki, who moved to Helsinki from the Turku Inter organization, has been the target of fierce criticism in the public due to the coach’s quarrel. Urheilu also wrote a text containing harsh criticism about Mäki’s early days at HJK.
In the Helsingin Sanomat story, it was written, among other things, that HJK had lost the competition for players to other league clubs and that Mäki had approached a player under SJK’s contract in violation of competition regulations.
Riihilahti even commented on some of the claims in a press conference. He stated that criticism of HJK is allowed, but it should remain within reasonable limits.
– We have not lost a single tender for players in Finland. We have set the bar really high for the kind of players we want. Secondly, it should be noted that during the process we all had preliminary information from different sources (about Sibila’s admission to the course).
– There is a consensus in our club that we have the right sports management and coaching team. There hasn’t been a single practice or game yet. The results and presentations can then be evaluated.
In addition, Riihilahti wanted to point out that any claims about accusations or discord within the club are not true, but the club management bears the responsibility together.
Mäki has received threatening messages
Vesa Mäki emphasized that she knew that at HJK she is under a special magnifying glass. He emphasized his responsibility in the head coach fight, but considered the criticism he received in other respects to be unreasonable.
– Everyone has the right to criticize, but there are things that are not true. I’ve certainly made more mistakes in this short time than missed one phone call to the Swedish Federation.
– You can criticize me, I am in such a place. What bothers me the most is that as a result I have received hate mail and threats. It has even disrupted my family’s life.
Mäki said that threatening messages have come to his personal channels, via e-mail and WhatsApp. He has shown messages to the club management.
– I get full support from the club. We are doing a good job with the coaching team. It keeps me going.
When asked after the press conference, Mäki stated that he did not want to go out and spread threatening messages in more detail to the public. Regarding their quality, however, he stated that the messages have been “clearly threats related to physical integrity”.
Mäki cleared his most difficult situation so far in an open way.
– The most difficult situation was when I had to say what I had to say to a good coach, a good person.
So Mäki announced Toni Korkeakunnense, that he cannot continue as HJK’s head coach. In Mäki’s opinion, these situations are the most difficult for the sports director.
After that, Mäki had sensed Korkeakunnas’s displeasure. He had left the team at the end of last season because he wanted to give the Korkeakunnas team some peace.
“Full credit”
When Riihilahti was asked about trust in the sports management, the CEO listed that HJK has won 12 Finnish championships in the last 15 years, four places in the group stage of the European games and a positive financial statement every year.
– It’s okay, choices have been made over the years. I have strong faith that we will continue to do so. Whenever we try to raise the bar and make changes, the solutions also raise our criteria higher.
– I am really satisfied that we dare to do that in the club. Then we also expose ourselves to criticism. I have full credit in these gentlemen.
Riihilahti praised Mäke for, among other things, that now for the first time the club has a methodology that passes through the pipe from the academy to Klubi 04 and the representative office.
Mäki emphasized the same themes in the selection of the coaching team. A Spaniard works alongside Virra and Sibila as an assistant coach Oscar García Rodriguezwho last worked in Sweden as the head coach of the Superettan team Jönköpings Södra IF.
Mäki said that HJK’s main goal is still the Veikkausliiga championship, but in addition to that, it wants to rejuvenate its representative team and play better in European games.
– We have a coaching team that is ready to commit to the goal. We know the skills of this trio in the development of young players, the courage to take them to the national team and the way of playing that helps in Europe.