Comments that it is incompatible to become a mother if you are to succeed as a coach. Finnish people in the support apparatus are refused to speak Finnish in Signeul’s presence. Imposed work until late at night. Collaboration problems. These are just some of the accusations leveled against Finland’s Swedish national team coach Anna Signeul in the Finnish press in the middle of the European Championship which is currently being played in England. Aroused attention on TV The case flared up even before the European Championships when Maiju Ruotsalainen, who now works as a European Championships expert for Finnish Yle, dropped an ever so small bomb in the channel’s studio broadcast. Ruotsalainen was in Signeul’s coaching staff until 2019, and when asked why her time on the Finnish national team ended, she chose to make strong accusations against her former boss. – For me, it was about me becoming a mother a couple of years ago, and that my boss (Signeul) related to it in a certain way, she began. – I was told that I can no longer be the coach I could have been if I did not have children. I agree with that – I have become a much better coach after I had children, added a disappointed Ruotsalainen. Maiju Ruotsalainen created debate as a result of comments she released on Finnish television. Photo: Andreas Eriksson / Bildbyrån This made headlines in the Finnish press, and the Finnish Football Association’s general secretary Marco Casagrande has commented on the criticism to the newspaper Ilta-Sanomat. – It is quite clear that the role of mother is not an obstacle to a career within the Finnish Football Association. The association encourages motherhood and good parenting, he says. New accusations But the case did not stop there. On Tuesday this week, the same day Finland was to play against Denmark in the European Championships, the newspaper Helsingin Sanomat published a new case with new accusations against the national team manager. In the article, anonymous sources from the national team environment tell about what they believe is abuse of power and exhausting methods from Signeul. Among other things, it is claimed that she demanded that some members of the support apparatus stay up late at night to work, and no one was allowed to leave until Signeul gave the go-ahead, and that working hours and schedules are changed at short notice and without negotiations. In addition, Signeul is accused of being rude to his subordinates, demanding and difficult to work with. Among other things, it is claimed that she refuses the national team members to speak any language other than Swedish or English in front of her, which has led to Finnish people in the support apparatus being forced to speak English to each other. Anna Signeul and Finland have not yet made it to the European Championships. Photo: PETER CZIBORRA / Reuters – This makes me sad Signeul, who at first would not comment on the statements from his former subordinate Ruotsalainen, chose after the new accusations on Tuesday to make a written statement to Helsingin Sanomat. There she states that she “supports combining motherhood and working life and playing at the top level”. – This makes me sad because I have dedicated my life to supporting the work of women who work in football in different life situations, and supporting women and girls’ opportunities in football and also to be a role model as a leader, she writes in the response. At the same time, she defends the language requirement she has introduced by saying that English is the team’s working language, and believes that it is part of her job as a football coach to work unusual working hours. – It is important that we use a language that everyone can understand and that everyone can participate in the discussions. As a head coach, I have to understand what is being said. But when I get to know people and trust them as professionals, the language used is no longer the same. Language is also about respecting others. It is common practice to use English in other national teams outside Finland, if not all members speak the same language, she writes. – People who work in football are passionate and committed to the team and its success. The days can be long and the work hard, but everyone is responsible for their own work and working hours. Sometimes we work in groups and we have to agree to work together. Everyone has their own way and daily rhythm to do their job, and that’s ok, she adds. Anna Signeul takes little self-criticism in the wake of the accusations leveled against her. Photo: JUSTIN TALLIS / AFP news met Signeul in England after the loss against Denmark on Tuesday night. At the time, she was not very talkative about the topic, but denies that the accusations and media reports have affected her or the preparations for the match in any way. – No, and I do not want to comment on these things. Now we are here in the European Championships and that is what I want to focus on, she says to news. – Not something I can accept Ruotsalainen, who thus started this case with his statements on TV before the European Championships, believes the Finnish Football Association can also be criticized for the case. She informed the association about Signeul’s alleged attitudes towards her, she says. – I can not stand for the values that seem to apply within the association. The results seem to come before the person’s well-being and that is something I can never accept, she believes. news has tried to get a comment from Ari Lahti, football president in Finland, but at the time of writing he has not answered us. But to Helsingin Sanomat, Lahti states that he feels the association has handled the situation to the best of its ability. – Twice I called Tinni (goalkeeper Tinja-Riikka Korpela) and asked what the players’ opinion was about Signeul. Tinni communicated with full confidence. It was important to me, says Lahti. Two cases Lahti tells the Finnish newspaper that, in addition to Ruotsalainen, there have also been complaints against Signeul from another person. Lahti tells the newspaper that they discussed both issues with all parties, but decided that it was right to let Signeul lead the team in the European Championships since the criticism came shortly before the championship and after all it was she who had led them there. Lahti describes it as natural that she was allowed to continue in the job despite the criticism and accusations. The president has not answered news’s question about what will happen to Signeul after the European Championships, where Finland is already looking for two losses in two matches. After the loss against Denmark, news spoke with Finnish players about the accusations that have characterized the Finnish media recently. Eveliina Summanen flatly says no to this affecting them before the match, the same tone comes from Elli Pikkujämsä. – No, I do not think so. Of course, the media can say anything, I have not followed, so I can not comment on it, says Pikkujämsä to news. Finland ends the European Championship with a match against group leader Germany on Saturday night. The Finns have already been knocked out of the championship.
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Expert dropped bomb on live – now it’s storming around Finland’s European Championship coach – news Sport – Sports news, results and broadcast schedule
