Spurs stories | Estonia, Finland and back at Wembley - Teemu’s coaching journey continues...
Tue 15 October 2024, 14:30|
Tottenham Hotspur
With a playing career spanning 20 years, and now seven as a coach, including his current dual role with JK Tallinna Kalev in Estonia and the Finland national team, it was put to Teemu Tainio that he just can’t leave football alone. “You’re right,” he answered, with his infectious laugh. “I love it."
Eagle-eyed Spurs fans would have recognised that familiar face on the touchline at Wembley back in September, when England beat Finland 2-0 in the UEFA Nations League, thanks to two second half goals from Harry Kane, celebrating his 100th cap. Wembley brought back fond memories for our 2008 League Cup winner, and Teemu, who made 83 appearances for us, 2005-08, felt Finland competed well in the return in Helsinki on Sunday, where the Three Lions ran out 3-1 winners.
Talking about familiar faces, that was the case again for Teemu at the countries' respective national stadiums, where a certain Lee Carsley led England in his Interim Head Coach role.
“I thought we played well, but you have to take your chances against a team like England, you have to be at your best all over the pitch,” reflected Teemu, back in Estonia and talking to us on Monday afternoon. “You have to get the balance right between defending and trying to be the team we want to be. So, we did well, but it wasn’t meant to be.
“It was interesting, because Lee Carsley is my old team-mate from Birmingham City! It’s always good to catch up with old friends... football is like that, 15 years after being team-mates we’re there in Helsinki for England against Finland!
“So many of my old team-mates are coaching now (Robbie Keane and Jonathan Woodgate have coached and managed, Ledley King and Jermain Defoe have coached in our Academy, Younes Kaboul is at Watford's Academy) and you could almost tell at the time who might go into coaching, and it’s good to see them. Of course, coaching is such a different role, because when you are playing, your focus is you, and how you can help the team, but when you are a coach, you have to think about so many things. Also, it’s the closest you can get to playing, and I’m still really competitive.”
Still only 44, capped 64 times by Finland between 1998-2014, it always felt like a natural path into coaching for Teemu, bringing a wealth of experience from different leagues around the world – starting aged 16 in Finland’s Veikkausliiga (FC Haka), Ligue 1 in France (Auxerre), the Premier League (Spurs, Sunderland, Birmingham), Holland’s Eredivisie (Ajax), the MLS in America (New York Red Bulls) and back home to the Veikkausliiga (HJK) in 2014.
His coaching journey started, naturally, at his first club, Haka, in 2017. “It was always on my mind to go into coaching after playing,” he told us. “I was Head Coach at Haka for five years, so it was time for a change, time to find something new...” Modest as ever, Teemu didn’t mention that in that time, he took Haka back into Finland’s top flight, the Veikkausliiga, from the second tier (Ykkönen) and then finished fourth to qualify for Europe for the first time in 15 years.
Is this one of our most underrated goals?
“I then moved to AEL Limassol in Cyprus but was only there for a couple of months, an amazing club, AEL, but the Head Coach who took me there left, so I left as well. Then I went to Tallinna Kalev in Estonia in March, the Sporting Director is my former team-mate (at NY Red Bulls) Joel Lindpere. He asked me to come and help out. I said I’d do it for a couple of months, but then they asked me to be Head Coach, so I said, ‘why not?’- and I’m still here!
“Then, in June, the Head Coach of the national team (Markku Kanerva) wanted to change his staff, so he called me and asked if I was interested. I said, ‘yes, of course’ and at the same time, I’m still working in Estonia, so this is a good combination for me. I can manage both jobs, so it works for me. I got back to Estonia on Monday after Sunday’s international and we’re now preparing for this weekend’s game. I was back to work straight away! My coaching is basically 24/7, but as I said, I love it!”
