MICHAEL HUGUENINgives an insight into Estonian football as their biggest day looms
IT COULD have been over before it began. Ninety minutes into Estonia’s first qualifying match for the 2012 European Championships and the tiny Baltic state trailed the Faroe Islands 1-0.
It was a familiar tale. Since independence in 1991, Estonia had lost all but one opening European Championships qualifying match. But in injury-time the Estonians scored twice to steal victory and kick off their most successful qualifying campaign ever.
“If we had lost that game against the Faroe Islands we wouldn’t have gone far because without getting the self-confidence from the first win it could have been all over,” Estonia’s national team captain, Raio Piiroja, said months later.
Estonian football has itself ghosted into the box. When Estonia gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991 and rejoined Uefa a year later, football was in bad shape. There was no professional football system. Estonians shunned the sport and condemned it as only for “stupid Russians”. During 50 years of Soviet rule, basketball was easily the most popular team sport in Estonia.
“Estonians hated the game because Russians liked it so much,” says Piiroja simply.
That hatred of football stems from the population changes in Estonia after the second World War. It is estimated that over 200,000 Estonians died, or were removed from their native land, between 1940 and 1945. In the same decade a similar number of immigrants (mostly Russians) moved into Estonia. Football was their sport of choice.
Lennart Komp, the editor of Jalka, Estonia’s largest monthly football magazine, says football’s Russian link meant it suffered from a serious image problem during the Soviet era and in the early years of independence.
“It was considered a Russian sport and violent,” Komp explains. “Basically, to put it bluntly, it was considered a sport of stupid Russians. Basketball was considered the sport for intelligent people.” This had a tangible effect on the Estonian national team after independence.
“In 1992, we had around 26 players of Estonian nationality in the top league,” adds Aivar Pohlak, president of the Estonian football association (Eesti Jalgpalli Liit – EJL).
Piiroja remembers the bad old days of the 1990s. The current Estonian captain has played over 100 times for his country including all but one of Estonia’s qualifiers in the current campaign.
“In the beginning we were horrible,” Piiroja says.
“We were just playing for draws, 0-0 draw every game . . . so we were just defending and if we had a draw we were happy with it. But now it’s totally different.”
One man led that transformation. “When Estonia got independent there was one crazy guy called Aivar Pohlak,” says Andres Vaher, sports editor of Ohtuleht, one of Tallinn’s major daily newspapers.
“He has his own big minuses and criticisms but he has a really big enthusiasm. He developed a system for football.”
Pohlak lured Icelandic coach Teitur Thordarson to Estonia in 1996 to coach both the Estonian national team and Pohlak’s club side, Flora Tallinn. Before Thordarson took over, Estonia had won two of 43 international matches since independence.
Thordarson changed the game in Estonia. He coached Estonia for three years and in that time won 13 and drew 17 of his 57 matches in charge. But Thordarson’s success wasn’t the most important thing. His system for playing laid the foundations for Estonia’s current success.
“He started to teach our players from zero,” Vaher explains. “Like how the zonal defence is to be played.”
It’s hard to believe that Aivar Pohlak is a football administrator. With long, unkempt hair, ragged jeans and a sheepskin vest, Pohlak looks a bit like Brad Pitt in Legends of the Fall. The 50-year-old stands out at Fifa and Uefa events. He never wears a suit and doesn’t use business cards. But behind Pohlak’s eccentric appearance is a passionate football philosopher who dares to dream big. Estonia will host the Under-19 European Championships next year and Pohlak isn’t stopping there.
“Our plan is to be one of the hosts of the European [Championships] in 2024 or in the same period to have a European Champions League final here in Tallinn.”
Despite his grand designs, the EJL president is realistic about Estonia’s position in world football. “We are coming from nothing,” admits Pohlak. “We are still in the process of the first real steps.”
Football now has more participants than any other team sport in Estonia. The Estonian national team regularly fills Lillekula Stadium in Tallinn for qualifiers and friendly matches. But a structured system and a successful national team isn’t the only reason for football’s growth in popularity. Television has played a huge part too.
During the Soviet era, Estonia only had three television channels. The only regular football Estonians could watch was the Soviet league. After independence, things changed. Suddenly the leagues in England, Spain and Italy were accessible. As Estonians searched for a more European identity, football became fashionable.
Kaimar Saag’s own experience growing up encapsulates how television played a role in football’s popularity growth. As a kid, the national team striker’s favourite athlete was Estonian-born NBA basketball player, Martin Muursepp.
“I was more interested in basketball because my big brother played basketball,” Saag explains.
But football’s presence on television changed Saag. “My favourite player was the Brazilian Ronaldo, a striker like I am,” says the 22-year-old. “I liked watching the World Cup and these kind of games, big games.”
Saag and his team-mates experienced a rollercoaster ride on their way to the Euro 2012 play-offs.
Estonia beat Serbia away in October to move into second spot in Group C after only three matches. But Estonia stalled in their next four qualifiers and picked up just one point. The dream of a debut appearance at the European Championships seemed ruined.
Then Estonia rallied again.
Estonia’s manager Tarmo Ruutli led his team to victory in its last three qualifiers including two away games against Slovenia and Northern Ireland. The Estonians’ never-say-die attitude appeared again.
Estonia clinched both victories away from home with goals in the last 10 minutes. Estonia’s win in Belfast was particularly impressive. Down 1-0 at the break, Estonia dominated possession in the second half and two goals from Konstantin Vassiljev clinched the three points. The Russian-based midfielder was the top scorer for Estonia in qualifying.
“He’s scored some beautiful goals from outside the box and if you give this guy a chance to shoot, it’s pretty bad for the opposition,” Saag points out.
In the final round of qualifiers, Slovenia’s 1-0 win over Serbia ensured a play-off berth for Estonia and huge celebrations.
“It has been all over the news since,” says Estonia skipper Piiroja.
When the play-offs start tomorrow, the smart money will be on Ireland. Estonia is tiny and has an embryonic football system. But momentum is on the Baltic nation’s side and Estonia are ready to pounce on any mistake from the Boys in Green.
Giovanni Trapattoni, you’ve been warned.
Michael Huguenin is a journalist based in Denmark who has written extensively on soccer, covering the sport’s major championships at world and European level.
His expertise in Estonian football evolved from a spell in the Baltic country as part of an international journalism course.
Estonia
Population: 1.34 million
Football participants: 16,288 Football association: Eesti Jalgpalli Liit (EJL)
Founded: 1921 (Disbanded during Soviet era and re-formed in 1991)
Football league structure: Two national divisions followed by regional divisions
Top division: Meistriliiga
Founded: 1991
Number of clubs: 10
Season duration: March to November
Most titles: Flora Tallinn (9)
National team home stadium:
A. Le Coq Arena
Coach: Tarmo Ruutli
Captain: Raio Piiroja
Locally based players in 23-man squad to face Ireland: 1
