Vesa Vasara wins his first major trophy as a head coach

Vesa Vasara had lost important matches as a head coach before. On Saturday in Tampere, Inter Turku finally gave him the major trophy he had been waiting for, beating HJK 1-0 in the Finnish Cup final.

“We have not been good enough before, and now we were. That is it,” Vasara said. He rejected the idea that the victory appeared from nowhere, pointing to a longer period of construction in which Inter had grown into a team capable of winning.

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We have not been good enough before, and now we were. That is it.

Inter had reached a previous cup final but lost. Last season, Vasara’s side finished second in the Veikkausliiga. This time, the team’s recruitment also produced decisive evidence. Herman Sjögrell, who joined during the season, created Alie Conteh’s winning goal, while new centre-back Robert Ivanov played an important defensive role.

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It is easy to join if you come in as yourself. You can be who you are and bring your strengths. Of course, you have to work hard and give the team what you know how to do.

Vasara said Inter’s unified group made it easier for new players to settle in. “It is easy to join if you come in as yourself. You can be who you are and bring your strengths. Of course, you have to work hard and give the team what you know how to do.”

For Ivanov, 31, the final ended a long wait for a trophy. He said his previous title came in junior football, at the Hesa Cup in 2006 or 2007. After playing most recently in Greece and spending a long period without matches before joining Inter, he said he knew he could step straight into a demanding situation. Inter still have the league title race ahead and a chance at three domestic trophies, but Vasara wanted the team to celebrate this win first. “Let’s celebrate this properly. After that, we will focus on the next one.”

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Let’s celebrate this properly. After that, we will focus on the next one.