“I have enjoyed the new style of play” | Exclusive interview with Eveliina Summanen
Tue 30 April 2024, 15:30|
Tottenham Hotspur
Eveliina Summanen admitted she has developed as a player during her time at the Club so far as we spoke to the midfielder for an exclusive chat for the matchday programme ahead of the Brighton & Hove Albion game.
The Finland international, who joined us from Swedish side Kristianstads in January, 2021, is in her third season with the Club and has established herself as a key figure within the side. A dynamic, energetic midfielder, Eveliina has embraced Robert Vilahamn’s attacking style of play and cemented herself in the midfield spot.
Despite missing a small part of the campaign due to an injury picked up against Manchester City back in November, she has since made 22 appearances in all competitions and has registered three assists.
Ahead of our clash with the Seagulls in the Barclays Women’s Super League on Sunday, we sat down with Eveliina as she spoke about the progress the team and herself have made over the last few seasons.
“We have showed how we have that belief that we can beat any team in this league and, personally, I still don’t think we are there just yet, but we are continuing to move in the right direction and still have so much to learn.
“After what happened last season, we had to turn a new page and we changed pretty much everything in-and-around the building, the way we play and, I think, that has helped me as well as an individual.
“I have also got a little bit of experience in this league now after a few seasons and, from what I have learnt in that time, it has helped me a lot and you can see from the team, in every perspective, that we have progressed from the last campaign.
“I have enjoyed the new style of play this campaign, it gives us the opportunity to score plenty of goals and win games,” Eveliina said. “If I look at my role in previous seasons, I have been in a more attacking role compared to this season, but, at the same time, I’m still trying to help score and create goals while also doing the defensive work.”
Born in Lappeenranta, Finland, the midfielder began her career at her hometown club PEPO, where she progressed through the youth system, before joining HJK and made her senior debut in April, 2016.
Watch - Eveliina's fantastic free-kick in the victory over Bristol City
She would then go on to have spells in the Damallsvenskan (Swedish top-flight) with KIF Örebro and Kristianstads DFF and, although she explored another sport during her younger career, Eveliina admitted it has always been football for her.
“I have always enjoyed playing football from a young age,” when asked about falling in love with the sport. “I would just want to go out and play whenever I could and have fun with my friends and, I think, that is a good thing to keep in mind now because even though we do it as a job, we still want to have fun and I want to maintain that same feeling of playing football from when I was growing up.
“I also played a little bit of volleyball when I was younger as well, but football was the first and the sport I really enjoyed the most, so I chose that when I was 15 and continued to push for where I am today. I would always be grateful for the opportunities I have got.”
