SCR signs Finnish defender

Created: 10/05/2022, 12:35 p.m

By: Patrick Hilmes

Welcome to SCR: Assistant coach Anton Raubal (left) and head coach Pat Cortina (right) welcome Ville Hyvärinen.

© Peter VOLK

The SC Riessersee is up again and has filled its third contingent position.

With Ville Hyvärinen, an experienced and defensively strong defender is coming to Garmisch-Partenkirchen.

Garmisch-Partenkirchen –

If you sum up the start of the SC Riessersee season in one word, it quickly comes to mind as “sobering”, and for some even “disappointing”.

3:6 against Rosenheim, 3:5 against Höchstadt.

The white-blue had imagined it differently.

But only two games have been played, the season is still long.

Accordingly, SCR Managing Director Pana Christakakis emphasizes: "It annoys us all, but we have to remain positive and keep calm."

As a direct reaction to the failed weekend, Christakakis does not want this obligation to be understood.

Not as a rush job either, although coach Pat Cortina said the previous week that there were currently no players on the transfer market who met the search criteria.

Hyvärinen had the option on Wednesday evening, and the Finn signed his contract on Sunday morning – even before the home defeat against Höchstadt.

The SCR has now exhausted its contingent of foreign players - this year the Oberliga teams are allowed to use three for the first time.

The SCR had intensified the search for a defender after Christoph Eckl suffered such a serious upper body injury in the preparatory game against Rosenheim that he will be out for months.

Christakakis tapped into all his contacts and called various agents.

One of them then offered Hyvärinen.

Those responsible for SCR pricked up their ears, as they were familiar with the name.

In the summer they negotiated with a Canadian player who played for DVTK Hegesmedvék in the Hungarian first division.

When viewing the videos, Hyvärinen could also be seen again and again.

At that time, Christakakis and Cortina did not strike because the Finn did not meet a search criterion - he is a left-handed shooter.

"We had limited ourselves to one right-handed shooter," says the managing director.

That's what he was brought in for: Hyvärinen (yellow jersey) defended for years in Finland's first division.

© imago sport photo service

In addition, all of Hyvärinen's other attributes were convincing except for one.

The defender measures 1.90 meters, weighs 95 kilograms and has plenty of higher-class experience.

Before moving to Hungary, the now 31-year-old laced up his skates for five seasons for Finnish top-flight club Jukurit, the last three of which as an assistant captain.

He also played for the 2021 Finnish champion Lukko Rauman for a season, during which time he was also on the ice eight times in the Champions Hockey League.

His new coach is convinced of him: "Ville is a physically very robust player who knows where his strengths lie.

They are definitely in the defensive area of ​​the game.” Cortina therefore describes him as a “very good and important” addition to the team, which had to concede eleven goals in two games.

Christakakis is also certain that the traditional club will benefit from the Finn's strengths.

“He does what the coach was looking for.

He can stabilize our defence, works hard and is a very good man with a man down.”

At the same time, one should not immediately expect too much from the future number 55.

The background is: Hyvärinen played his last game in February.

First the corona virus put him out of action, then he broke a rib, which also affected his lungs.

The early end of the season for the Finn after 25 games.

He then returned to Finland, worked for his hometown club Kalevan Pallo (KalPa), kept fit there and hoped to get another interesting offer.

The premature end of his career was now prevented by the SCR.

Given this history, Christakakis emphasizes: “He will need time.

It is different to keep fit alone or to do a preparation with a team.”

Hyvärinen completed the first session with his new teammates on Tuesday.

He should be eligible to play by next Friday – home game against Landsberg.

The anticipation is already great, at the same time Hyvärinen is pursuing the same goal as the SCR.

"I'm looking forward to getting to know my new teammates and making the season that has already started a successful one together."