For the first time, Klavan, a central defender whose club career included a couple of seasons with English Premier League (EPL) side Liverpool, has stated he will challenge the EJL's long-serving current chair Aivar Pohlak.

Pohlak has been at the helm across five terms and intends to run for a sixth; Klavan explained his decision to run by emphasizing his belief in Estonian football's untapped potential.

Speaking to soccernet.ee, Pohlak said he found Klavan's candidacy both expected, "because for quite some time, it was clear that things were heading in this direction," while at the same time a surprise, "because football, as a field, is very atypical and complex in terms of management, and to succeed, one must be able to understand it from many different angles."

Pohlak noted the challenges brought in balancing the interests of large clubs and commercial priorities with the development of national football.

He said: "It is also necessary to maintain a balance between large clubs and the big egos managing them, as well as between commercial interests and the development of national football."

When asked how seriously he is taking Klavan's throwing his hat in the ring, Pohlak responded: "Seriously," but added that: "I know that my strength lies in substance, and I intend to continue stressing this."

"For myself, I can say that I know the field in detail, I know exactly why and what I am doing, and how one issue or another will be resolved."

For his part, Klavan, the first and so far only Estonian to score in the EPL, cited a belief in Estonian football's untapped potential and emphasized the importance of cooperation and innovation in leadership as key factors motivating his candidacy.

Estonia currently stands 123rd in the FIFA global rankings and has an all-time high ranking of 47th, set in 2012.

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