Wikipedia

Jani Honkavaara

Jani Honkavaara (born 2 February 1976[2]) is a Finnish football manager and retired football player, who is currently the manager of Veikkausliiga club Kuopion Palloseura (KuPS), and an assistant coach of the Finland national football team.[3]

Jani Honkavaara
Personal information
Date of birth (1976-02-02) 2 February 1976 (age 48)
Place of birth Seinäjoki, Finland[1]
Height 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Position(s) Forward / Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 KuPS (manager)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1993–1999 TP-Seinäjoki[a] 104 (104)
2000 Joensuun Pallo 18 (1)
2001 TP-Seinäjoki 14 (0)
2002 JIPPO 12 (4)
2002–2004 Viikingit 45 (7)
2005 Someron Voima 16 (1)
2006 Kontu 2 (1)
2006 Viikingit 10 (0)
Total 221 (118)
Managerial career
2007–2009 Viikingit
2010–2011 HIFK
2012 Gnistan
2013–2016 HIFK
2017–2019 KuPS
2020–2021 SJK
2023– KuPS
2024– Finland (assistant)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Career

edit

Honkavaara began his football career in TP-Seinäjoki (formerly known as Törnävän Pallo-55). During his time in the club, he played 10 matches in Finnish top tier Veikkausliiga. Later in his career he was mainly known for playing for East Helsinki based club FC Viikingit of Vuosaari.

Managerial career

edit

After retiring as a football player, Honkavaara was first appointed to the role of reserve team head coach in FC Viikingit. In 2007, he was appointed the head coach for the 2007 Veikkausliiga season, and held position of coach in the club until 2009. In autumn 2009 he was selected as head coach of HIFK where he led the club towards promotion to Finnish first division Ykkönen after season 2010. He resigned from the role of manager of HIFK after season 2011.[4] After the successful spell at HIFK, he went to coach another Helsinki based club IF Gnistan. Despite rather successful season, he then resigned from the club after season 2012, citing to family reasons.[5] Soon after he was appointed as the new head coach of HIFK which had faced relegation back to Finnish second division, Kakkonen, after the ending season, led by Honkavaara's successor in the managerial role, Juha Moilanen.[6] Right after next and very successful season 2013, he led HIFK back to Ykkönen. After the 2014 season, HIFK was promoted to Veikkausliiga, making it to the top tier of Finnish football for the first time in over 40 years.[7]

At the end of November 2016 it was announced, that Honkavaara would be the new manager of Kuopion Palloseura (KuPS), starting from 1 January 2017.[8] In the 2019 Veikkausliiga season, Honkavaara led KuPS to its first Finnish championship title in 43 years.[9]

In October 2019 Honkavaara was announced as the new manager of his hometown side Seinäjoen Jalkapallokerho (SJK).[10] In the 2021 season, the team finished 3rd in Veikkausliiga and won the bronze medal.

In the early 2022, Honkavaara started to work as a specialist for the Football Association of Finland.[11]

In April 2023, Honkavaara returned to KuPS, when the club sacked Pasi Tuutti after only three games in the season.[12] Honkavaara led KuPS to finish 2nd in 2023 Veikkausliiga season, by a goal difference to HJK. In the end of the season, the club first didn't exercise their option, but later announced that Honkavaara's contract was extended for the 2024 season.[13]

On 17 June 2024, Honkavaara was also named the new assistant coach of Finland national football team.[14] It was also announced that he would not continue as the manager of KuPS after the 2024 season.

Managerial statistics

edit
As of 1 September 2024
Team Nat From To Record
P W D L GF GA GD W%
HIFK   1 January 2010 31 December 2011 50 23 11 16 75 53 +22 046.00
Gnistan   1 January 2012 31 December 2012 27 15 7 5 46 26 +20 055.56
HIFK   1 January 2013 27 July 2016 113 46 27 40 199 139 +60 040.71
KuPS   1 January 2017 31 December 2019 116 58 28 30 207 129 +78 050.00
SJK Seinäjoki   1 January 2020 31 December 2021 59 25 12 22 85 80 +5 042.37
KuPS   21 April 2023 present 66 40 11 15 134 76 +58 060.61
Total 431 207 96 128 746 503 +243 048.03

Achievements

edit

HIFK

KuPS

SJK

  • Veikkausliiga 3rd place: 2021

Individual

References

edit
  1. ^ Törnävän Pallo-55 before the name change in 1994
  1. ^ SJK aloitti kauteen valmistautumisen
  2. ^ "Honkavaara luottaa pelaajalähtöisyyteen". Keski-Uusimaa. 2015-08-24. Retrieved 2017-06-04.
  3. ^ "Jani Honkavaara johdatti SJK:n pronssille, mutta työt eivät jatku Veikkausliigassa: "Ulkomaille ei noin vain mennä"". Yle. 2021-10-31. Retrieved 2021-11-01.
  4. ^ "Honkavaaran jättää HIFK:n: Koin jatkamisen vaikeaksi ja jopa mahdottomaksi".
  5. ^ "Jani Honkavaara ei jatka Gnistanin päävalmentajana". 7 October 2012.
  6. ^ "Jani Honkavaara HIFK:n valmentajaksi". 27 October 2009.
  7. ^ "Pitkä korpivaellus sai päätöksensä". 14 October 2014.
  8. ^ Jani Honkavaara ryhtyy luotsaamaan Kuopion Palloseuraa‚ kups.fi, 28 November 2016
  9. ^ "KuPS end 43 years of waiting for Finnish title".
  10. ^ "Jani Honkavaara on SJK:n uusi päävalmentaja". 23 October 2019.
  11. ^ Yllättävä uutinen: Veikkausliigan mestariluotsi siirtyy Palloliiton tehtäviin, suomifutis.com, 26 November 2021
  12. ^ Mestarivalmentaja Jani Honkavaara palaa KuPSiin – lataa suorat sanat alkukauden ongelmista: ”Aika paljon muuttuu”, Yle, 21 April 2023
  13. ^ Honsu ja Siku jatkavat Savossa – molemmille vuoden jatkosopimus KuPSin kanssa!, kups.fi, 24 October 2023
  14. ^ Markku Kanerva jatkaa Huuhkajien päävalmentajana – Valmennusryhmässä iso uudistus, Finnish FA, 17 June 2024
  15. ^ Morelos jälleen kuukauden pelaajaksi (in Finnish)
  16. ^ AC Oulun Ashley Coffey kuukauden pelaaja - toukokuun joukkue valittu, veikkausliiga.com, 7 June 2024
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Jani_Honkavaara&oldid=1244054372"