Toni Korkeakunnas (born 15 May 1968) is a Finnish football manager and a former professional player who is currently the head coach of Veikkausliiga club HJK Helsinki.

Toni Korkeakunnas
Korkeakunnas with Lahti in 2017
Personal information
Date of birth (1968-05-15) 15 May 1968 (age 56)
Place of birth Helsinki, Finland[1]
Height 1.74 m (5 ft 9 in)[2]
Position(s) Midfielder[2]
Team information
Current team
HJK Helsinki (manager)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1987–1993 TP-Seinäjoki 141 (28)
1994 VPS 24 (3)
1995 TP-Seinäjoki 11 (1)
1995 PK-35 8 (2)
1996–1997 HIFK 39 (12)
1998–1999 Gnistan 36 (5)
Managerial career
1999–2002 Gnistan
2004 Hämeenlinna
2007 Gnistan
2008–2010 Viikingit
2008–2010 Finland U19
2011–2013 MYPA
2014–2018 Lahti
2019–2022 Finland (analyst)
2022 HJK (assistant)
2023 HJK
2023–2024 Finland (assistant)
2024– HJK
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Playing career

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Korkeakunnas started his senior career with TP-Seinäjoki, where he spent eight years in total. Additionally he played for Vaasan Palloseura (VPS), PK-35, HIFK and Gnistan during his career.

Managerial career

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At the club level, Korkeakunnas has managed in Veikkausliiga in FC Hämeenlinna, MYPA and FC Lahti. He has also been a head coach of IF Gnistan in second-tier Ykkönen and third-tier Kakkonen, and FC Viikingit in Ykkönen.

On 23 November 2021, Korkeakunnas signed a contract to join HJK as an assistant coach for the 2022 season.[3]

On 13 July 2023, HJK sacked Toni Koskela following a poor run of form, and appointed Korkeakunnas manager for the rest of the 2023 season. Korkeakunnas also works in Markku Kanerva’s coaching staff in the Finland national football team.[4] Korkeakunnas led HJK to the 2023–24 UEFA Europa Conference League group stage, and won the fourth straight Veikkausliiga title for the club in 2023. In the end of the season, his contract was not extended.

However, after a poor start to the 2024 season, HJK sacked their associate head coach Ferran Sibila and sporting director Vesa Mäki on 20 May 2024, and Korkeakunnas returned again to the club's head coach position, on a deal until the end of 2025.[5] His contract with Finland national team and the Finnish FA was simultaneously terminated.[6]

Personal life

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Korkeakunnas holds a Master of Education degree, and has worked as an elementary school teacher.

Managerial statistics

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As of 16 July 2024[7]
Team Nat From To Record
P W D L GF GA GD W%
Gnistan   1 January 1999 31 December 2002 !
Hämeenlinna   19 May 2004 31 December 2004 24 2 6 16 24 47 −23 008.33
Gnistan   1 January 2007 31 December 2007 !
Viikingit   1 January 2008 31 December 2010 73 37 19 17 126 60 +66 050.68
MYPA   1 January 2011 31 December 2013 125 48 23 54 158 164 −6 038.40
Lahti   1 January 2014 1 October 2018 202 73 73 56 262 228 +34 036.14
HJK   14 July 2023 31 December 2023 24 10 4 10 41 41 +0 041.67
HJK   21 May 2024 present 12 6 3 3 21 12 +9 050.00
Total 460 176 128 156 632 552 +80 038.26

Managerial honours

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HJK

FC Lahti

Individual

References

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  1. ^ Veikkausliiga Hall of Fame Archived 14 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine
  2. ^ a b Toni Korkeakunnas at WorldFootball.net
  3. ^ "Valmennustiimi vahvistuu" (in Finnish). HJK. 23 November 2021. Retrieved 19 January 2022.
  4. ^ https://www.hs.fi/urheilu/art-2000009716653.html%7Cdate=13 July 2023
  5. ^ Toni Korkeakunnas palaa HJK:n päävalmentajaksi, hjk.fi, 20 May 2024
  6. ^ Toni Korkeakunnas siirtyy HJK:n miesten edustusjoukkueen päävalmentajaksi – samalla sopimus Huuhkajissa päättyy, Finnish FA, 20 May 2024
  7. ^ "Toni Korkeakunnas Manager profile" (in Bosnian). 24 June 2024.
  8. ^ Ojalalle toinen titteli peräkkäin Archived 20 September 2011 at the Wayback Machine (in Finnish)
  9. ^ Magnus Bahnesta Veikkausliigan huhtikuun pelaaja Archived 15 September 2012 at archive.today (in Finnish)
  10. ^ Pekka Sihvola elokuun kuukauden pelaaja Archived 5 February 2013 at archive.today (in Finnish)
  11. ^ Hongan Abdoulaye Méïté Veikkausliigan elokuun pelaaja Archived 2013-09-04 at archive.today (in Finnish)
  12. ^ Henrik Moisander heinäkuun kuukauden pelaaja Archived 2014-08-01 at the Wayback Machine (in Finnish)
  13. ^ Mika Hilander Veikkausliigan heinäkuun pelaaja (in Finnish)
  14. ^ [1] (in Finnish)
  15. ^ SJK:n Jaime Moreno Veikkausliigan kuukauden pelaaja kesäkuussa, veikkaus.fi, 5 July 2024
  16. ^ Pelipaikkojen parhaat 2012 nimetty (in Finnish)
  17. ^ Lokakuun valmentaja: Toni Korkeakunnas, suomenvalmentajat.fi, 6 November 2023
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  Media related to Toni Korkeakunnas at Wikimedia Commons