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Toni Koskela

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Toni Koskela
Koskela with RoPS in 2018.
Personal information
Full name Toni Koskela
Date of birth (1983-02-16) 16 February 1983 (age 41)
Place of birth Helsinki, Finland
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 AEL Limassol
Youth career
Jokerit
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2003 FC Jokerit 9 (1)
2003 FC Hämeenlinna 9 (0)
2004–2005 KooTeePee 25 (4)
2005–2006 Cardiff City 2 (0)
2006 Ilisiakos 0 (0)
2006–2007 KooTeePee 11 (2)
2007–2008 Molde FK 52 (4)
2009 JJK 17 (1)
Managerial career
2015 HJK (assistant)
2015 Klubi-04
2015–2017 HJK (U-19)
2018–2019 RoPS
2019–2023 HJK
2023– AEL Limassol
*Club domestic league appearances and goals
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 6 January 2009

Toni Koskela (born 16 February 1983) is a Finnish football coach and former player. He currently manages AEL Limassol. After a short professional career, he has managed three Finnish teams, including HJK.[1] He had to retire from his footballing career in 2009, aged 26, due to numerous knee injuries.[2]

Club career

After starting his career in Finland, Koskela was snapped up by Football League Championship side Cardiff City but he failed to impress at the club making just three appearances in all competitions, including an FA Cup game against Arsenal.[3] In November 2005 he was close of signing a contract with Bristol City but Cardiff did not want to let him go, so the transfer failed. Eventually he was released by the club and quickly transferred to Greek club Ilisiakos.

He has also played for FC Jokerit, FC Hämeenlinna, FC KooTeePee in the Finnish Veikkausliiga, and Norwegian club Molde FK.

Coaching career

Rovaniemen Palloseura

Koskela was named the head coach of RoPS ahead of the 2018 Veikkausliiga season. In his first year as a head coach in the Finnish premier division, Koskela led RoPS to win a silver medal with a limited budget.[4]

Helsingin Jalkapalloklubi

In May 2019, he was named the new head coach of HJK Helsinki following the sacking of Mika Lehkosuo. He stated that it was good to "return back home" to HJK after signing a 2,5-year deal.[5] HJK paid RoPS a fee of €150,000 for Koskela's contract.[6]

During his first three full seasons as the head coach of HJK, Koskela led the club to three straight Veikkausliiga titles and two appearances in European group stages, qualifying for the 2021–22 UEFA Europa Conference League, and the 2022–23 UEFA Europa League. He was named The Manager of the Year for the 2022 Veikkausliiga season.

HJK parted ways with Koskela on July 13, 2023, following a poor run of form.

AEL Limassol

On 15 October 2023, Koskela was named the head coach of AEL Limassol in Cyprus.[7][8]

Honours

Club

RoPS

HJK

Individual

  • Veikkausliiga Coach of the Year: 2022[9]

References

  1. ^ "HJK UEFA Youth League 2015-16 squad". UEFA. Retrieved 22 October 2015.
  2. ^ "Polvivamma pakotti Toni Koskelan katsomon puolelle" (in Finnish). veikkausliiga. Archived from the original on 24 December 2013. Retrieved 17 April 2014.
  3. ^ "Flop Koskela finished at Cardiff" BBC Sport Retrieved 14 November 2007
  4. ^ HS: Toni Koskela sopi RoPS:n profiiliin täydellisesti - ”Rajamäet ja muut vapaat nimet on jo nähty”, suomifutis.com
  5. ^ "HJK on nimittänyt uudeksi päävalmentajakseen Toni Koskelan" (in Finnish). HJK Helsinki. Retrieved 22 May 2019.
  6. ^ HJK maksoin hurjan summan RoPSin luotsista, MTV Oy, 25 July 2019
  7. ^ AEL, Toni Koskela
  8. ^ Kyproslaisseura tiedotti palkanneensa Toni Koskelan - valmentaja kommentoi uutista Yle Urheilulle: ”Sopimus on viimeistelyä vaille valmis”, Yle, 15 October 2023
  9. ^ Liimatta, Ville (1 December 2023). "Vuoden 2022 Captain's Ball: Kaikki voittajat ja palkitut kootusti". SuomiFutis (in Finnish). Retrieved 1 February 2023.
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