Jani Honkavaara

Last updated
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*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
1993–1999 TP-Seinäjoki [lower-alpha 1] 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)
Total221(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

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] Honkavaara has won two Finnish championship titles with KuPS, in two separate stints in 2019 and 2024, respectively.

Contents

Career

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

After retiring as a football player, Honkavaara started as an assistant coach of FC Viikingit, in the coaching staff of Toni Korkeakunnas. 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. In September, Honkavaara guided KuPS to win the Finnish Cup, and in October they won the Veikkausliiga championship title again, making it the first double win in the club's history. [15]

Managerial statistics

As of 19 October 2024
TeamNatFromToRecord
PWDLGFGAGDW%
HIFK Flag of Finland.svg 1 January 201031 December 2011502311167553+22046.00
Gnistan Flag of Finland.svg 1 January 201231 December 20122715754626+20055.56
HIFK Flag of Finland.svg 1 January 201327 July 2016113462740199139+60040.71
KuPS Flag of Finland.svg 1 January 201731 December 2019116582830207129+78050.00
SJK Seinäjoki Flag of Finland.svg 1 January 202031 December 2021592512228580+5042.37
KuPS Flag of Finland.svg 21 April 2023present7245111614379+64062.50
Total43721296129755506+249048.51

Achievements

As a manager

HIFK

KuPS

SJK

Individual

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References

  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. ↑ Kuopio villiintyi KuPSin mestaruudesta – Eini ilmestyi juhlahumuun, Yle, 19 October 2024
  16. ↑ KuPS nousi takaa ohi Suomen Cupin voittoon – Petteri Pennanen ratkaisi pelin upealla laukauksella, Yle, 21 September 2024
  17. ↑ Morelos jälleen kuukauden pelaajaksi (in Finnish)
  18. ↑ AC Oulun Ashley Coffey kuukauden pelaaja - toukokuun joukkue valittu, veikkausliiga.com, 7 June 2024
  19. ↑ KuPS:n Petteri Pennanen Veikkausliigan kuukauden pelaaja lokakuussa, veikkaus.fi, 6 November 2024


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