Jani Honkavaara
Finnish footballer and manager (born 1976) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 2 February 1976 | ||
| 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 | |||
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.
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]
- As of 19 October 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 | 46.00 |
| Gnistan | |
1 January 2012 | 31 December 2012 | 27 | 15 | 7 | 5 | 46 | 26 | +20 | 55.56 |
| HIFK | |
1 January 2013 | 27 July 2016 | 113 | 46 | 27 | 40 | 199 | 139 | +60 | 40.71 |
| KuPS | |
1 January 2017 | 31 December 2019 | 116 | 58 | 28 | 30 | 207 | 129 | +78 | 50.00 |
| SJK Seinäjoki | |
1 January 2020 | 31 December 2021 | 59 | 25 | 12 | 22 | 85 | 80 | +5 | 42.37 |
| KuPS | |
21 April 2023 | present | 72 | 45 | 11 | 16 | 143 | 79 | +64 | 62.50 |
| Total | 437 | 212 | 96 | 129 | 755 | 506 | +249 | 48.51 | |||
As a manager
HIFK
KuPS
- Veikkausliiga: 2019, 2024
- Veikkausliiga runner-up 2023
- Finnish Cup: 2024[16]
- Finnish League Cup runner-up: 2024
SJK
- Veikkausliiga 3rd place: 2021
Individual
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