Kari Ukkonen

Kari Ukkonen (born 19 February 1961) is a Finnish former football manager and former football player. As a player, Ukkonen was fielded as defender as well as midfielder.

Kari Ukkonen
Personal information
Full name Kari Ukkonen
Date of birth (1961-02-19) 19 February 1961
Place of birth Kuopio, Finland
Height 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s) Defender
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1979–1982 KuPS 91 (13)
1982–1986 Cercle Brugge 107 (16)
1986–1987 Lokeren 32 (8)
1987–1991 Anderlecht 38 (3)
1991–1993 Royal Antwerp 39 (1)
1993–1996 Châteauroux 52 (1)
International career
1983–1996 Finland 59 (4)
Managerial career
Finland (youth coach)
2004–2006 TPS
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Club career

Ukkonen started playing football in his hometown club Kuopion Palloseura (KuPS) in top-tier Mestaruussarja in 1979. In 1982, Ukkonen moved from Finland to Belgium, when he was bought by Cercle Brugge. Ukkonen made his Belgian début on 13 November, when Cercle defeated SV Waregem with 2–1. Ukkonen would go on to win the Belgian Cup with Cercle in 1985. Ukkonen would spend most of his career in Belgium, also playing for other First division teams as Lokeren, Anderlecht and Royal Antwerp.[1] Ukkonen ended his playing career with French side LB Châteauroux.

International career

Ukkonen represented Finland at the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow. Three years later, he earned his first cap for Finland in a 1–1 draw against Poland. The same year, Ukkonen was voted Finnish Footballer of the Year by sports journalists and the Football Association of Finland. He made 59 appearances for the Finland national team, scoring four goals.

Coaching career

He stayed in football as manager. First he was coach of Finland's national youth team. He was head coach of Finland at the 2001 World Youth Championship in Argentina.

His next job was the manager of Turun Palloseura (TPS) in 2004–2006.

Career statistics

Club
As of 16 May 2024
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Domestic Cups[lower-alpha 1] Europe Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
KuPS 1979 Mestaruussarja 120120
1980 Mestaruussarja 2622[lower-alpha 2]0282
1981 Mestaruussarja 257257
1982 Mestaruussarja 284284
Total 9113––209313
Cercle Brugge 1982–83 Belgian First Division 212––212
1983–84 Belgian First Division 30110–311
1984–85 Belgian First Division 25372–325
1985–86 Belgian First Division 31101312[lower-alpha 3]04611
Total 107162132013019
Lokeren 1986–87 Belgian First Division 32821–349
RSC Anderlecht 1987–88 Belgian First Division 14140–181
1988–89 Belgian First Division 150303[lower-alpha 3]0210
1989–90 Belgian First Division 82202[lower-alpha 3]1123
1990–91 Belgian First Division 20000020
Total 3939051534
Royal Antwerp 1991–92 Belgian First Division 27050–320
1992–93 Belgian First Division 111101[lower-alpha 3]0131
Total 3816010451
Châteauroux 1993–94 Division 2 0011–11
1994–95 Division 2 37171–442
1995–96 Division 2 15010–160
Total 52192––613
Career total 3594247610141649
  1. Includes Suomen Cup, Belgian Cup, Belgian Super Cup, Belgian Ligabeker and Coupe de France
  2. Includes UEFA Cup
  3. Includes UEFA Cup Winners' Cup

Honours

References
  1. Kasila, Markku; Vuorinen, Juha. Pelimiehet. Suomen Urheilumuseosäätiö. p. 354. ISBN 978-952-99075-9-5.
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