PERSONALITY married, two children
born 09.10.1945, Rovaniemi, Finland
EDUCATION I have three different final university degree examinations. I have been very popular lecturer on football coaching and have also been lecturing on mental training, psychology and management.
I have got a GermanFootball Licence, Deutsche Sporthochschule in Cologne (Köln) 1981, Fussball-Lehrer
Several Coaching courses (eg. England, Sweden, Germany, UEFA, FIFA)
Journalist, Helsingin Sanomat, Helsinki 1971-72 – the best education for journalist in Finland
Master of Arts, Tampere University 1976 – mass communication, economy
Several management courses (business, psychology, motivation)
as A PLAYER two years in Finnish national team
10 years in first league clubs in Finland
left midfielder, playmaker,offensive midfielder,libero
AS A COACH
I am the first Finnish coach who has worked as a professional coach abroad. I have worked until now as a coach in six countries: Finland, Denmark, Belgium, Hungary, Greece and Cyprus.
Every time when I have worked in Finland my team has won something; the Championship, Finnish Cup or both. I have been selected two times the football coach of the year in Finland and once the coach of the year including all sports.My team has been two times the Finnish Champion and Cupwinner.
I worked seven years in the Finnish Football Association and as the Finnish National Team Manager for six years.
In World Cup Qualification matches during 1984-86 my team got eight points. Finland has never got so many points in any World Cup or European Cup Qualification matches. We beat two times Turkey, once Northern Ireland and played two draws against England and Romania. If we got one win more we would take part in 1986 World Cup in Mexico. My last match as the Finnish National Team Manager was against Czechoslovakia in European Cup Qualification and we won it 3-0.
In Hungary my team Kispest-Honved, the most famous team in Hungary, won the Championship in 1994. When I took response of Kispest-Honved, early October 1993,the team was in 8. position and 8 points behind the leading team. We worked hard and won the Championship. I am the only foreign coach who has won the Championship in Hungary.
I have got offers to be a coach in many countries during the years. At the meantime when I didn`t want to take a new position I have been travelling a lot because I think that it is important to learn to know the new methods of football coaching and to know very interesting people all over the World.
A SHORT STATIS-
TICS AS A COACH
1976 3.division
1978 2.division
1980 1.division FC HJK, Helsinki – 3.place
1981 1.division FC HJK, Helsinki – the Finnish Champion and Cupwinner.The Double.Also the coach of the Finnish U 21 and the assistant coach
of the Finnish National Team
1982-1987 The Manager and Head Coach of Finnish National and OlympicTeam.WorldCup Qualification matches 8 points – the best result Finland ever achieved.
1989 the coach of B 1903 Copenhagen , 1.division club in Denmark, 6. in 1.division and the groupwinner of Intertoto
1990 the coach of FC HJK Helsinki. The Finnish Champion and cupfinalist.
1991 the coach of Beerschot, Antwerpen Belgium. 1.division club
7.10.1992-15.3.1994 the coach of Kispest-Honved, Budapest Hungary
1993 The Hungarian Champion
1994-1995 the coach of Proodeftiki, Athens Greece,
B.division club
1995-1996 the coach of Apollon Limassol, Limassol Cyprus, 1.division club
1996 the coach of FC HJK Helsinki. The Cupwinner
1997 the coach of FinnPa Helsinki, 1.division club.The third place. This was first medal of the club in its history .
1998 the coach of Proodeftiki, Athens Greece. Alfa league (1.division)
1999-2000 I have coached many national players and youngsters.As the Chief Football Analyst I have analysed the English Premier league matches, teams and players for the new website named by MatchOn.
I have also worked as the commentator for the Finnish TV and Radio.
2001 the coach of Panionios, Athens Greece.
Premier league. Panionios was the only team which
won all the big teams like Olympiakos, Panathinai-
kos and AEK Athens.This summer our preseason
preparation succeeded well. We won Fiorentina and
Parma and we played 1-1 against AS Roma.
2002-2004 Because of family reasons I couldn`t work abroad as a coach but I worked for football; I made practices for many junior players, for some national players. I was the coach for the all stars team of Finnish league and we beat Hearts from Scotland. During these years I got many offers to work as a coach abroad and also in Finland but I couldn`t accept them. I have studied different coaching methods around the world whilst working as a television and radio pundit. I was in World Cup 2002 in Japan as the analyst for the Finnish radio. I was also in Euro 2004 in Portugal as the analyst for the Finnish TV and radio. I am analysing as the football analyst the English Premier League matches, teams and players for Canal+ Finland.
2005 - the coach of Aris FC Thessaloniki, Greece
2006- I was in World Cup 2006 in Germany as the analyst for the Finnish tv and radio. I am analysing as the football analyst the English Premier League and Champions league matches, teams and players. I also wrote World Cup team analyses for World Cup
book.
2007 – I am analysing all Champions league matches for Finnish TV YLE and also FA cup matches. I also analysing all Finnish national team matches for Finnish radio. I got many offers to be a coach all over the world but I couldn`t take the job because I have a contract with Finnish TV and radio company Yle until June 2007.
KNOWLEDGE OF LANGUAGES Finnish
English
German
Swedish
