Juho Mäkelä

Juho Mäkelä
Personal information
Date of birth (1983-06-23) 23 June 1983 (age 41)
Place of birth Oulu, Finland
Height 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in)
Position(s) Striker
Youth career
OLS
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2000–2002 Tervarit 61 (44)
2003–2005 HJK 66 (33)
2006–2009 Hearts 20 (2)
2007 → Thun (loan) 14 (3)
2008 → HJK (loan) 13 (7)
2009–2010 HJK 50 (24)
2010–2012 Sydney FC 16 (3)
2012 HJK 27 (10)
2013 SV Sandhausen 13 (3)
2013–2014 St. Gallen 6 (0)
2014 IFK Mariehamn 4 (0)
2014 SJK 5 (0)
2015 VPS 31 (16)
2016–2018 HIFK 57 (14)
2018 PS Kemi 32 (7)
2019–2020 AC Oulu 39 (12)
2020 → OLS 1 (1)
International career
2004–2010 Finland 8 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 8 November 2020

Juho Mäkelä (born 23 June 1983) is a Finnish former footballer who played as a striker. He is especially known for his pace.

Club career

Early career

Mäkelä played in the youth sector of Oulun Luistinseura (OLS) in his home-town Oulu. He started his senior career with local rival club Tervarit, before moving to Veikkausliiga club HJK Helsinki for the 2003 season. He scored 33 goals in 66 appearances for the club in three seasons, and was the Veikkausliiga top scorer in 2005. He is known as 'The Surgeon'.[1]

Hearts

Mäkelä signed for Hearts on a three-and-a-half-year deal during the January 2006 transfer window, for a transfer fee of €735,000.[2] He scored his first goal for Hearts in 4–0 win over Dunfermline on 8 April 2006.[3] On 20 September 2006 he scored a hat-trick on his first start for Hearts in a Scottish League Cup tie against Second Division side Alloa in a 4–0 win.[4] He scored with his head, and both his feet, scoring a treble. His fifth and final Hearts goal came on 1 October 2006 against Dundee United.[5]

On 16 January 2007, it was reported that Mäkelä was training with German side Greuther Fürth pending a possible six-month loan move,[6] however it was subsequently announced that he would be spending the rest of the season with FC Thun. On 28 January 2008, Juho went on trial with Dutch side RKC Waalwijk who had been relegated at the end of the 2006–07 season. On 24 April 2008, Mäkelä returned to his former club HJK Helsinki on an initial three-month loan deal.

On 22 July 2008, it was confirmed by Hearts that Mäkelä had returned from his successful loan spell with HJK Helsinki, in which he scored seven goals in 13 games, and would immediately join his teammates for pre-season training in Germany.[7] Mäkelä's first game back was against a German regional select side in which he played the second half. He scored the sixth goal of the game with a powerful volley from eight yards in a 6–0 victory.[8] On 2 February 2009, transfer deadline day, Hearts announced Mäkelä had been released after 23 appearances and five goals in all competitions.[9]

Return to HJK Helsinki

Mäkelä returned to former club HJK Helsinki prior to the 2009 Veikkausliiga season. He marked his return to the club with a goal in the opening game of the season, coming off the bench in the 76th minute and scoring in the 80th minute to complete the scoring in a 5–1 win over KuPS. He also came off the bench in the second game of the season against TPS Turku, in which he set up the equalizing goal for Medo in a 2–2 draw. On 17 August 2008, he went on trial with Italian Serie B side Ascoli Calcio. He had a wonderful start for the 2010 season with HJK as he went on scoring ten goals in just eight games. After the season, he was again awarded as the league's top scorer with 16 goals.

Sydney FC

On 17 November 2010, it was announced that he would be trialling with A-League club Sydney FC.[10] Transfer was confirmed by HJK on 7 December 2010.[11] He joined Sydney FC for their A-league and ACL season. He will wear the number 18 shirt. He scored his first Sydney goal in his home debut after coming off the bench against Gold Coast United on 8 January 2011.[12] Mäkelä followed this goal up with an injury-time equaliser against arch-rivals Melbourne Victory the following week with a simple tap-in.[13] Unhappy at Sydney, due to lack of opportunity under manager Vitezslav Lavicka it was announced that club would not be renewing his contract at the end of the season, and was free to leave the club during the 2012 January transfer window if he could find another club in time.[14] Mäkelä departed the club in April 2012.

Second return to HJK

On 5 April 2012, it was announced that Mäkelä would make his second comeback for HJK, signing a 1+1 contract with his former club.[15] On 17 July, he scored a hat-trick, in a 7–0 home win over KR Reykjavik in the Champions League qualifiers.

Germany, Switzerland, and a return to Finland

After short spells in 2. Bundesliga with SV Sandhausen and Swiss Super League with FC St. Gallen, Mäkelä returned to Finland, signing for Åland club IFK Mariehamn on a short-term deal.[16]

PS Kemi

Mäkelä signed with PS Kemi in March 2018, and left the club again at the end of 2018.[17]

International career

Mäkelä made his debut for the Finnish national team on 3 February 2004 against China.

Career statistics

Club

As of 31 December 2020
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup[a] Other Continental Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Tervarit 2000 Ykkönen — —
2001 Ykkönen — —
2002 Ykkönen — —
Total 61 44 — — 61 44
HJK 2003 Veikkausliiga 23 12 1 1 0 0 4[b] 2 28 14
2004 Veikkausliiga 18 5 0 0 0 0 3 0 21 5
2005 Veikkausliiga 25 16 0 0 0 0 — 25 16
Total 66 33 1 1 0 0 4 2 71 36
Hearts 2005–06 Scottish Premier League 2 1 1 0 — — 3 1
2006–07 Scottish Premier League 9 1 0 0 2[c] 3 0 0 11 4
2007–08 Scottish Premier League 5 0 0 0 0 0 — 5 0
2008–09 Scottish Premier League 4 0 0 0 0 0 — 4 0
Total 20 2 1 0 2 3 0 0 23 5
Thun (loan) 2006–07 Swiss Super League 14 3 — — — 14 3
HJK (loan) 2008 Veikkausliiga 13 7 — — — 13 7
HJK 2009 Veikkausliiga 26 8 1 0 3[d] 1 2[e] 0 32 9
2010 Veikkausliiga 24 16 3 0 0 0 5[f] 0 32 16
Total 50 24 4 0 3 1 7 0 64 25
Sydney FC 2010–11 A-League 8 2 — — — 8 2
2011–12 A-League 8 0 — — — 8 0
Total 16 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 16 2
HJK 2012 Veikkausliiga 27 10 2 0 0 0 4[f] 3 33 13
SV Sandhausen 2012–13 2. Bundesliga 13 3 — — — 13 3
St. Gallen 2013–14 Swiss Super League 6 0 0 0 — — 6 0
FC St. Gallen U21 2013–14 Swiss Promotion League 4 2 — — — 4 2
IFK Mariehamn 2014 Veikkausliiga 4 0 — — — 4 0
SJK 2014 Veikkausliiga 5 0 — — — 5 0
VPS 2015 Veikkausliiga 31 16 1 1 1[d] 0 1[e] 0 34 17
HIFK 2016 Veikkausliiga 28 8 1 0 3 0 — 32 8
2017 Veikkausliiga 31 6 4 1 — — 35 7
Total 59 14 5 1 3 0 0 0 67 15
PS Kemi 2018 Veikkausliiga 32 7 0 0 — — 32 7
AC Oulu 2019 Ykkönen 26 11 — — — 26 11
2020 Ykkönen 13 2 5 0 — — 18 2
Total 39 13 5 0 0 0 0 0 44 13
OLS 2020 Kakkonen 1 1 — — — 1 1
Career total 371 181 19 3 9 4 19 5 418 193
  1. ^ Includes Suomen Cup, Scottish Cup and Swiss Cup
  2. ^ Includes UEFA Champions League
  3. ^ Includes Scottish League Cup
  4. ^ a b Includes Finnish League Cup
  5. ^ a b Includes UEFA Europa League
  6. ^ a b Includes UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League

International

As of 21 May 2010
Finland
Year Apps Goals
2004 2 0
2005 1 0
2006 3 0
2007 0 0
2008 1 0
2009 0 0
2010 1 0
Total 8 0

Honours

Individual

References

  1. ^ "Sydney sees Juho Makela, the striker nicknamed 'The Surgeon' as its saviour". The Australian. 31 December 2010. Retrieved 21 May 2014.
  2. ^ Juho Mäkelä siirtyi Heartsiin, Yle, 31 January 2006
  3. ^ "Hearts 4–0 Dunfermline Athletic". BBC. 8 April 2006. Retrieved 17 January 2010.
  4. ^ "Alloa Athletic 0–4 Hearts". BBC. 20 September 2006. Retrieved 17 January 2010.
  5. ^ "Hearts 4–0 Dundee United". BBC. 1 October 2006. Retrieved 17 January 2010.
  6. ^ "Makela striking out". The Scotsman. 16 January 2007. Retrieved 1 February 2013.
  7. ^ "Juho's back". Heartsfc.co.uk. 22 July 2008. Archived from the original on 27 September 2008. Retrieved 1 February 2013.
  8. ^ "Rheingau XI 0–6 Hearts". Heartsfc.co.uk. 23 July 2008. Archived from the original on 19 September 2009. Retrieved 1 February 2013.
  9. ^ "Makela leaves Hearts". Heartsfc.co.uk. 2 February 2009. Archived from the original on 2 August 2012. Retrieved 1 February 2013.
  10. ^ "Sydney trials Finnish striker". The World Game. 17 November 2010. Archived from the original on 5 April 2012. Retrieved 1 February 2013.
  11. ^ "Veikkausliigan maalikuningas lähtee Australiaa" [Veikkausliiga's top scorer moves to Australia] (in Finnish). Helsingin Sanomat. 7 December 2010. Retrieved 1 February 2013.
  12. ^ "Sydney finals dream still alive". The World Game. 8 January 2011. Archived from the original on 10 January 2011. Retrieved 1 February 2013.
  13. ^ "Late Finnish saves Sydney". The World Game. 15 January 2011. Archived from the original on 5 April 2012. Retrieved 1 February 2013.
  14. ^ Smithies, Tom (20 January 2012). "Showing Sydney FC coach Vitezslav Lavicka the door would 'achieve nothing': Rudan". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 21 January 2012.[dead link‍]
  15. ^ "Kirurgi palaa Klubi-paitaan" (in Finnish). HJK. 5 April 2012. Archived from the original on 28 September 2013. Retrieved 1 February 2013.
  16. ^ "Juho Mäkelä sopimukseen IFK Mariehamnin kanssa" (in Finnish). 7 May 2014. Retrieved 21 May 2014.
  17. ^ Yksi Veikkausliigan kaikkien aikojen maalitykeistä vapailla markkinoilla, veikkausliiga.com, 17 December 2018
  18. ^ veikkausliiga.com (in Finnish)
  19. ^ veikkausliiga.com (in Finnish)