Sami Okkonen

Sami Okkonen
Personal information
Date of birth (1987-09-20) 20 September 1987 (age 37)
Place of birth Finland
Height 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position(s) Forward
Youth career
Suurmetsän Urheilijat
Puotinkylän Valtti
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2008 HIFK 24 (12)
2009 Atlantis 0 (0)
2009 PK-35 4 (0)
2010–2014 HIFK 67 (17)
2014–2015 Gnistan 9 (0)
2016 Kiffen 10 (3)
2017 HIFK II 12 (8)
Managerial career
2018 FC Vaajakoski (youth)
2019 FC Vaajakoski (assistant)
2020–2021 FC Vaajakoski
2022 JIPPO
2023 HIFK
2024 KäPa
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 21 February 2024

Sami Okkonen (born 20 September 1987) is a Finnish football manager and a former player, who played as a forward. Okkonen completed the UEFA A -coaching license in 2022.

Playing career

Okkonen started football in the youth teams of Suurmetsän Urheilijat in Suurmetsä, Helsinki, and Puotinkylän Valtti in Vartiokylä, Helsinki.

During his playing career, Okkonen played for Helsinki-based clubs HIFK, Atlantis,[1] PK-35, Gnistan and Kiffen[2] in second tier Ykkönen, third tier Kakkonen and fourth tier Kolmonen. In the 2014 season when playing in Ykkönen with HIFK, the club won a promotion. However, due to injury, he did not make an appearance in Veikkausliiga.[3] He ended his playing career in 2018 with FC Vaajakoski and worked as youth coach for the club. Next season in 2019, he started as the club's assistant coach.[4]

Managerial career

Okkonen worked as the manager of FC Vaajakoski during 2020–2021 in third tier Kakkonen.[5][6]

He was named the manager of fellow Kakkonen side JIPPO for the 2022 season.[7] On 11 August 2022, the club exercised their option and extended his contract until the end of 2024.[8][9]

However, on 29 November 2022, Okkonen was named the manager of a newly relegated HIFK in second tier Ykkönen, the club he used to represent for several years as a player.[10] He signed a two-year deal with the club.[11][12] He terminated his contract at the end of the season, due to the club's severe financial problems, which ultimately forced HIFK to bankruptcy.[13]

On 8 December 2023, after terminating his contract with HIFK, it was simultaneously announced that Okkonen was appointed the manager of Käpylän Pallo (KäPa), competing in the new second tier Ykkösliiga in the 2024 season.[14][15][16] He was dismissed on 29 July 2024.[17]

In November 2024, he started working for IF Gnistan, developing the coaching in the club.

Personal life

Besides football, Okkonen has played also futsal for Liikunnan Riemu.[18] He has studied in the Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences at the University of Jyväskylä in Jyväskylä, Finland, while working for FC Vaajakoski.

Career statistics

As of 21 February 2024[18][19]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup[a] Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
HIFK 2008 Kakkonen 24 12 0 0 24 12
Atlantis 2009 Ykkönen 0 0 0 0 0 0
PK-35 2009 Kakkonen 4 0 0 0 4 0
HIFK 2010 Kakkonen 25 14 0 0 25 14
2011 Ykkönen 24 4 0 0 24 4
2012 Ykkönen 25 9 2 2 27 11
2013 Kakkonen 6 0 2 0 8 0
2014 Ykkönen 12 4 0 0 12 4
Total 92 31 4 2 96 33
IF Gnistan 2014 Kakkonen 2 0 0 0 2 0
2015 Kakkonen 7 0 0 0 7 0
Total 9 0 0 0 9 0
FC Kiffen 2016 Kakkonen 10 3 0 0 10 3
HIFK II 2017 Kolmonen 12 8 0 0 12 8
Career total 151 54 4 2 155 56
  1. ^ Includes Suomen Cup

Managerial statistics

As of 29 July 2024
Team Nat From To Record
P W D L GF GA GD W%
FC Vaajakoski Finland 1 January 2020 31 December 2021 40 18 10 12 60 51 +9 045.0
JIPPO Finland 1 January 2022 31 December 2022 28 18 5 5 59 25 +34 064.3
HIFK Finland 1 January 2023 31 December 2023 36 16 8 12 55 49 +6 044.4
Käpylän Pallo Finland 1 January 2024 29 July 2024 25 4 7 14 41 60 −19 016.0
Total 129 56 30 43 215 185 +30

Honours

As a player

HIFK

References

  1. ^ UUTISET 1.-30.11.2008, atlantisfc.fi
  2. ^ Kakkosen B-lohkon kärkikamppailu Bolliksella: Kiffen vs. BK-46, stadionbongari.wordpress.com
  3. ^ IFK-kannattajien kestosuosikki Sami Okkonen: ”On tultu jonkinlainen matka eteenpäin Kontulan hiekalta loppuunmyydylle Soneralle”, hifkfotboll.fi, 7 May 2015
  4. ^ Kiitos FC Vaajakoski, fcvaajakoski.com, 14 October 2021
  5. ^ FC Vaajakoskelle uusi päävalmentaja ja valmennuspäällikkö, fcvaajakoski.com, 8 October 2019
  6. ^ Sami Okkonen ei jatka FC Vaajakosken valmennuksessa – Seuraavasta päävalmentajasta seura kertoo myöhemmin, Keskisuomalainen, 14 October 2021
  7. ^ Sami Okkonen on JIPPOn uusi päävalmentaja, jippo.fi, 21 October 2021
  8. ^ Sami Okkonen jatkaa Jipon päävalmentajana – jatkosopimus kattaa kaudet 2023 ja 2024, Karjalainen, 11 August 2022
  9. ^ Sami Okkonen, JIPPO: ”Hurja syksy tulossa”, pallotv.fi, 14 September 2022
  10. ^ Sami Okkonen on HIFK:n uusi päävalmentaja, hifkfotboll.fi, 29 November 2022
  11. ^ HIFK:n valmentajakuvio selvisi: Sami Okkosesta uusi luotsi, Helsingin Sanomat, 29 November 2022
  12. ^ Sami Okkonen HIFK:n vastuuvalmentajaksi, Yle, 29 November 2022
  13. ^ Päävalmentaja Sami Okkonen jättää HIFK:n, hifkfotboll.fi, 8 December 2023
  14. ^ Sami Okkonen KäPan uusi päävalmentaja!, kapylanpalloedustus.fi, 8 December 2023
  15. ^ Päävalmentaja jättää HIFK:n – uusi valmennuspesti julki, MTV Oy, mtvuutiset.fi, Tuomas Hämäläinen, 8 December 2023
  16. ^ Sami Okkonen jätti HIFK:n päävalmentajan paikan, Yle, 8 December 2023
  17. ^ KäPan edustusjoukkueen valmennuksessa muutoksia - Sami Okkonen vapautettu tehtävistään, kapylanpalloedustus.fi, 29 July 2024
  18. ^ a b Tulospalvelu Palloliitto, Sami Okkonen player stats, Finnish FA/ Palloliitto
  19. ^ Sami Okkonen, hifk-tilastot