Vesa Vasara

Vesa Vasara
Vasara with Honka in 2018
Personal information
Full name Vesa-Pekka Vasara
Date of birth (1976-08-16) 16 August 1976 (age 48)
Place of birth Helsinki, Finland
Height 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position(s) Winger
Team information
Current team
 Inter Turku (manager)
Youth career
MPS
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1992–1993 MPS 30 (5)
1994–2000 HJK 136 (17)
2001 Jokerit 29 (0)
2002–2003 Kalmar FF 32 (2)
2004–2005 Jaro 24 (4)
2006–2008 Honka 59 (8)
International career
Finland U21 11 (2)
1999–2002 Finland 12 (2)
Managerial career
2009–2011 Honka II
2012–2013 Honka (assistant)
2014–2016 HJK (assistant)
2017–2023 Honka
2024– Inter Turku
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Vesa-Pekka Vasara (born 16 August 1976) is a Finnish professional football manager for Veikkausliiga club Inter Turku, and a former player who played for the Veikkausliiga sides HJK Helsinki, FC Jokerit, FF Jaro, and FC Honka, as well as for Kalmar FF in Sweden. He was also capped 12 times for the Finland national team, scoring twice.

Playing career

Vasara started his career with Malmin Palloseura (MPS) in Malmi, North Helsinki, before joining Vantaan Pallo in 1994.

On 26 August 1998, Vasara scored a goal for HJK Helsinki against Metz, in the 2nd leg of the UEFA Champions League play-off round, helping his team to get a 1–1 away draw (2–1 on aggregate) and qualify to the group stage of the UEFA Champions League, as the first-ever Finnish club.[1] Vasara ultimately spent six seasons with HJK.

Later he played for Kalmar FF in Swedish Allsvenskan, and for Jokerit, Jaro and Honka in Veikkausliiga.

Managerial career

Vasara was selected as the Veikkausliiga Manager of the Month for June 2018 while managing Veikkausliiga side Honka.[2] Vasara worked as a manager of Honka for seven seasons, until Honka was declared for bankruptcy at the end of the 2023, and he was released.

Vasara was subsequently named the manager of a fellow Veikkausliiga side Inter Turku, signing a two-year deal with the club, starting in 2024.[3][4][5]

Personal life

His brother Jussi Vasara is also a former professional footballer.[6]

Career statistics

Club

As of 1 September 2024.[7]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Europe Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
MPS 1992 Kolmonen
1993 Kakkonen
Total 30 5 0 0 30 5
Vantaan Pallo 1994 Kakkonen 7 5 – 7 5
HJK 1995 Veikkausliiga 24 2 4[a] 0 28 2
1996 Veikkausliiga 23 1 3[b] 1 26 2
1997 Veikkausliiga 25 5 2[c] 0 27 5
1998 Veikkausliiga 23 2 6[d] 1 29 3
1999 Veikkausliiga 25 6 4[b] 0 29 6
2000 Veikkausliiga 16 1 1[b] 0 17 1
Total 136 17 20 2 156 19
Jokerit 2001 Veikkausliiga 29 0 2[b] 0 31 0
Kalmar FF 2002 Allsvenskan 15 0 – 15 0
2003 Allsvenskan 17 2 – 17 2
Total 32 2 0 0 32 2
Jaro 2004 Veikkausliiga 24 4 – 24 4
Honka 2005 Ykkönen 22 2 – 22 2
2006 Veikkausliiga 23 5 – 23 5
2007 Veikkausliiga 14 1 – 14 1
Total 59 8 0 0 59 8
Career total 315 35 22 2 337 37
  1. ^ Appearances in UEFA Intertoto Cup
  2. ^ a b c d Appearances in UEFA Cup
  3. ^ Appearances in UEFA Cup Winners' Cup
  4. ^ Appearances in UEFA Champions League

International

As of match played 17 April 2002[7]
Finland
Year Apps Goals
1999 1 0
2000 6 2
2001 4 0
2002 1 0
Total 12 2

Managerial

As of 1 September 2024
Team Nat From To Record
P W D L GF GA GD W%
Honka Finland 1 January 2017 31 December 2023 257 124 66 67 427 274 +153 048.2
Inter Turku Finland 1 January 2024 present 34 19 4 11 73 46 +27 055.9
Total 291 143 70 78 500 320 +180

Honours

As a player

HJK

As a manager

Honka

Inter Turku

  • Finnish Cup runner-up: 2024
  • Finnish League Cup: 2024

References

  1. ^ Champions League Qual. 1998/1999 » 2. Round » FC Metz - HJK Helsinki 1:1, worldfootball
  2. ^ "Honka-tähti kuukauden pelaajaksi – myös kuukauden valmentaja samasta seurasta".
  3. ^ VESA VASARASTA FC INTERIN UUSI PÄÄVALMENTAJA, fcinter.fi, 17 November 2023
  4. ^ MTV Urheilun tiedot: Turkulaisseura kiinnitti uuden päävalmentajan, mtvuutiset.fi/MTV Oy, Timo Innanen, 17 November 2023
  5. ^ Lähde: Vesa Vasarasta tulee Interin uusi päävalmentaja, hs.fi/Helsingin Sanomat, Ari Virtanen, 17 November 2023
  6. ^ Citation
  7. ^ a b Vesa Vasara at National-Football-Teams.com


Media related to Vesa Vasara at Wikimedia Commons