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]
| 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 | ||
- ^ Appearances in UEFA Intertoto Cup
- ^ a b c d Appearances in UEFA Cup
- ^ Appearances in UEFA Cup Winners' Cup
- ^ 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 | ||
International goals
- As of match played 4 February 2000. Finland score listed first, score column indicates score after each Vasara goal.
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 February 2000 | La Manga Stadium, La Manga, Spain |  Denmark |
1–0 | 2–1 | 2000–01 Nordic Football Championship |
| 2 | 2–1 |
Managerial
- As of 10 January 2025
| Team | Nat | From | To | Record | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | W | D | L | W% | |||||||
| Honka | 
|
1 January 2017 | 31 December 2023 | 257 | 124 | 66 | 67 | 48.25 | |||
| Inter Turku |
|
1 January 2024 | present | 41 | 22 | 5 | 14 | 53.66 | |||
| Total | 444 | 215 | 97 | 132 | 48.42 | ||||||
Honours
As a player
HJK
- Veikkausliiga: 1997
- Finnish Cup: 2000
As a manager
Honka
- Finnish Cup runner-up: 2023
- Finnish League Cup: 2022
- Ykkönen runner-up: 2017
Inter Turku
- Finnish Cup runner-up: 2024
- Finnish League Cup: 2024
References
- ^ Champions League Qual. 1998/1999 » 2. Round » FC Metz - HJK Helsinki 1:1, worldfootball
- ^ "Honka-tähti kuukauden pelaajaksi – myös kuukauden valmentaja samasta seurasta".
- ^ VESA VASARASTA FC INTERIN UUSI PÄÄVALMENTAJA, fcinter.fi, 17 November 2023
- ^ MTV Urheilun tiedot: Turkulaisseura kiinnitti uuden päävalmentajan, mtvuutiset.fi/MTV Oy, Timo Innanen, 17 November 2023
- ^ Lähde: Vesa Vasarasta tulee Interin uusi päävalmentaja, hs.fi/Helsingin Sanomat, Ari Virtanen, 17 November 2023
- ^ Citation
- ^ a b Vesa Vasara at National-Football-Teams.com
External links
- (in Finnish) Vesa Vasara at FC Honka
Media related to Vesa Vasara at Wikimedia Commons
