Toni Korkeakunnas
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 Korkeakunnas with Lahti in 2017 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 15 May 1968 | ||
| Place of birth | Helsinki, Finland[1] | ||
| Height | 1.74 m (5 ft 9 in)[2] | ||
| Position | Midfielder[2] | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Panevėžys (manager) | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1987–1993 | TP-Seinäjoki | 141 | (28) |
| 1994 | VPS | 24 | (3) |
| 1995 | TP-Seinäjoki | 11 | (1) |
| 1995 | PK-35 | 8 | (2) |
| 1996–1997 | HIFK | 39 | (12) |
| 1998–1999 | Gnistan | 36 | (5) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 1999–2002 | Gnistan | ||
| 2004 | Hämeenlinna | ||
| 2007 | Gnistan | ||
| 2008–2010 | Viikingit | ||
| 2008–2010 | Finland U19 | ||
| 2011–2013 | MYPA | ||
| 2014–2018 | Lahti | ||
| 2019–2022 | Finland (analyst) | ||
| 2022 | HJK (assistant) | ||
| 2023 | HJK | ||
| 2023–2024 | Finland (assistant) | ||
| 2024–2025 | HJK | ||
| 2025–2026 | Haugesund | ||
| 2026– | Panevėžys | ||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Toni Korkeakunnas (born 15 May 1968) is a Finnish football manager and a former professional player. He is currently the head coach of Lithuanian club Panevėžys.
Korkeakunnas started his senior career with TP-Seinäjoki, where he spent eight years in total. Additionally he played for Vaasan Palloseura (VPS), PK-35, HIFK and Gnistan during his career.
Managerial career
At the club level, Korkeakunnas has managed in Veikkausliiga in FC Hämeenlinna, MYPA and FC Lahti. At the end of his first season with Lahti in 2014, he led the club to finish 3rd in Veikkausliiga, tying their best-record in the league.[3] He has also been a head coach of IF Gnistan in second-tier Ykkönen and third-tier Kakkonen, and FC Viikingit in Ykkönen.
On 23 November 2021, Korkeakunnas signed a contract to join HJK as an assistant coach for the 2022 season.[4]
On 13 July 2023, HJK sacked Toni Koskela following a poor run of form, and appointed Korkeakunnas manager for the rest of the 2023 season. Korkeakunnas also works in Markku Kanerva’s coaching staff in the Finland national football team.[5] Korkeakunnas led HJK to the 2023–24 UEFA Europa Conference League group stage, and won the fourth straight Veikkausliiga title for the club in 2023. In the end of the season, his contract was not extended.
However, after a poor start to the 2024 season, HJK sacked their associate head coach Ferran Sibila and sporting director Vesa Mäki on 20 May 2024, and Korkeakunnas returned again to the club's head coach position, on a deal until the end of 2025.[6] His contract with Finland national team and the Finnish FA was simultaneously terminated.[7] Korkeakunnas managed HJK to qualify for the new UECL league phase in 2024, but couldn't defend the domestic championship as HJK finished third in the league. On 22 April 2025, after a 1–0 home loss against IF Gnistan, Korkeakunnas led HJK to a historical six-game losing streak in the league.[8] He was sacked on 4 May, after a 1–1 draw against Inter Turku.[9]
On 27 May 2025, Korkeakunnas was named the manager of FK Haugesund in Norwegian Eliteserien.[10] The club were sitting at the bottom of the table having gained only one point in nine matches. On 10 August, Korkeakunnas managed Haugesund to win their first match of the season, in a 3–2 home win against Sarpsborg. In March 2026, before the start of the new season, Korkeakunnas was sacked.[11]
Personal life
Korkeakunnas was born in Helsinki and grew up in Loviisa. He holds a Master of Education degree and has worked as an elementary school teacher.[3]
Korkeakunnas or "Toke", as he is called, has also earned an extra nickname "Tikku" for constantly chewing toothpicks during the match.[12]
Managerial statistics
- As of 30 November 2025[13]
| Team | Nat | From | To | Record | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | W% | ||||
| Gnistan |  |
1 January 1999 | 31 December 2002 | – | – | — | |||||
| Hämeenlinna | |
19 May 2004 | 31 December 2004 | 24 | 2 | 6 | 16 | 24 | 47 | −23 | 8.33 |
| Gnistan | |
1 January 2007 | 31 December 2007 | 27 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 43 | 31 | +12 | 37.04 |
| Viikingit | |
1 January 2008 | 31 December 2010 | 73 | 37 | 19 | 17 | 126 | 60 | +66 | 50.68 |
| MYPA | |
1 January 2011 | 31 December 2013 | 125 | 48 | 23 | 54 | 158 | 164 | −6 | 38.40 |
| Lahti | |
1 January 2014 | 1 October 2018 | 202 | 73 | 73 | 56 | 262 | 228 | +34 | 36.14 |
| HJK | |
14 July 2023 | 31 December 2023 | 24 | 10 | 4 | 10 | 41 | 41 | +0 | 41.67 |
| HJK | |
21 May 2024 | 3 May 2025 | 43 | 19 | 8 | 16 | 82 | 65 | +17 | 44.19 |
| Haugesund |  |
27 May 2025 | 9 March 2026 | 22 | 2 | 2 | 18 | 18 | 61 | −43 | 9.09 |
| Panevėžys |  |
9 April 2026 | present | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | +1 | 100.00 |
| Total | 541 | 202 | 144 | 195 | 756 | 698 | +58 | 37.34 | |||
