Markus Heikkinen
{{Short description|Finnish sporting director and former football player (born 1978)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2022}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Markus Heikkinen
| image = GuentherZ 2012-05-04 0657 Wien10 Markus Heikkinen.jpg
| upright = 1.0
| caption = Heikkinen with Rapid Wien in 2012
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1978|10|13}}
| birth_place = Katrineholm, Sweden
| height = 1.85 m
| position = Centre back, defensive midfielder
| currentclub = AC Oulu (sporting director)
| years1 = 1996–1997
| clubs1 = OPS
| caps1 = 24
| goals1 = 5
| years2 = 1997–1998
| clubs2 = TPS
| caps2 = 22
| goals2 = 0
| years3 = 1998–2001
| clubs3 = MyPa
| caps3 = 43
| goals3 = 1
| years4 = 2001–2003
| clubs4 = HJK
| caps4 = 85
| goals4 = 1
| years5 = 2003
| clubs5 = → Portsmouth (loan)
| caps5 = 2
| goals5 = 0
| years6 = 2003–2005
| clubs6 = Aberdeen
| caps6 = 68
| goals6 = 2
| years7 = 2005–2007
| clubs7 = Luton Town
| caps7 = 77
| goals7 = 3
| years8 = 2007–2013
| clubs8 = Rapid Wien
| caps8 = 173
| goals8 = 4
| years9 = 2013
| clubs9 = Start
| caps9 = 10
| goals9 = 2
| years10 = 2014–2015
| clubs10 = HJK
| caps10 = 40
| goals10 = 0
| years11 = 2016–2018
| clubs11 = AC Oulu
| caps11 = 57
| goals11 = 0
| nationalyears1 =
| nationalteam1 = Finland U18
| nationalcaps1 = 2
| nationalgoals1 = 0
| nationalyears2 =
| nationalteam2 = Finland U21
| nationalcaps2 = 3
| nationalgoals2 = 0
| nationalyears3 = 2002–2011
| nationalteam3 = Finland
| nationalcaps3 = 61
| nationalgoals3 = 0
| manageryears1 = 2016–
| managerclubs1 = AC Oulu (sporting director)
}}
Markus Heikkinen (born 13 October 1978), nicknamed Mako, is a Finnish former professional footballer who played as a centre back or defensive midfielder. He is currently working as a sporting director of Veikkausliiga side AC Oulu.{{cite web | url=https://acoulu.fi/yhteystiedot | title=Yhteystiedot - AC Oulu | date=26 February 2022 }}
He previously played for Oulun Palloseura (OPS), Turun Palloseura (TPS), MyPa, HJK Helsinki, Portsmouth, Aberdeen, Luton Town, Rapid Wien and Start, before returning to his hometown and ending his professional playing career in AC Oulu.
Playing career
Heikkinen started his senior career in OPS, when the club played in Ykkönen in 1996 season. Heikkinen scored five goals, most in his team, but ultimately OPS were relegated back to Kakkonen, and Heikkinen left the club.[http://www.ops.fi/joukkue/historia OPS:N HISTORIA], ops.fi, Retrieved 12 January 2024 He spent three seasons in Veikkausliiga with TPS and MyPa, before joining HJK Helsinki.
Whilst at Portsmouth on loan, he contributed two appearances as they won the First Division Championship and promotion to the Premier League.{{Soccerbase season|22336|2002|name=Markus Heikkinen |accessdate=25 June 2019}}
During his two years with Aberdeen, Heikkinen was popular and important player, who usually featured in central midfield, where he had a reputation as a tough tackling and dependable player. Despite repeated attempts by Aberdeen manager Jimmy Calderwood to get the player to sign a new deal, he indicated that he was unsettled at Aberdeen and wanted to move on.
An integral part of the Luton side that finished 10th in the 2005–06 Championship season, Heikkinen collected four awards – the Player of the Year trophy, Players' Player of the Season, Internet Player of the Season and the Luton News Player of the Season.[http://www.loyalluton.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=18&Itemid=48 Loyal Luton Supporters Club – Luton Town FC – Player of the Year] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20120908025138/http://www.loyalluton.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=18&Itemid=48 |date=8 September 2012 }}
On 29 December 2006, in a game for Luton against Birmingham City he was feared to have a compound fracture of the fibula, however it was in fact a nasty gash down his leg, after a late challenge by midfielder Fabrice Muamba.[http://www.lutontown.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10372~948790,00.html HEIKKINEN BLOW FOR HATTERS | Luton Town | News | News | News] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111003074106/http://www.lutontown.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0%2C%2C10372~948790%2C00.html |date=3 October 2011 }}[http://www.lutontown.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10372~948864,00.html HEIKKINEN UPDATE | Luton Town | News | News | News] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111003074157/http://www.lutontown.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0%2C%2C10372~948864%2C00.html |date=3 October 2011 }} He returned to action against Stoke City on 17 February 2007.
After his years in England Heikkinen played six seasons for Rapid Wien. He was a key player of the team, making over 170 appearances for the Austrian Bundesliga side.
File:Markus Heikkinen - SK Rapid Wien (3).jpg in 2009]]
File:2010–11 UEFA Europa League - SK Rapid Wien vs F.C. Porto (03).jpg in the 2010–11 UEFA Europa League]]
On 10 August 2013, he signed for Norwegian Tippeligaen club Start.[http://www.ikstart.no/news/article/rwmqt7lq350o1jz5moo4eil2g/title/finsk-rutine-skal-hjelpe-start Finsk rutine skal hjelpe Start] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130815123001/http://www.ikstart.no/news/article/rwmqt7lq350o1jz5moo4eil2g/title/finsk-rutine-skal-hjelpe-start |date=15 August 2013 }} {{in lang|no}} Heikkinen helped Start avoid relegation with solid performances.
After years abroad, "Mako" returned to Finland and HJK in December 2013. After two seasons with the Helsinki-based side, on 2 September 2015 it was reported that the 36-year-old Heikkinen had signed a three-year player-coach contract with his hometown team AC Oulu.[http://acoulu.fi/uutiset/markus-mako-heikkinen-palaa-ouluun-ac-oulu-kaynnistaa-junioritoiminnan/ Markus "Mako" Heikkinen palaa Ouluun] {{in lang|fi}}
International career
Heikkinen made his national team debut on 4 January 2002 against Bahrain. He immediately became an important defensive player to his native team. He often played as defensive midfielder. However, he returned to his old position as centre back in 2010, after Hannu Tihinen retired in professional football. He announced his retirement from international football on 26 September 2011.[http://www.palloliitto.fi/viestinta/?num=195384 Heikkinen retires from international duties] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120320125841/http://www.palloliitto.fi/viestinta/?num=195384 |date=20 March 2012 }} {{in lang|fi}}
Later career
During the last years of his playing career, Heikkinen worked also as a sporting director of AC Oulu in second-tier Ykkönen.[https://www.kaleva.fi/ac-oulun-urheilutoimenjohtaja-markus-heikkinen-myo/11377366 AC Oulun urheilutoimenjohtaja Markus Heikkinen myöntää kritiikin olevan ansaittua – "Eihän se mennyt putkeen miltään osin"], Kaleva, 27 October 2024 Since the end of 2018, he has served as the club's sole sporting director, and helped AC Oulu to promote to Veikkausliiga after the 2020.
Career statistics
=Club=
{{updated|12 January 2024}}
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition | ||||||||||
| rowspan="2"|Club
!rowspan="2"|Season !colspan="3"|League !colspan="2"|National cup{{efn|Includes Suomen Cup, FA Cup and Austrian Cup|name=cup}} !colspan="2"|Other !colspan="2"|Continental !colspan="2"|Total | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| OPS
|1996 |24 | 5 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 24 | 5 | |||
| TPS
|1997 |22 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 4{{efn|Includes UEFA Intertoto Cup|name=uicup}} | 0 | 26 | 0 | ||
| rowspan=3|MyPa
|1998 |Veikkausliiga |14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 14 | 0 | |||
| 1999
|Veikkausliiga |29 | 1 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 29 | 1 | |||
| colspan="2"|Total
!43 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 43 | 1 | |
| rowspan=4|HJK
|2000 |Veikkausliiga |32 | 0 | 1 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 4{{efn|Includes UEFA Cup/UEFA Europa League|name=uel}} | 0 | 37 | 0 | ||
| 2001
|Veikkausliiga |33 | 1 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 4{{efn|Includes UEFA Cup/UEFA Europa League|name=uel}} | 0 | 37 | 1 | ||
| 2002
|Veikkausliiga |20 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 2{{efn|Includes UEFA Cup/UEFA Europa League|name=uel}} | 0 | 22 | 0 | ||
| colspan="2"|Total
!85 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 96 | 1 | |
| Portsmouth (loan)
|2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 2 | 0 | ||
| rowspan=3|Aberdeen
|38 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 38 | 0 | ||
| 2004–05
|Scottish Premier League |30 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 30 | 2 | ||
| colspan="2"|Total
!68 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 68 | 2 | |
| rowspan=3|Luton
|40 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 41 | 2 | ||
| 2006–07
|Championship |37 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 37 | 1 | ||
| colspan="2"|Total
!77 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 78 | 3 | |
| rowspan="7"|Rapid Wien
|28 | 1 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 8{{efn|Includes UEFA Intertoto Cup and UEFA Cup/UEFA Europa League|name=uelcup}} | 0 | 6 | 2 | ||
| 2008–09
|Austrian Bundesliga |32 | 0 | 2 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 2{{efn|Includes UEFA Champions League|name=ucl}} | 0 | 36 | 0 | ||
| 2009–10
|Austrian Bundesliga |28 | 1 | 2 | 1 | colspan="2"|— | 10{{efn|Includes UEFA Cup/UEFA Europa League|name=uel}} | 0 | 40 | 2 | ||
| 2010–11
|Austrian Bundesliga |30 | 2 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 9{{efn|Includes UEFA Cup/UEFA Europa League|name=uel}} | 0 | 39 | 2 | ||
| 2011–12
|Austrian Bundesliga |29 | 1 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 29 | 1 | |||
| 2012–13
|Austrian Bundesliga |26 | 0 | 1 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 9{{efn|Includes UEFA Cup/UEFA Europa League|name=uel}} | 0 | 35 | 1 | ||
| colspan="2"|Total
!173 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 38 | 0 | 217 | 5 | |
| Start
|2013 |10 | 2 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 10 | 2 | |||
| rowspan=3|HJK
|2014 |Veikkausliiga |21 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 2{{efn|Includes Finnish League Cup|name=flc}} | 0 | 11{{efn|Includes UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League|name=ucel}} | 0 | 37 | 0 | |
| 2015
|Veikkausliiga |19 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3{{efn|Includes Finnish League Cup|name=flc}} | 0 | 6{{efn|Includes UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League|name=ucel}} | 0 | 37 | 0 | |
| colspan="2"|Total
!40 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 17 | 0 | 68 | 0 | |
| rowspan=4|AC Oulu
|2016 |Ykkönen |18 | 0 | 1 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 19 | 0 | |||
| 2017
|Ykkönen |18 | 0 | 2 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 20 | 0 | |||
| 2018
|Ykkönen |21 | 0 | 4 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 25 | 0 | |||
| colspan="2"|Total
!57 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 64 | 0 | |
| colspan="3"|Career total
!601 | 19 | 18 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 69 | 0 | 693 | 20 |
{{notelist}}
=International=
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+ Appearances and goals by national team and year{{NFT player|2408}} | |||
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| rowspan="10"|Finland
|2002 | 4 | 0 | |
| 2003 | 7 | 0 | |
| 2004 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2005 | 7 | 0 | |
| 2006 | 6 | 0 | |
| 2007 | 7 | 0 | |
| 2008 | 8 | 0 | |
| 2009 | 9 | 0 | |
| 2010 | 7 | 0 | |
| 2011 | 4 | 0 | |
| colspan="2"|Total | 61 | 0 |
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{UEFA player|34348}}
- {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110907151559/http://www.skrapid.at/51167.html |date=7 September 2011 |title=Profile at skrapid.at }}
- {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111026115822/http://www.palloliitto.fi/maajoukkueet/miesten_a-maajoukkue/pelaajat/heikkinen_markus/ |date=26 October 2011 |title=Profile at FA of Finland's official website}} {{in lang|fi}}
- {{ESPN FC|13293}}
{{Commons category}}
{{Luton Town F.C. Player of the Year}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Heikkinen, Markus}}
Category:People from Katrineholm
Category:Finnish men's footballers
Category:Men's association football central defenders
Category:Men's association football midfielders
Category:Finland men's international footballers
Category:Turun Palloseura footballers
Category:Myllykosken Pallo −47 players
Category:Helsingin Jalkapalloklubi players
Category:Portsmouth F.C. players
Category:Aberdeen F.C. players
Category:Luton Town F.C. players
Category:SK Rapid Wien players
Category:Veikkausliiga players
Category:English Football League players
Category:Scottish Premier League players
Category:Austrian Football Bundesliga players
Category:Finnish expatriate men's footballers
Category:Finnish expatriate sportspeople in England
Category:Expatriate men's footballers in England
Category:Finnish expatriate sportspeople in Scotland
Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Scotland
Category:Finnish expatriate sportspeople in Austria
Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Austria
Category:Finnish expatriate sportspeople in Norway
Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Norway
Category:Finnish sports executives and administrators