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AC Oulu

From Wikipedia - Reading time: 12 min
AC Oulu
Full nameAC Oulu
Nickname(s)Laivastonsiniset (The Navy Blues)
Founded2002; 22 years ago (2002)
GroundRaatti Stadium, Oulu
Capacity5,000
ChairmanTomi Kaismo
ManagerMikko Isokangas
Rafinha
LeagueVeikkausliiga
2024Veikkausliiga, 9th of 12
Websitehttps://acoulu.fi

AC Oulu is a Finnish professional football club based in Oulu, currently playing in Finland's premier division, Veikkausliiga. Formed in 2002, the club have played six seasons in Finland's highest football league Veikkausliiga and 16 seasons in the second highest league. They currently play their home games at Raatti Stadium, and the club colours are navy blue, and white.

History

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AC Oulu – FC Hämeenlinna in Castrén Stadium, Oulu, on 11 October 2009

Early years; 2002–2010 and the first promotions

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AC Oulu was founded in 2002 as a joint initiative of the OLS, OPS, OTP and Tervarit clubs with the aim of bringing top level football back to Oulu. FC Oulu played in the Veikkausliiga in the early '90s as the most recent team from Oulu to play top-tier Finnish football.

After four seasons in the Ykkönen, AC Oulu reached the Finlands premier division Veikkausliiga in 2007. However, they were relegated back to the Ykkönen at the end of their first season in the top division. After two seasons in the second tier AC Oulu won promotion again to the Veikkausliiga at the end of the 2009 season after finishing top of the Ykkönen.

Having finished 11th in 2010 season the club were initially going to continue in the Veikkausliiga for the 2011 season. However, they were denied a league licence for financial reasons and therefore dropped down to the Ykkönen.

AC Oulu – KTP in Raatti Stadium, Oulu, on 21 May 2018

"Eternal Ykkönen"; 2011–2020

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Since the relegation for financial reasons in 2010, AC Oulu played in Ykkönen for ten years, where it was considered as a candidate to promote for a long time. During 2009–2014, the former Finland national team winger Mika Nurmela played for the club, and simultaneously worked as a sporting director in AC Oulu. During 2016–2018, the former national team defender Markus Heikkinen played for the club as a player-coach. Since 2017, he has also been working as a sporting director for the club. In 2018, Tomi Kaismo and his investment company OTC-Sijoitus Oy, became the biggest shareholder of the club.[1][2] The club managed to create stability to their economy during those years, and finally won Ykkönen in the 2020 season with head coach Jyrki Ahola, gaining a promotion back to Veikkausliiga for the 2021 season, previous time being in 2010.[3]

Veikkausliiga; 2021–present

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In the 2021 Veikkausliiga season, after the run of poor results, the head coach Jyrki Ahola was sacked in September and replaced by Portuguese Ricardo Duarte.[4][5] AC Oulu finished 11th in the league, and successfully defended its place in the relegation play-offs against RoPS.[6]

In the 2022 season, the club finished in the 7th place, after having narrowly missed the top-6 championship group in the league. AC Oulu established its place in the league, after having mostly played in the second-tier Ykkönen since its foundation in 2002.

In the early 2023, AC Oulu reached to the final of the pre-season Finnish League Cup tournament, after winning Inter Turku on penalties in the semi-final. They eventually fell short to HJK in the final, losing the game 2–1.[7] Before the league season started, the club sold its own local protégé Miika Koskela to Norwegian club Tromsø IL, and in the summer transfer window Otso Liimatta was sold to Portuguese Primeira Liga club FC Famalicão.

In August 2023, the head coach Duarte announced that he will leave the club after the season, and his option will not be exercised.[8] Only a couple of weeks later, the club announced that Duarte was sacked with an immediate effect, following the loss in the 2023 Finnish Cup semi-final against Ilves, and the miserable results in the league.[9] However, in the end of the season, the club renewed its position in 7th place in the league, having narrowly missed the top-6 again.[10]

After the club had turned 20 years of age in 2022, AC Oulu started the documentary project with a local production studio Feeniks Visual, to highlight the early years when the club was formed starting in 2002. The one-hour long documentary film was first published in the late June 2023 exclusively,[11] and later in April 2024 for the public.[12]

2024

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For the 2024 season, the club acquired Tuomas Silvennoinen the new head coach. Due to his lack of the required UEFA Pro coaching license, he was officially named the associate head coach in the coaching staff with Rauno Ojanen and Mikko Viitsalo. The budget for the new season was increased also. In April, it was announced that Hanna Väänänen would step aside from the club's CEO position and later Jani Kotikangas took the charge as the new CEO.[13] The team started the season poorly, and eventually the whole coaching staff was fired on 13 June 2024, after 11 league matches, with a record of one win, five draws and five losses. The reserve team coaches Mikko Isokangas and Rafinha were named the caretaker coaches of the first team, leading the team to advance in the Finnish Cup with a win against KäPa, and drawing with VPS in the league. On 20 June 2024, a former Volos head coach Kostas Bratsos was named the manager of AC Oulu.[14] The team reached the quarter-finals of the 2024 Suomen Cup, but was knocked out by SJK 2–0 in the early July in the OmaSP Stadion in Seinäjoki. On 2 September, after Bratsos had received his third consecutive red card of the season in his 10th league match, he and his whole coaching staff were fired, and the reserve team coaches Isokangas and Rafinha were appointed the interim managers again for the rest of the season. At the time of their departure, the club was sitting in the 9th place of the Veikkausliiga table, just above the relegation play-offs line. Eventually, they finished their disappointing and messed-up season in the 9th place of the table.

Stadium

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Honours

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Statistics

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Divisional History

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Year League T Tier G W D L GF - GA P Movements
2003 Ykkönen 8. Tier 2 26 9 8 9 37 - 37 35
2004 Ykkönen 5. Tier 2 26 10 9 7 39 - 33 39
2005 Ykkönen 10. Tier 2 26 8 7 11 32 - 33 31
2006 Ykkönen 2. Tier 2 26 15 7 4 53 - 25 52 Promoted
2007 Veikkausliiga 14. Tier 1 26 5 7 14 28 - 49 22 Relegated
2008 Ykkönen 4. Tier 2 26 10 11 5 40 - 26 41
2009 Ykkönen 1. Tier 2 26 16 5 5 57 - 24 53 Champions – Promoted
2010 Veikkausliiga 11. Tier 1 26 8 6 12 31 - 44 30 Relegated
2011 Ykkönen 3. Tier 2 24 14 6 4 51 - 22 48
2012 Ykkönen 6. Tier 2 27 9 10 8 38 - 35 37
2013 Ykkönen 5. Tier 2 27 11 7 9 36 - 38 40
2014 Ykkönen 4. Tier 2 27 13 8 6 46 - 32 47
2015 Ykkönen 5. Tier 2 27 12 8 7 31 - 28 44
2016 Ykkönen 4. Tier 2 27 12 7 8 50 - 31 43
2017 Ykkönen 4. Tier 2 27 12 6 9 40 - 40 42
2018 Ykkönen 4. Tier 2 27 13 5 9 41 - 30 44
2019 Ykkönen 7. Tier 2 27 7 8 12 34 - 30 29
2020 Ykkönen 1. Tier 2 22 15 5 2 38 - 16 50 Champions - Promoted
2021 Veikkausliiga 11. Tier 1 27 6 5 16 21 - 44 23 Relegation play-offs
2022 Veikkausliiga 7. Tier 1 27 11 6 10 46 - 43 39
2023 Veikkausliiga 7. Tier 1 27 11 5 11 41 - 45 38
2024 Veikkausliiga 9. Tier 1 27 7 7 13 32 - 40 28

Current squad

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As of 5 November 2024[17][18]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
2 DF Finland FIN Samuli Hölttä
6 MF Finland FIN Asla Peltola
10 MF Wales WAL Danny Barrow
12 FW United States USA Justin Rennicks
14 MF Finland FIN Niklas Jokelainen (captain)
16 MF Finland FIN Otto Salmensuu
18 MF Greece GRE Dimitrios Metaxas
19 MF Finland FIN Aleksi Paananen (vice-captain)
21 MF Finland FIN Roope Salo
23 GK Finland FIN Johannes Pentti
25 DF The Gambia GAM Musa Jatta
26 DF Finland FIN Niklas Orjala
33 MF Finland FIN Julius Körkkö
No. Pos. Nation Player
38 DF Netherlands NED Léon Bergsma
44 DF Finland FIN Eetu Saarela
51 DF Finland FIN Julius Paananen
57 FW Finland FIN Santeri Silander
99 FW Finland FIN Eemil Merikanto
— DF Finland FIN Joel Lehtonen
— DF Finland FIN Mikko Pitkänen
— MF Finland FIN Matias Ojala
— DF Finland FIN Otto Kemppainen
— FW Finland FIN Tuomas Kaukua
— GK Finland FIN Niklas Schulz
— MF Finland FIN Onni Tiihonen
— GK England ENG Roco Rees

Out on loan

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Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
See also: Category:AC Oulu players

Reserve team squad

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Main article: Oulun Luistinseura

AC Oulu/OLS

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As of 14 September 2024[17]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
17 MF Finland FIN Daniel Heikkinen
31 FW Finland FIN Narit Sarkkinen
34 FW Finland FIN Olli Sassi
36 FW Finland FIN Rene Kähkönen
38 FW Finland FIN Eemil Merikanto
41 DF Finland FIN Santtu Seppänen
48 DF Finland FIN Otso-Pekka Parkkila
51 FW Finland FIN Julius Paananen
63 FW Finland FIN Aleksi Isomäki
68 GK Finland FIN Johannes Pentti
71 FW Finland FIN Eemeli Raittinen
— DF Finland FIN Nikolas Similä
— MF Finland FIN Asla Peltola
— FW Finland FIN Onni Suutari
No. Pos. Nation Player
— DF Finland FIN Anselmi Nurmela
— DF Finland FIN Eetu Saarela
— MF Finland FIN Jesse Korhonen
— DF Finland FIN Kasper Flygare
— DF Finland FIN Touko Ridanpää
— FW Finland FIN Lauritapio Tiainen
— GK Finland FIN Juuso Saarikoski
— MF Finland FIN Hugo Karlsson
— GK Finland FIN Onni Sillanpää
— FW Finland FIN Aleksi Räisänen
— MF Finland FIN Vili Saarikoski
— MF Finland FIN Lucas Piirto
— FW Finland FIN Antti Torniainen
— DF Finland FIN Santeri Silander

Youth and reserve teams

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In the summer 2020, AC Oulu and one of its founding member clubs Oulun Luistinseura (OLS) signed a new co-operation deal, by which AC Oulu acquired the U-17 team and OLS first team under its command.[19][20]

In the end of the 2023 season, the club's U17 team won the silver medal in the league of their age group.[21] In addition, the club's reserve team OLS gained a promotion from Kakkonen to new Ykkönen.[22]

On 13 November 2023, the club announced that they had signed a co-operation deal with one of their associate clubs Oulunsalon Pallo (OsPa), and acquired the control and the management of the OsPa first team in Kolmonen, as AC Oulu's second reserve team for youth players.[23]

After the 2023 season, Olli-Pekka Piisilä, the head coach of the AC Oulu/OLS U17 team, was awarded The Best Coach of the Boys' Team by the Football Association of Finland.[24]

Management and boardroom

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Management

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As of 18 November 2023[25][26][27]

Name Role
Finland Mikko Isokangas Head Coach
BrazilFinland Rafinha Assistant Coach
Finland Mikko Lignell Assistant coach
Finland Mikko Mannila Reserve team head coach
Finland Jani Luukkonen Goalkeeping Coach
England Luke Robertson Performance Coach
Finland Olli Kyösti Technical Assistant
Finland Pasi Moilanen Team Manager
Finland Matias Ahola Kit Manager
Finland Ari Korkala Physiotherapist
Finland Ville Puukka Doctor

Boardroom

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As of 23 November 2023[28]

Name Role
Finland Tomi Kaismo Chairman
Finland Timo Kalermo Vice Chairman
Finland Jani Kotikangas CEO
Finland Markus Heikkinen Sporting director

Managers and captains

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Managers

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Captains

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Top goalscorers

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Season Player G League
2003 Brazil Jeferson Pires 12 Ykkönen
2004 Brazil Jeferson Pires 10
2005 Brazil Jeferson Pires 5
Finland Jukka Puurunen
Brazil/Finland Rafinha
2006 Serbia Dragan Pejic 15
2007 Finland Janne Hietanen 5 Veikkausliiga
2008 Zambia Donewell Yobe 8 Ykkönen
2009 Zambia Donewell Yobe 14
2010 Canada Frank Jonke 8 Veikkausliiga
2011 Canada Randy Edwini-Bonsu 16 Ykkönen
2012 Finland Joonas Sohlo 9
2013 Finland Joonas Sohlo 7
2014 Finland/Albania Dritan Stafsula 11
2015 The Gambia Kemo Darboe 6
2016 Democratic Republic of the Congo/Finland Aristote M'Boma 18
2017 Serbia Saša Jovović 8
Mexico Alvarado Morín
2018 Mexico Alvarado Morín 17
2019 Finland Juho Mäkelä 11
2020 Finland Aapo Heikkilä 9
2021 Liechtenstein Dennis Salanović 4 Veikkausliiga
Nigeria Lucky Opara
2022 Argentina Michael López 10
2023 England Ashley Coffey 13
2024 England Ashley Coffey 12

Notable former players

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References

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  1. ^ AC Oulun pääomistaja Tomi Kaismo kertoo nyt, miten hän suhtautuu seuran jättitappioihin – "Aion olla pitkään mukana" Archived 2023-11-23 at the Wayback Machine, Kaleva, Kai Nevala, 4 April 2023
  2. ^ KAISMO JATKAA AC OULUN HALLITUKSEN PUHEENJOHTAJANA Archived 2024-02-14 at the Wayback Machine, acoulu.fi, 19 April 2023
  3. ^ AC Oulun korpivaellus kesti tolkuttoman kauan, mutta nyt se on ohi – tähtipuolustaja avoimena: ”Tämä on ollut unelma koko ajan” Archived 2023-11-23 at the Wayback Machine, Ilta-Sanomat, Jarmo Korhonen, 3 May 2021
  4. ^ Jyrki Aholalle lyötiin eteen lohduton valinta: eroa tai tulee kenkää – tyly ”jäähyväislahja” kertoo tilanteesta kaiken Archived 2023-11-23 at the Wayback Machine, Ilta-Sanomat, Janne Oivio, 29 September 2021
  5. ^ Professori Duarte aloittaa nyt urakkansa Oulussa, eikä tilanne voisi olla pahempi: ”Mitään taikatemppuja ei ole” Archived 2023-11-23 at the Wayback Machine, Ilta-Sanomat, Janne Oivio, 15 October 2021
  6. ^ AC Oulu säilytti sarjapaikkansa – RoPS-hyökkääjä ei sulattanut joukkuekaverin ulosajoa: "Se oli tuomarivirhe" Archived 2023-12-04 at the Wayback Machine, Yle, Hinni Hirvonen, 7 November 2021
  7. ^ Sami Hyypiä Trophy jaossa lauantaina – Liigacup 2023 huipentuu finaaliin Archived 2023-11-23 at the Wayback Machine, Veikkausliiga, 31 March 2023
  8. ^ AC Oulun päävalmentaja Ricardo Duarte jättää seuran kauden jälkeen Archived 2023-11-23 at the Wayback Machine, Veikkausliiga, 17 August 2023
  9. ^ AC Oulu teki uuden päätöksen – Ricardo Duarte jättää seuran jo nyt Archived 2023-11-24 at the Wayback Machine, suomifutis.com, 25 August 2023
  10. ^ AC Oulun karmea sulaminen huipentui runkosarjan päätöskierroksella – HJK:lla ja KuPSilla kiivas mestaruustaisto Archived 2023-11-23 at the Wayback Machine, Ilta-Sanomat, 3 September 2021
  11. ^ AC Oulun tilillä oli pahimmillaan 10 euroa ja laskuja neljännesmiljoonan edestä – Katso seuran koruttoman rehellinen 20-vuotisjuhladokumentti tästä, Kaleva, 28 June 2023
  12. ^ AC OULUN 20-VUOTIS DOKUMENTTI ON JULKAISTU, acoulu.fi, 26 April 2024
  13. ^ JANI KOTIKANGAS ON AC OULUN UUSI TOIMITUSJOHTAJA, acoulu.fi, 4 June 2024
  14. ^ AC OULUN UUSI PÄÄVALMENTAJA ON VALITTU, acoulu.fi, 20 June 2024
  15. ^ "Finland – List of League First Level Tables". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 2010-07-17. Retrieved 2023-12-11.
  16. ^ "Finland – List of League Second Level Tables". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 2022-09-24. Retrieved 2023-03-15.
  17. ^ a b "Joukkue 2024" (in Finnish). AC Oulu. Archived from the original on 11 December 2023. Retrieved 11 December 2023.
  18. ^ AC OULUN KAPTEENISTO ON VALITTU Archived 2024-04-01 at the Wayback Machine, acoulu.fi, 1 April 2024
  19. ^ RESERVIJOUKKUE KAKKOSEEN - TOIMISTO, VALMENNUS JA TAUSTAT KASASSA! Archived 2023-11-23 at the Wayback Machine, acoulu.fi, 22 December 2020
  20. ^ Seuraesimerkki Huuhkaja- ja Helmaripolulta: Näin OLS:ssa varmistetaan, että tieto kehittää päivittäistä tekemistä Archived 2023-11-23 at the Wayback Machine, Finnish FA/Palloliitto, 23 August 2023
  21. ^ AC OULU / OLS -JUNIORIT TAISTELEE HOPEAMITALISTA LAUANTAINA Archived 2023-11-23 at the Wayback Machine, acoulu.fi, 28 September 2023
  22. ^ OTTELUENNAKKO: RESERVIJOUKKUEEN ENSIMMÄINEN KARSINTAOTTELU KOHTI YKKÖSLIIGAA PELATAAN TÄNÄÄN Archived 2023-11-23 at the Wayback Machine, acoulu.fi, 13 October 2023
  23. ^ AC OULUN PELAAJAPUTKI PÄIVITTYY Archived 2023-11-23 at the Wayback Machine, acoulu.fi, 13 November 2023
  24. ^ Captain's Ball 2023 – Palkitut osa 1 Archived 2024-04-10 at the Wayback Machine, Finnish FA, 1 December 2023
  25. ^ AC Oulun uusi valmennuskolmikko: Rauno Ojanen, Tuomas Silvennoinen ja Mikko Viitsalo Archived 2023-11-10 at the Wayback Machine, Yle, 8 November 2023
  26. ^ Joukkue 2024, edustus Archived 2023-12-11 at the Wayback Machine, acoulu.fi
  27. ^ Joukkue 2024, reservit Archived 2023-12-14 at the Wayback Machine, acoulu.fi
  28. ^ "Yhteystiedot" (in Finnish). AC Oulu. Archived from the original on 24 September 2020. Retrieved 15 September 2020.
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Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 | Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AC_Oulu
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