LÖNNTRÖM JOINS ALBUKIRYAH FC COACHING TEAM
Mika Lönnström has decided to join head coach Glen Ståhl's coaching team and continue his coaching career in the Middle East at Albukiryah FC in Saudi Arabia.
Lönnström stepped down from HIFK Fotboll in mid-April 2022 and later resigned, before starting work at his new club in mid-August. Lönnström served as HIFK's Director of Sports for four years, achieving promotion from Ykkönen (First Division) in 2018 in his first season.
He followed that up with 7th (2019), 8th (2020), and 6th (2021) place finishes in the top flight, Veikkausliiga. The significance of each ranking is increased by the fact that in every Veikkausliiga season, the club's player budget was the lowest in the league.
"I want to thank Finland's most traditional, most beautiful and biggest sports club, especially the supporters of the club and all the people from the HIFK community who became my lifelong friends.
"My principle at HIFK was that you can't only work in the club, it has to be a way of life. But what was even bigger was to have the opportunity to be part of a community that creates happiness, where every member feels included and feels that they are part of the community and that they will be accepted as themselves in this very place that crosses gender boundaries in the HIFK community".
"Lönnström also commented on the future of the club and its goals: "Through my own contribution and in my role, I will make it possible for us to achieve the goal set by the club for the team. It's about commitment and values when we achieve the result.
"Thank you for the opportunity to be a part of establishing the club's present and ambitious future."