Shefki Kuqi On HJK Helsinki, Playing In The Premier League And EFL Memories | OneFootball

You started your professional career in Finland, and one spell that stands out is your time at HJK Helsinki. You won the league and the cup there. How important was that period for you?

“It was huge, to be honest. It is important to understand what you want and how you plan to achieve it. Everyone dreams of winning trophies and playing in the Champions League, but there is a process you have to follow.

“When I arrived in Helsinki, people told me it would be difficult because I was not a local player. Through hard work, I secured my place in the starting eleven. We won the league in my first year. The season before, the club had been fighting to stay in the league and even had playoffs to survive.

“I had a clause in my contract that allowed me to leave if they were relegated. They stayed up, we built a new team, and then won the league. The following season, we qualified for the Champions League. It was the first Finnish club to reach the group stage in 1998, and it still is.

“Playing in the Champions League was incredible. You feel nervous at first, but once the anthem plays, the nerves disappear. I won the Players’ Player of the Year and top scorer. I won everything you can win in Finland, and that was the moment to move on.”

You moved to Stockport County. At first, you were playing regularly, then a change of manager reduced your game time. Despite that, there was still a lot of interest in you. How do you reflect on your time there?

“It was a great time. It was exactly what I needed because moving from Finland to the Championship was a big jump. I was playing every week, and just before the manager left, I had a chance to join Blackburn.

“The manager left on a Sunday, and on Monday, Blackburn called. They were in the Premier League with Graeme Souness as manager. The new manager at Stockport did not let the move happen.

“Before joining Stockport, I had actually been at Wolves for a few days. They had watched me score five goals in two games in Finland and offered me a contract, but my agent messed things up. I went back to Finland, and a week later, Stockport called.

“They told me that if I joined and we stayed up, they would not stand in the way of a move to a bigger club. It was not written down, but that was the agreement. When the Blackburn move did not happen, I was disappointed, but I then moved to Sheffield Wednesday and continued from there.”

At Sheffield Wednesday, you experienced the Steel City derby and scored in those matches. What were those games like?

“I loved those games. After playing in the Champions League, your confidence and belief grow because you have played at the highest level.

“The derbies were special. I scored in most of them, and I always thought about the fans. Derby matches are for them. Before the season even begins, those are the fixtures everyone looks for.”

Your time at Sheffield Wednesday was successful from a personal perspective and led to you joining Ipswich Town. How do you reflect on your time there overall?

“I loved Sheffield Wednesday. The club is huge, and the supporters are fantastic. But it was the right club at the wrong time for me. They were in a difficult financial position after relegation from the Premier League.

“The move to Ipswich came through Willie Donachie, who had been assistant manager at Sheffield Wednesday. Joe Royle got the job at Ipswich. Willie joined him, and two days later, he called me asking if I wanted to come on loan. That is how it happened.”

At Ipswich, you played alongside Darren Bent. You were scoring goals and became the club’s leading scorer. What was that spell like?

“Ipswich felt like home. I remember that Willie Donachie picked me up on Saturday morning, the day after everything had been agreed. We drove to Watford to meet the team at the hotel.

“Joe Royle told me I would start on the bench because I had not trained. We were 1–0 down at halftime. A few minutes before the break, I was told to warm up. I came on and scored with my first touch. Jim Magilton scored the second, and we won 2–1. After that, we won seven matches in a row.

“Playing with Darren Bent was like a dream. He was young, fast, skinny, and a great finisher. We scored so many simple goals. I would win the header from a goal kick, and he would run through and score. You could see immediately that he would have a great career.”

Your performances attracted interest from Blackburn, and you got the chance to play in the Premier League. Was that a dream come true?

“Yes, absolutely. I spent two and a half years at Ipswich, and we reached the playoffs twice. In the first season, we lost to West Ham, and in the second season, we missed automatic promotion and lost to West Ham again.

“I always said that if Ipswich had been promoted, I probably would never have left. I had a very strong connection with the club. When my contract was finishing, the chairman, David Sheepshanks, told me that he knew the dream was to play in the Premier League. They could not offer that at the time, but he did not want to stand in my way. He also told me that if I did not sign for a Premier League club, to speak to him first because he was ready to offer something he had never offered before.

“That meant a lot. Leaving was not easy, even to play in the Premier League. But signing for Blackburn was a dream come true.”

What was it like working under Mark Hughes, and how do you reflect on your time at Blackburn?

“I think I did well. In my first Premier League season, I scored seven or eight goals and played regularly. We had Craig Bellamy, who was great to play with. He was very quick and worked hard.

“In January, the club signed Sinama Pongolle on loan from Liverpool, and after that, I did not start as many matches. I always felt that if I had continued to play as much as I had before January, I would have reached double figures in goals.

“Mark Hughes was very quiet but very honest. His presence said a lot because of the clubs he had played for. He always said his door was open if you wanted to talk. He did not speak a lot, but when he walked into a room, you felt it.”

When you were leaving Blackburn, Gordon Strachan showed strong interest in signing you for Celtic. How close was that deal?

“I think it was close. I was told about the situation, and there was also interest from Everton. Blackburn reached a point where I had to make a decision. Crystal Palace came in as well, and they wanted to get back to the Premier League.

“If everything had fallen into place, I would have gone to Celtic. But you never really know how close a deal is. I have travelled up and down the country many times, thinking something was close. I learned that until a deal is done, it is never close.”

You joined Crystal Palace when the club was desperate to return to the Premier League, and Simon Jordan was in charge. What was it like playing for Palace?

“Palace had a very good team at the time. The squad was strong, but I think we had too many egos. There were too many players who felt they had to play, and the atmosphere was not right.

In successful teams, there is banter, togetherness, and a real spirit. I never felt we had that at Palace.

“Peter Taylor was the manager. As a person, he was one of the nicest men you could meet. He was a gentleman who never wanted to upset anyone. Sometimes, though, a manager needs a tougher side. With the big characters in the squad, I felt we lacked that strength from the manager.”

After leaving Palace, you moved to Germany to TuS Koblenz and ended up playing alongside your brother. What was that experience like?

“It was something I always dreamed of. I went to Germany because my brother was there. I wanted to play with him before the end of my career.

“He moved to England very young and signed for Birmingham in the Premier League, but he suffered some bad injuries. Technically, he was better than me. He was taller, more skilful, and very talented. Mentally, I was a bit different, and that helped me in my career.

“When he went to the second tier in Germany, I visited him a few times. Eventually, I decided to join him. Playing together was special. Sharing the pitch with your brother is an incredible feeling.”

You later returned to the UK and worked under Brendan Rodgers at Swansea. What was it like working with him?

“I knew straight away he was going to have a top career. The standards he set were very high. Everything was organised. Even though Swansea did not have the training facilities they have today, everything felt professional and prepared.

“He demanded a lot from himself first. Players see that. Modern players are clever, and they can tell immediately if a manager drops his standards. Brendan never did. His success does not surprise me. I still keep in touch with him, and he is someone I admire.”

When you left Swansea, you were in the Championship with a club aiming for the Premier League. Did you expect to return to the Premier League with a team like Newcastle?

“Honestly, no. Not with a club of that size. When I was at Ipswich, Sir Bobby Robson tried to sign me for Newcastle, so I already knew how huge the club was.

“When the call came, it was a great surprise. You see the Newcastle fans on television, standing in the winter with no shirts on, but you only understand it once you go there. The passion is unbelievable. After a few months, I understood exactly why someone like Alan Shearer never left, even when he had offers from top clubs. The connection with the supporters is special.

“Brendan Rodgers told me honestly that I was not in his plans at Swansea. It hurts at first, but honesty helps you move on. We agreed to terminate the contract because the window was closing, and I wanted options. Then Newcastle called. I felt like a ten-year-old kid. I could not wait to drive up there the next morning.”

After Newcastle, you had spells at Oldham Athletic and then Hibernian. How do you reflect on those final stages of your career?

“Newcastle helped me find myself again, but I actually think I finished my career a little too early. I always put pressure on myself, and I had already started my coaching badges. I knew I wanted to go into management.

“Paul Dickov, who I played with at Blackburn, brought me to Oldham. He told me I would play every week and that one day there might even be a chance to take over after him. I wanted to experience League One because it would help me understand another level of the game. I had a good time there.

“Then Hibs came in. Pat Fenlon called me every day. I saw the derby against Hearts, and the atmosphere was fantastic. The training ground was excellent. It felt like the right move.

“But Hibs was the most disappointing part of my career. I barely played. I had maybe one or two starts. I had spent my career in the Championship and Premier League, and suddenly I could not get on the pitch. That situation made me decide to retire.

“I have always been honest. If someone is better than me, fine. But sitting on the bench or being left out entirely is not for me. I train all week for Saturday. If I am not involved, then I want to move on. That is why I changed clubs fairly often.”

Finally, Shefki, who were your toughest individual opponents in the Premier League?

“Rio Ferdinand was always incredibly tough. He was not only strong in the air but also extremely quick. Even if he made a mistake, he could recover immediately, which made him very hard to play against.

“John Terry was another one I really enjoyed battling with. He was brave and physical and would put his head where others would not put their feet. That suited my style because I always loved the fight.”