Everything about Shefki Kuqi totally explained
| cityofbirth =
Vučitrn
| countryofbirth =
SFR Yugoslavia
| currentclub =
Ipswich (
on loan from Crystal Palace)
| clubnumber =
32
| position =
Striker
| youthyears =
| youthclubs =
Mikkelin Kissat
| years = 1995–1996
1997–1999
2000
2001–2002
2002–2003
2003
2003–2005
2005–2006
2006–
2007–2008
2008
| clubs =
Mikkelin Palloilijat HJK FC Jokerit Stockport County Sheffield Wednesday →
Ipswich Town (loan)
Ipswich Town Blackburn Rovers Crystal Palace→
Fulham (loan)
→
Ipswich Town (loan)
| caps(goals) = 50 (10)
72 (18)
33 (19)
35 (11)
64 (19)
11
Shefki Kuqi (born
November 10,
1976 in
Vushtrri,
Kosovo) is a
Finnish footballer of
Kosovar Albanian origin. He currently plays for
Crystal Palace in the
The Championship. Kuqi is a big, strong
striker and is known more for his determination than technical skill. He is the older brother of
Njazi Kuqi.
Football career
Finland
Kuqi started his playing career with
Mikkelin Kissat shortly after emigrating to Finland. He later played for
Mikkelin Palloilijat,
HJK and
FC Jokerit in Finland's
Veikkausliiga. Kuqi was the league top scorer in the 2000 season before joining
Stockport County in January 2001.
England
He then had a spell at
Sheffield Wednesday where he scored 19 times between January 2002 and September 2003, unfortunately with Wednesday being relegated to Division Two (or League One as it's now known) during his time at Hillsborough. Many Wednesday fans were bemused though at then manager Chris Turner's decision to let Kuqi leave for Ipswich for free. Whilst in Sheffield, Shefki also scored a goal against
Sheffield United in The Steel City Derby. He scored the second goal in the 81st minute at
Hillsborough to ensure a win after
Lloyd Owusu had opened the scoring with his very first goal for the club.
Kuqi joined
Ipswich Town in September 2003. His 20 goals in the
Championship for Ipswich in the
2004–05 season earned him a move to the Premiership with
Blackburn. Kuqi scored seven Premiership goals for Blackburn in the
2005–06 season. He joined
Crystal Palace for a reported £2.5 million transfer fee at the end of the August transfer window in 2006.
Kuqi didn't have a prolific first season at
Selhurst Park, scoring only seven goals in 38 games, and at the end of August 2007, he signed for
Fulham on a four-month loan deal, where he made ten league appearances, scoring no goals.
Kuqi was placed on the transfer list and fined two weeks wages by
Neil Warnock after signalling an
offensive gesture to Palace fans when they cheered as he was substituted following a particularly poor performance in the 2-0 defeat against
Wolverhampton Wanderers on 23 February 2008.
On 14 March, 2008, Kuqi returned to Ipswich on loan until the end of the season, a move that may become permanent after Warnock had confirmed Kuqi would never play for Palace again.
Kuqi has received some media attention – especially from
Match of the Day – for his spectacular, and unusual, diving goal celebration known as a Swan Dive. Kuqi jumps forward with both arms out, in what could be described as an attempt to glide like a bird, before crashing to the ground; the movement bears some resemblance to a
bellyflop and has been referred to as a "
Flying Finn". Although it looks like a celebration which may cause injury, Kuqi has said it doesn't hurt him.
International career
Kuqi made his debut for the
Finnish national team on
August 18,
1999 against
Belgium. He is a regular member of the Finland squad.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Shefki Kuqi'.
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