Shefki Kuqi

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Shefki Kuqi
Personal information
Date of birth November 10, 1976 (age 30)
Place of birth Vushtrri, Kosovo
Nickname Sheriffi (The Sheriff)
Kosovon Härkä (The Kosovar Ox)
The Flying Kuqi
Puujalka (The Dead Leg)
Position Striker
Club information
Current club Crystal Palace
Number 32
Professional clubs*
Years Club Apps (goals)
1995-96
1997-99
2000
2001-02
2002-03
2003-05
2005-2006
2006-		 Mikkelin Palloilijat
HJK Helsinki
FC Jokerit
Stockport County
Sheffield Wednesday
Ipswich Town
Blackburn Rovers
Crystal Palace		 50 (10)
72 (18)
33 (19)
38 (12)
66 (19)
88 (32)
42 (8)
16 (3)
National team**
1999- Finland 42 (5)

* Professional club appearances and goals
counted for the domestic league only and
correct as of 22:00, 30 November 2006 (UTC).
** National team caps and goals correct
as of June 8, 2006.

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 Championship. Kuqi is a big and strong striker who wears the number thirty-two shirt, and is known more for his determination than technical skill. He is the older brother of Njazi Kuqi.

Kuqi started his playing career with Mikkelin Kissat shortly after emigrating to Finland. He later played for Mikkelin Palloilijat, HJK Helsinki and FC Jokerit in Finland's Veikkausliiga. Kuqi was the league top scorer in the 2000 season before joining Stockport County in January 2001.

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 is 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, especially as he stated that Kuqi, with 5 goals in 8 games at the beginning of the 2003/04 season, wasn't banging the goals in!

Kuqi joined Ipswich Town in September 2003. Kuqi's 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 (though the great majority of this figure comprises of add-on fee's) at the end of the August transfer window in 2006.

Kuqi has received some media attention – especially from Match of the Day – for his spectacular, and unusual, diving goal celebration. 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 does not hurt him.

Kuqi made his debut for the Finnish national team on August 18, 1999 against Belgium. He is a regular member of the Finland squad.

[edit] Honours

[edit] External links


Crystal Palace F.C. - Current Squad

1 Flinders | 2 Lawrence | 3 Granville | 4 Ward | 5 Hudson | 6 Cort | 7 McAnuff | 8 Scowcroft | 9 Freedman | 11 Morrison | 12 Speroni | 14 Watson | 15 Kennedy | 17 Hughes | 18 Borrowdale | 19 Soares | 20 Butterfield | 22 Reich | 23 Fletcher | 25 Green | 28 Király | 29 Turner | 31 Fray | 32 Kuqi | 33 Grabban | 34 Starkey | 35 Wiggins | 36 Spence | 37 Sheringham | 38 Wilkinson | Manager: Taylor
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