 Pertti Alaja in 2012. | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Pertti Johannes Alaja | ||
| Date of birth | 18 February 1952 | ||
| Place of birth | Helsinki, Finland | ||
| Date of death | 18 August 2017 (aged 65) | ||
| Place of death | Espoo, Finland | ||
| Position(s) | Goalkeeper | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1971-1972 | Haka | 31 | (0) |
| 1973-1975 | HJK | 57 | (0) |
| 1976-1977 | OTP | 44 | (0) |
| 1978–1979 | Ikast | 23 | (0) |
| 1980–1981 | Edmonton Drillers[2] | 47 | (0) |
| 1982–1983 | Malmö FF | 44 | (0) |
| International career | |||
| Finland[1] | 29 | (0) | |
| Managerial career | |||
| 1984–1986 | HIFK | ||
| 1987–1989 | PPJ | ||
| 1988–1989 | Finland (gk coach) | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Pertti Johannes Alaja (18 February 1952 – 18 August 2017)[3] was a Finnish football executive and a former footballer who played as a goalkeeper.[4][5]
Alaja served as the Secretary General of the Football Association of Finland during 1991–2000 and the vice-president during 2004–2006. He was also the tournament director of the FIFA World Cup 2010.
Alaja was elected the 15th president of the Finnish FA on 14 October 2012, replacing Sauli Niinistö,[6] and served in the position until 2017.
Alaja passed away on 18 August 2017. He was previously diagnosed with cancer.[7]
In November 2017, Alaja was posthumously awarded the Captain's Ball, the most prestigious personal award by the Football Association of Finland. He was also named in the Hall of Fame of Finnish football.
Alaja had also previously played handball at the highest domestic level.[8]
His late brother Erkki Alaja was also a professional footballer and handball player, and later worked in various positions in sports management.[9]
- ^ Pertti Alaja valittiin Palloliiton puheenjohtajaksi
- ^ Finnish Players Abroad
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
yle_20170818was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Alsjö, Martin (2011). 100 år med Allsvensk fotboll (in Swedish). Idrottsförlaget. pp. 307–309. ISBN 978-91-977326-7-3.
- ^ Pertti Alaja at National-Football-Teams.com
- ^ Alajasta Palloliiton 15. puheenjohtaja Archived 2016-03-04 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Jalkapallovaikuttaja Pertti Alaja on kuollut, Yle, 18 August 2017
- ^ Pertti Alajalle Palloliiton ja liigan Captain's Ball -palkinto, Keskisuomalainen, 3 November 2017
- ^ Kommentti: Äkillisesti kuollut Erkki Alaja oli urheilumarkkinoinnin tuhattaituri, Ilta-Sanomat, Juha Kanerva, 21 July 2023