Tulevik
Full nameViljandi JK Tulevik
Founded23 September 1912 (1912-09-23)
GroundViljandi linnastaadion
Capacity1,068[1]
PresidentRaiko Mutle
ManagerIndrek Ilves
LeagueEsiliiga B
2022Esiliiga, 9th (relegated)
WebsiteClub website

Viljandi JK Tulevik, commonly known as Viljandi Tulevik, or simply as Tulevik, is an Estonian professional football club based in Viljandi that competes in the Esiliiga B, the third tier of Estonian football. The club's home ground is Viljandi linnastaadion.

Founded in 1912 as Sports Association Tulevik (Future), the club was disbanded in 1940 and re-established in 1992 as one of the founding members of the Meistriliiga.

History

Early history

Founded in 1912 as Sports Association Tulevik (Future), in part, by Heinrich Aviksoo, they began playing football in 1913 on a field by Lake Viljandi, where Viljandi linnastaadion was built in 1928. Interrupted by World War I and the Estonian War of Independence, Tulevik didn't resume playing football until 1927. In 1937, they won the Central division of the regional B klass. Following the Soviet occupation of Estonia in 1940, Tulevik was disbanded.[2]

In 1977, Viljandi Linnameeskond was formed. The team was promoted to the Soviet Estonian Championship in 1981 and spent the next decade within the top two tiers of Estonian football.[2]

Tulevik's revival

In 1992, after Estonia had regained its independence, Viljandi Linnameeskond was first renamed JK Viljandi, and then JK Tulevik, and became a founding member of the Meistriliiga. After two seasons, the club was relegated to the Esiliiga. In 1997, Tulevik became a part of the Flora system and returned to the Meistriliiga, while Sergei Ratnikov was appointed as manager. In June 1998, Ratnikov was replaced by Tarmo Rüütli.

The club made their European debut in the 1998 UEFA Intertoto Cup, losing to St. Gallen 3–9 on aggregate in the first round. Under Rüütli, Tulevik reached the 1998–99 Estonian Cup final, losing to Levadia 2–3, and finished the 1999 Meistriliiga season as runners-up. Tulevik faced Club Brugge in the 1999/00 UEFA qualifying rounds, but lost 0–5 on aggregate. In November 1999, Rüütli left the club to manage Flora and the Estonia national team, and was replaced by his assistant Aivar Lillevere. Tulevik reached the Estonian Cup final again in the following season, but were defeated by Levadia again 0–2.[2]

Ex-Liverpool F.C. defender Ragnar Klavan and Estonian centre-back pairing Karol Mets & Joonas Tamm all started their careers at Viljandi Tulevik

In 2011, Tulevik ended their affiliation with Flora. As a result, the newly formed FC Viljandi took their place in the Meistriliiga and Tulevik were relegated to the II liiga. In January 2013, Aivar Lillevere returned to the club as manager. Tulevik finished the 2014 Esiliiga in fifth place and defeated Lokomotiv 1–1 on aggregate on away goal in the promotion play-offs, thus earning promotion to the Meistriliiga.[2] The team's stay in the top division proved short-lived as the club finished the 2015 season in last place and were relegated. Tulevik won the 2016 Esiliiga and were once again promoted to the Meistriliiga. Lillevere resigned in November 2017 and was replaced by Marko Kristal in the following month. In April 2018, Kristal's contract was terminated after disappointing results in the league, with Sander Post taking over as manager.[3]

Under Sander Post, Tulevik established themselves in the Meistriliiga, finishing the 2018 season and 2019 season in 7th place and 2020 season in 6th place. In November 2020, Sander Post announced that he would be stepping down as manager and continue as the sporting director of Tulevik. Jaanus Reitel was announced as his replacement as manager.[4] Viljandi Tulevik finished the 2021 season in 8th place. On 8 December 2021, Tulevik announced they will leave top-flight football due to financial reasons, with club president Raiko Mutle saying the Covid pandemic had made the club's economic situation extraordinarily difficult and Tulevik would now take the time to focus on improving their sustainability and youth system.[5]

In the following 2022 season, Viljandi Tulevik entered Esiliiga, the second of tier of Estonian football. With the team consisting mostly of club's youth players, Tulevik finished the season in 9th place.

Stadium

Viljandi linnastaadion

Tulevik initially played on a field by Lake Viljandi. In 1928, a stadium was built on the same site. Renovated in 2010, Viljandi linnastaadion (Viljandi City Stadium) is a multi-purpose stadium with a capacity of 1,068. The stadium is located at Ranna 1, Viljandi.[6][1]

Viljandi Männimäe air dome

In autumn 2021, a state-of-the-art indoor football facility was opened in Viljandi. Costing nearly 3 million euros, the sports complex facilitates footballers during the snowy winter and spring months.[7]

Players

Current squad

As of 11 January 2023.[8][9]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK Estonia EST Marten Ritson
2 DF Estonia EST Rome Veske
3 DF Estonia EST Karl Kurvits
4 DF Estonia EST Marius Vister
6 FW Algeria ALG Houd Boukhelkha
10 MF Estonia EST Edvin Tapfer
11 MF Estonia EST Riho Domberg
12 GK Estonia EST Kaupo Kruusmäe
13 MF Estonia EST Sander Liir
16 MF Estonia EST Lauri Elur
16 DF Estonia EST Gustav-Hendrik Seeder
17 FW Estonia EST Rainer Peips
No. Pos. Nation Player
18 DF Estonia EST Raimond Mets
19 DF Estonia EST Karl Kask
21 DF Estonia EST Kristen Kähr
22 MF Estonia EST Arlet Hunt
23 MF Estonia EST Roven Pilv
24 MF Estonia EST Johannes Metsmaa
28 DF Estonia EST Kevin Soitu
30 MF Estonia EST Cevin Suurhallik
72 GK Estonia EST Karl-Eerik Jürisson
77 MF Estonia EST Andre Varusk
90 MF Estonia EST Ingo Ott

Out on loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
27 FW Netherlands NED Carson Buschman-Dormond (at Zürich until 30 June 2023)

Reserves and academy

Club officials

Honours

League

Cups

Seasons and statistics

Seasons

Europe

References

  1. 1 2 "Viljandi linnastaadion" (in Estonian). Eesti Spordiregister.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Loog, Alvar (May 2015). "Viljandimaa jalgpalli ajalugu ja hetkeseis" [History and current state of football in Viljandi County]. Jalka (in Estonian). Tallinn: Estonian Football Association. pp. 43–45.
  3. ↑ "Marko Kristal lahkub Viljandi Tuleviku peatreeneri kohalt" [Marko Kristal leaves Viljandi Tulevik head coach position] (in Estonian). Estonian Football Association. 20 April 2018.
  4. ↑ "Viljandi Tulevik leidis Sander Posti asemele uue peatreeneri, kel kogemust nii Hollandist, Soomest kui ka Aafrikast" [Viljandi Tulevik find replacement for Sander Post, who has experience from the Netherlands, Finland and Africa] (in Estonian). Soccernet. 13 November 2020.
  5. ↑ "Pommuudis Eesti jalgpallis: Viljandi Tulevik loobus Premium liiga kohast". Delfi Sport (in Estonian). Retrieved 2 December 2022.
  6. ↑ "Viljandi linnastaadion" (in Estonian). Estonian Football Association.
  7. ↑ "New full-size football air dome rises in Viljandi | DUOL - Air supported structure". New full-size football air dome rises in Viljandi | DUOL - Air supported structure. Retrieved 2 December 2022.
  8. ↑ "Viljandi JK Tulevik". Estonian Football Association. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
  9. ↑ "Mängijad ja personal – JK Tulevik". jktulevik.ee. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
  10. ↑ "Mängijad ja personal – Viljandi jalgpalliklubi Tulevik". jktulevik.ee.
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