Shefki Kuqi

Shefki Kuqi (2008)

Shefki Kuqi ( born November 10, 1976 in Vučitrn, SFR Yugoslavia) is a Finnish football player Kosovar Albanian origin. The striker was recently at Hibernian in the Scottish Premiership under contract and is currently without a club. His brother Njazi Kuqi and his cousin Daut Kuqi are also active as a football player.

Career

Kuqi started his football career in his home at FK Trepča before he emigrated with his family to Finland and there continued his career. He began his career in men's teams around the year 1994, when he first came into use for Mikkelin Kissat and this turned out to be very goal threat. About Mikkelin Palloilijat he came in 1997 to HJK Helsinki. In 2000 he moved to Jokerit Helsinki, where he played from July to December 2000. In January 2001 he went to England to Stockport County. In 2002 he came to Sheffield Wednesday. In 2003 he went to Ipswich Town. From the 2005/06 season, the striker played at Blackburn Rovers. From August 2006, Kuqi was active at Crystal Palace, 2007, first to Fulham and awarded in 2008 to Ipswich Town. In 2009 he returned to Crystal Palace.

In July 2009, Kuqi signed a contract in Germany at the TuS Koblenz until the end of the season 2010/11. At the beginning of the season did Kuqi to convince there and scored in the first half of the season seven goals for TuS. Due to many defeats and a tense relationship within the team Shefki Kuqi called during the winter break a release to a change. The recently undertook new coach Petrik Sander agreed to this no longer planned with Kuqi. Then Shefki Kuqi signed in January 2010, a contract with the then playing in the English Football League Championship Welsh club Swansea City. The contract has since been dissolved after a loan to Derby County in January 2011. Then Kuqi signed in February 2011 at Newcastle United. After only six missions as a substitute be expiring in summer 2011 contract was not renewed. In August 2011 he signed at third division Oldham Athletic. In the 2012/13 season he was at Hibernian in Scotland under contract, and arrived there on 13 missions where he remained without a goal.

Shefki Kuqi is the older brother of Njazi Kuqi, with whom he played at the TuS Koblenz in the 2nd Bundesliga and now plays for Panionios in the Greek Super League.

Kuqi plays since 1999 in the Finnish national football team.