What you need to know about Kjell Jonevret
“KJELL who?” was the typical response from soccer fans at the news that Swede Kjell Jonevret had been handed a three-year contract at Orlando Pirates.
It is another one of Pirates owner Irvin Khoza’s left-field appointments‚ and one he and the club managed to keep remarkably quiet in the media.
Times Media Digital unearthed 10 things you may not know about the 54-year-old Jonevret.
He was a striker in his playing days‚ turning out most notably for top Swedish side AIK Stockholm‚ his home-town club‚ and Brommapojkarna.
His career ran from 1979 to 1992 and included a spell in Norway with Viking Stavanger‚ where he won the Norwegian Cup in 1989;
He is the all-time leading scorer at Brommapojkarna‚ where he had two spells as a player between 1979 and 1983‚ and 1985 to 1987. He scored 93 goals in all for the club;
Jonevret has never coached in Africa before‚ with his past experienced confined to Sweden and Norway. He was last with his former club, Viking Stavanger‚ where he ended a five-year spell at the end of last year;
His best finish with Viking‚ one of the top teams in Norway‚ was fifth in the 16-team league‚ which he managed on three occasions‚ the last time in 2015. He finished eighth with the side in his final season;
Jonevret holds a Uefa pro licence and was in charge of 156 matches with Viking. He won 72 of those‚ drawing 36 and losing 48;
His only trophy successes as a coach came in 2005 when he took top Swedish side Djurgardens to the League and Cup double. He was also named coach of the year in Sweden that season;
When Jonevret was sacked by Norwegian side Molde in August 2010‚ the move sparked outrage among the club’s fans‚ who protested for his reinstatement.
It proved unsuccessful as Uwe Rosler succeeded him;
One of his finest nights as a coach came when he took his Djurgardens side to Italian giants Juventus in the Uefa Champions League in 2004 and they came away with a 2-2 draw in Turin. They were beaten 4-1 in the return match at home;
Jonevret will be just the second Swedish coach to campaign in the Premier Soccer League‚ after Roger Palmgren‚ who was in charge of Thanda Royal Zulu (2007-09) and Ama Zulu (2011-12); and
Jonevret says he does not know Super Sport United coach Stuart Baxter‚ who has worked extensively in Scandinavia‚ very well, but hopes his rival will pick up the phone when he calls in the coming days.