Education
He finished his NASL career with 112 points in 135 games.
He finished his NASL career with 112 points in 135 games.
He starred in the North American Soccer League, playing outdoor as well as indoor soccer. He also played for the Finland national football team He now coaches in the United States.
Professional The 178 cm midfielder began his NASL career in the summer of 1978 with the Dallas Tornado.
Haaskivi played in 1979-1980 with the Houston Hurricane and 1981-1982 with the Edmonton Drillers. Haaskivi began his MISL career in the league"s inaugural season of 1978-1979 with the Houston Summit.
Playing the next season with the Summit as well, he was named an MISL all-star in both seasons. The team lost the championship to the New York Arrows in 1980.
Haaskivi went on to star with the Cleveland Force from 1982-1988.
While with the Force he led the league in assists in the 1986-1987 season. He then played one season for the Baltimore Blast before returning to Cleveland as player-coach of the Cleveland Crunch in 1989. He retired as a player after the 1991-1992 season when the MISL, by then named Major Soccer League, folded.
The Crunch moved to the National Professional Soccer League.
Haaskivi served as color analyst on the team"s radio broadcasts. Haaskivi finished his career in the top ten of several MISL career statistical categories, including fifth in points with 683, tied for ninth in goals with 297, second in assists with 386, and eights in games played with 425.
He was an eight-time league all-star selection and was named Most Valuable Player of the 1987 All-Star Game in Los Los Angeles International Haaskivi played 12 full internationals for Finland, notching three goals in the process.
In a 1982 friendly in Helsinki against England, celebrating the Finnish Field Artillery"s 75th anniversary, he scored on a penalty kick as the Finnish team lost 1–4.
He also scored against Italy"s World Cup Legend, Dino Zoff, in Turin, Italy during a 1978 World Cup qualifier. During the mid-1990s he served as the first director for Image"s soccer academy in Bradenton. He was assistant coach of the U-17 United States. National (boys) Teams.
From 2001 to 2004 he was head coach and general manager of Pittsburgh Riverhounds, an A-League team
He also coached in Cleveland as the men"s and women"s head coach for the Myers University Mustangs, and National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics school. Served as the director of coaching for the Cleveland United and the Braden River soccer club in Florida.
His father, Olavi Haaskivi, served as the Director of Coaching for the Finnish Football Association for 35 years. Kanerva, Juha (2003).
Jalkapallon pikkujättiläinen (in Finnish).
WSOY. p. 495. Online Computer Library Center 58365792. Citations.