2014 Esiliiga Explained

Competition:Esiliiga
Season:2014
Winners:Flora II Tallinn
Promoted:Pärnu Linnameeskond
Tulevik Viljandi
Relegated:Vaprus Vändra
Puuma Tallinn
League Topscorer:Kristen Saarts (31 goals)
Biggest Home Win:Vaprus Vändra 13–1 Puuma Tallinn
(9 November 2014)
Biggest Away Win:Puuma Tallinn 0–5 Flora II Tallinn
(6 July 2014)
Puuma Tallinn 2–7 Levadia II Tallinn
(27 July 2014)
Kuressaare 2–7 Levadia II Tallinn
(20 August 2014)
Puuma Tallinn 1–6 Pärnu Linnameeskond
(21 September 2014)

(27 September 2014)
Puuma Tallinn 0–5 Nõmme Kalju II
(2 November 2014)
Highest Scoring:Vaprus Vändra 13–1 Puuma Tallinn
(9 November 2014)
Longest Wins:Pärnu Linnameeskond (6 games)
Longest Unbeaten:Flora II Tallinn (10 games)
Longest Winless:Puuma Tallinn (14 games)
Longest Losses:Puuma Tallinn (12 games)
Matches:180
Total Goals:731
Prevseason:2013
Nextseason:2015

The 2014 Esiliiga was the 24th season of the Esiliiga. The season started on Sunday 2 March 2014, and concluded on Sunday 9 November 2014.[1] Flora II Tallinn won the Esiliiga, finishing with 78 points.

Teams

A total of 10 teams contested the league, including 7 teams from the 2013 season. The 2013 runners-up Lokomotiv Jõhvi were promoted to Meistriliiga, while 9th place Puuma Tallinn and 10th place Irbis Kiviõli escaped relegation due to dissolving of 5th place Tartu SK 10 and 6th place Tammeka II Tartu.[2] [3] For this season those three teams will be replaced by the Meistriliiga relegated Kuressaare and Esiliiga B promoted Nõmme Kalju II and Pärnu Linnameeskond. The previous runners-up Tarvas Rakvere failed to win a promotion, losing the promotion play-off, while 8th placed Tulevik Viljandi managed to avoid relegation by winning the relegation play-off.[4]

Stadiums and locations

TeamLocationStadiumCapacity
Flora II TallinnTallinnSportland Arena600
Irbis KiviõliKiviõliKiviõli Stadium255
KuressaareKuressaareKuressaare linnastaadion2,000
Levadia II TallinnTallinnMaarjamäe Stadium1,000
Nõmme Kalju IITallinnHiiu Stadium300
Pärnu LinnameeskondPärnuPärnu Kalev Stadium1,000
Puuma TallinnTallinnLasnamäe SPK Stadium666
Tarvas RakvereRakvereRakvere linnastaadion2,500
Tulevik ViljandiViljandiViljandi linnastaadion2,506
Vaprus VändraVändraVändra Stadium277

Personnel and kits

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

TeamManagerCaptainKit manufacturerShirt sponsor
Flora II Tallinn Jürgen Henn Ragnar PiirNikeTele2[5]
Irbis Kiviõli Erik Šteinberg Dmitri KirilovAdidas
Kuressaare Pelle Pohlak Sander ViiraJomaSaaremaa Lihatööstus
Levadia II Tallinn Argo Arbeiter Kristjan TammeAdidasViimsi Keevitus
Nõmme Kalju II Zaur Tšilingarašvili Martin MägiAdidasOptibet[6]
Pärnu Linnameeskond Gert Olesk Taavi KitselAdidas
Puuma Tallinn Aivar Tiidus Vitas MališauskasAdidas
Tarvas Rakvere Valeri Bondarenko Alari TovstikJomaAqva
Tulevik Viljandi Aivar Lillevere Raiko MutleJoma
Vaprus Vändra Ranet Lepik Karel OttoMacron

Managerial changes

TeamOutgoing managerManner of departureDate of vacancyPosition in tableReplaced byDate of appointment
Puuma Tallinn Dmitri KrasilnikovContract expired31 December 2013Pre-season Aivar Tiidus1 January 2014[7]
Kuressaare Sergei ZamogilnõiMutual consent7 January 2014[8] Pelle Pohlak8 January 2014[9]
Tarvas Rakvere Reijo KuusikMutual consent3 July 20147th Valeri Bondarenko3 July 2014[10]

League table

Promotion play-offs

Tulevik Viljandi, who finished 5th, faced Lokomotiv Jõhvi, the 9th-placed 2014 Meistriliiga side for a two-legged play-off. The winner on aggregate score after both matches will earn a spot in the 2015 Meistriliiga. Tulevik Viljandi won 1–1 on aggregate.

Relegation play-offs

Tarvas Rakvere remained in Esiliiga after HÜJK Emmaste voluntarily declined joining the league.[11]

Season statistics

Top scorers

RankPlayerTeamGoals[12]
1 Kristen SaartsPärnu Linnameeskond/Levadia II Tallinn31
2 Henri HansonPärnu Linnameeskond25
3 Martin KaseFlora II Tallinn24
4 Sergei AkimovTarvas Rakvere21
5 Anton IssakovPärnu Linnameeskond17
6 Aleksei MamontovIrbis Kiviõli16
7 Mark Oliver RoosnuppLevadia II Tallinn15
8 Peeter KleinNõmme Kalju II14
Rasmus PeetsonPärnu Linnameeskond/Levadia II Tallinn14
10 Aleksandr PruttšenkoIrbis Kiviõli12

Monthly awards

MonthManager of the MonthPlayer of the Month
ManagerClubPlayerClub
March[13] Argo ArbeiterLevadia II Tallinn Kristen SaartsPärnu Linnameeskond
April[14] Jürgen HennFlora II Tallinn Erkki KubberFlora II Tallinn
May[15] Pelle PohlakKuressaare Indrek IlvesTulevik Viljandi
June[16] Gert OleskPärnu Linnameeskond Marek ŠatovIrbis Kiviõli
July[17] Aivar LillevereTulevik Viljandi Sander LahtKuressaare
August[18] Aivar LillevereTulevik Viljandi Joseph SalisteFlora II Tallinn
September[19] Erik ŠteinbergIrbis Kiviõli Madis VihmannLevadia II Tallinn
October[20] Jürgen HennFlora II Tallinn Sören KaldmaNõmme Kalju II

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: EL MÄNGUDE KALENDER (2014). Estonian. Estonian Football Association.
  2. Web site: Jõhvi FC Lokomotiv kindlustas endale Premium liiga koha. Jõhvi FC Lokomotiv secured the Premium Liiga spot. Estonian. 20 October 2013. Estonian Football Association.
  3. Web site: Esiliiga. Estonian. 17 January 2014. Estonian Football Association.
  4. Web site: ÜLEMINEKUMÄNGUDES OLID EDUKAMAD TAMMEKA, TULEVIK JA INFONET II. Tammeka, Tulevik and Infonet II successful in the play-offs. Estonian. 23 November 2013. Estonian Football Association.
  5. Web site: Flora sai koondisega sama sponsori . 3 October 2014. 25 September 2014. Soccernet.ee.
  6. Web site: Nõmme Kalju sõlmis Eesti klubijalgpalli ühe suurima lepingu. 14 February 2014. 7 February 2014. jkkalju.ee.
  7. Web site: Puuma lööb konkurente nooruse uljusega. Estonian. 19 January 2014. Soccernet.ee.
  8. Web site: Sergei Zamogilnõi lahkub peatreeneri kohalt. Sergei Zamogilnõi quits the manager position. Estonian. 7 January 2014. Kuressaare.
  9. Web site: FC Kuressaare uus peatreener on Pelle Pohlak. The new manager of FC Kuressaare is Pelle Pohlak. Estonian. 8 January 2014. Kuressaare.
  10. Web site: Bondarenko maandus Tarvas. Bondarenko lands in Tarvas. Estonian. 3 July 2014. Soccernet.ee.
  11. Web site: Emmaste loobus Esiliiga üleminekumängudest. Estonian. 12 November 2014. Soccernet.ee.
  12. Web site: EL» VÄRAVALÖÖJATE EDETABEL (2014). Estonian . Estonian Football Association.
  13. Web site: Premium liiga kuu parimad on Prosa ja Ratnikov. Estonian. 4 April 2014. Estonian Football Association.
  14. Web site: Premium liiga kuu parimad on Prins ja Reintam. Estonian. 1 May 2014. Estonian Football Association.
  15. Web site: Maikuu parimateks tunnistati Hurt ja Ratnikov. Estonian. 10 June 2014. Estonian Football Association.
  16. Web site: Premium liiga parimateks valiti Marko Kristal ja Lasha Omanidze. Estonian. 3 July 2014. Estonian Football Association.
  17. Web site: Juulikuu parimad olid Puštov ja Luigend. Estonian. 18 August 2014. Estonian Football Association.
  18. Web site: Premium liiga kuu parimad tulevad Sillamäelt. Estonian. 12 September 2014. Estonian Football Association. 12 September 2014.
  19. Web site: Premium liiga kuu parimad on Prins ja Smishko. Estonian. 2 October 2014. Estonian Football Association. 2 October 2014.
  20. Web site: Premium liiga kuu parimad on Manucho ja Frantsev. Estonian. 8 November 2014. Estonian Football Association. 6 November 2014.