Mixu Paatelainen

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Mixu Paatelainen : biography

3 February 1967 –

Finland

Following a bad start by Finland in UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying and their decline in the FIFA World Rankings from 33 to 86, head coach Stuart Baxter was sacked. Paatelainen was appointed as the new Finland head coach on 31 March 2011. His first match as a head coach was a 1–0 away win against San Marino on 3 June, but Finland then suffered a 5–0 defeat by Sweden in his second game. Both matches were part of the UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying process.

Paatelainen’s deal with the Finnish Football Association extends to 2016, covering not only the current UEFA Euro 2012 qualifiers but also the FIFA World Cup 2014 and the UEFA Euro 2016 qualifiers. As Finland was already eliminated from UEFA Euro 2012, Paatelainen’s task was to renew the national team and try to qualify for one or more of the tournaments during his projected tenure as Finland’s head coach.

Playing career

Club career

Paatelainen made his debut for FC Haka in 1985. He played 48 league matches for Haka, scoring 18 goals. During his debut season, Haka won the Finnish Cup, the only honour of the club during his time there.

In October 1987, Scottish Premier Division club Dundee United signed him for a £100,000 transfer fee. Paatelainen scored 33 times in 133 matches for United, becoming their top scorer twice. At the end of 1991, he transferred to Aberdeen for £400,000. During the three seasons he stayed there, he scored 23 goals in 75 matches.

Paatelainen transferred in 1994 to the English side Bolton Wanderers. The team was promoted to the Premier League in his first season with the club, which then meant that Paatelainen became the first Finnish footballer to play in the Premier League (as the old First Division had been rebranded in 1992). He played a crucial part in the promotion triumph, putting Bolton 3–2 ahead in their playoff final clash with Reading in extra time on their way to a 4–3 victory which ended a 15-year exile from the top flight.

Paatelainen also played in the 1995 Football League Cup Final, in which Wanderers were beaten 2–1 by Liverpool. He was unable to keep Bolton in the Premier League in 1995–96, although they did return the next season by winning the Division One title with 100 goals and 98 points. He then played for Wolverhampton Wanderers during the 1997–98 season. He failed to score for Wolves in the league but scored four times in their FA Cup run, with goals against Darlington (two), Charlton Athletic and Wimbledon. He also scored once in the League Cup, against Queens Park Rangers.

After his spell in Wolverhampton, Paatelainen decided to return to Scotland. This time he played for Hibernian of Edinburgh. He is fondly remembered by Hibernian supporters for his hat-trick in a 6–2 victory over Edinburgh derby rivals Heart of Midlothian on 22 October 2000. Paatelainen left Hibs in 2001 to sign for French club Strasbourg. He then returned to Hibs for one season.

In 2003, he transferred to St. Johnstone, when Hibs no longer wished to extend his contract, also acting as an assistant manager. Paatelainen only stayed with St. Johnstone for one season. Paatelainen then transferred to St. Mirren, where he also served as an assistant manager. This was his last club. During his playing career Paatelainen scored 143 league goals.

International career

Paatelainen played 70 matches for Finland, scoring 18 goals. He played his first international match on 9 September 1986, against East Germany.http://www.mtv3.fi/urheilu/futis/uutiset_erik.shtml/arkistot/futis/2007/04/521171?TPS One of his feats in the national team was scoring four goals in a single match against San Marino, which stands as a record number of goals in one match for Finland. He retired from international football in 2000.. Retrieved 31 October 2007 In addition to his appearances for the senior national team, Paatelainen also played 8 matches each for the Finland national under-21 football team and the Finland national under-19 football team.

Statistics

Rothmans Football Yearbooks and Sky Sports Yearbooks 1988–2011Jalkapallokirja 2008. Suomen palloliiton julkaisu.Veikkaaja 2011.