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Mixu To Leave Killie


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Taking Finland national job - bit of a blow for Killie as done really well for them:

 

BBC link

 

Mixu Paatelainen is to leave Kilmarnock and take over as the manager of Finland.

 

Having rejected an approach from Scunthorpe United, the 44-year-old found the lure of his national side too hard to resist.

 

Finland have arranged a press conference for Thursday afternoon, while Kilmarnock are also set to make a lunchtime statement.

 

Paatelainen agreed a two-year deal at Kilmarnock in June 2010.

 

Last season, relegation threatened the Ayrshire side but this term Paatelainen has them set for a top-six finish and in contention for a European place playing some of the most entertaining football in the Scottish Premier League.

 

Killie were anxious to keep the Finn and had hoped to keep him on with the offer of an improved longer-term deal.

 

Paatelainen, capped 70 times by his country, will succeed Stuart Baxter, who was sacked by Finland in November.

 

The Finn's playing career saw him play centre forward for a host of clubs, including Dundee United, Aberdeen, Bolton, Wolves, Hibernian and Strasbourg.

 

Having coached during his latter spells with St Johnstone and St Mirren, he got his first taste of management with Cowdenbeath in 2005, winning the Third Division title in his debut season.

 

He returned to Finland for the following term, steering TPS to a third-place finish, before he took over at Hibernian in January 2008.

 

During a disappointing 18 months at Easter Road, Hibs managed two sixth-place finishes under the guidance of Paatelainen.

 

He spent a year out of football before taking over at Kilmarnock and he leaves with the club sitting fifth in the SPL.

 

More to follow...

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How many Aberdeen bosses have went onto better things?

 

Except for that weegie, jakey f**ker.

 

Would be fairly easy to argue that ANY subsequent position would be a 'better thing', be that managing Man United or living under the bridge by the golf course at the beach.

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