Jim White 0 Posted March 30, 2011 Share Posted March 30, 2011 The Finland FA has called a Thursday press conference where they are expected to name Stuart Baxter's successor. More... 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gazza_8 233 Posted March 31, 2011 Share Posted March 31, 2011 Bit of a shame really. Mixu has gotten his Killie team playing some fantstic football! MIXU PAATELAINEN will today be named as Finland's new manager. The Kilmarnock boss, won the race to be his country's next gaffer after steering his club into the top six of the SPL. Paatelainen, 44, is set to be unveiled as successor to Stuart Baxter at a press conference in his homeland this lunchtime. Yet he could stay at Killie until the end of the season as Finland's next game is not until a Euro qualifier in San Marino on June 6. Finnish FA president Kimmo Lipponen said: "On Thursday our plans will become clear. We will keep any details confidential until then." The Finnish FA first showed an interest in Paatelainen after axing Baxter at the end of October. They sent a delegation to watch Killie play Rangers at the end of October. Paatelainen, capped 70 times, snubbed the chance to boss Championship side S****horpe last week. It now appears he was waiting for the chance to lead his country. Finland Under-21 boss Markku Kanerva, who had been in caretaker charge, ruled himself out of the running earlier this week, paving the way for Paatelainen's appointment. The Finnish FA were last night trying to thrash out a compensation deal with the Rugby Park board. Paatelainen's exit will be a bitter blow for Killie fans, who had seen their side play some of their best football for years. Just a year ago Paatelainen, who cut his teeth at Cowdenbeath in 2005, was jobless following an unhappy end to his 16 months at Hibs. He brought success to Killie despite working on a shoestring budget. He lured Player of the Year contender Alexei Eremenko to the club. He turned Conor Sammon into a predatory goalscorer which landed him a move to Wigan in a deal that could eventually see the club rake in �£1million. Paatelainen's assistant Kenny Shiels WON'T be going with him to Finland. If the Finnish FA demand Paatelainen sever all ties immediately, Shiels could be handed the chance to prove himself as boss at Killie. Irishman Shiels has got experience as a gaffer in his homeland and took Coleraine and Ballymena into Europe. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gazza_8 233 Posted March 31, 2011 Share Posted March 31, 2011 That's big Mixu left Killie with immediate effect according to the BBC Sport website. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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