A fourth-straight defeat in Finland’s EURO 2016 qualifying campaign prompted the sacking of the country’s manager, Mixu Paatelainen.
A former forward for Bolton and Wolverhampton Wanderers, Paatelainen was manager at Socttish club Kilmarnock before taking over managerial duties in his home country.
Finland have yet to qualify for a European Championship and World Cup, and Paatelainen was supposed to change that streak, but the Finns currently sit at 78th in the FIFA rankings and are set to fall short once again.
[RELATED: Watch Jack Wilshere score two beauties in England’s EURO 2016 qualifier win]
Finland are second-to-last place in the Group F standings with four points taken in six matches, a 3-1 victory over the Faroe Islands being their only victory. Currently, the Eagle-Owls are seven points behind third-place Hungary and a nine points off from leader Romania.
“The Football Association of Finland has terminated the contract of employment between the Football Association of Finland and Mixu Paatelainen as of June 14, 2015,” the association said in a statement and “wished Mixu good luck with his new challenges.”
On Saturday, Finland lost 1-0 at home to Hungary in their most recent EURO qualifier and discontented supporters were calling for the firing of Paatelainen.
“We don’t have players who can both attack and defend,” the 48-year-old said in his defense.
According to the Irish Mirror, Paatelainen could take a new managerial job back in the UK this summer.
