Timo Paasolainen

{{Short description|Finnish football coach and former footballer (born 1964)}}

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Timo Paasolainen

| image =

| fullname =

| height = 1.74 m

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1964|4|20}}

| birth_place = Utajärvi, Finland

| position = Midfielder

| currentclub =

| clubnumber =

| youthclubs1 = Äänekosken Huima

| youthyears1 = 1975–1983

| years1 = 1984–1987

| clubs1 = Nastolan Nopsa

| caps1 =

| goals1 =

| years2 = 1988–1989

| clubs2 = Lappeenrannan Pallo

| caps2 = 35

| goals2 = 5

| years3 = 1990–1993

| clubs3 = Joutsenon Kullervo

| caps3 = 84

| goals3 = 7

| years4 = 1993

| clubs4 = Birkirkara

| caps4 = 3

| goals4 = 0

| years5 = 1994–1995

| clubs5 = Joutsenon Kullervo

| caps5 = 31

| goals5 = 1

| years6 = 1996

| clubs6 = Ilves

| caps6 = 4

| goals6 = 0

| manageryears1 = 1998

| managerclubs1 = MYPA (assistant)

| manageryears2 = 2000–2003

| managerclubs2 = Rakuunat

| manageryears3 = 2005

| managerclubs3 = Kuusankoski

| manageryears4 = 2009–2010

| managerclubs4 = MYPA (assistant)

| club-update =

}}

Timo Paasolainen (born 20 April 1964) is a Finnish football coach and a former footballer who played as a midfielder.

Club career

Paasolainen started football in a youth sector of Äänekosken Huima.[https://www.huima.org/uutiset/timo-paasolainen-60v/ Timo Paasolainen 60v], huima.org, 23 April 2024 He started his senior career with Nastolan Nopsa in Nelonen and Kolmonen. In 1988 he joined Lappeenrannan Pallo in third-tier Kakkonen. During 1990–1995, he played for Joutsenon Kullervo in second-tier Ykkönen, and in 1993 he became the first Finnish player to play in Malta, when he had a brief stint with Birkirkara in Maltese Premier League.[https://www.jalkipeli.net/kokenut-konkari-timo-paasolainen-on-fc-interissa-paljon-vartijana/ Kokenut konkari Timo Paasolainen on FC Interissä paljon vartijana – pelaaja- ja valmentajauraan mahtuu useita eksoottisia kokemuksia], jalkipeli.net, 7 April 2024 He ended his playing career in 1996, after making his debut in Veikkausliiga with Ilves. He totalled four appearances in the Finnish top tier.[https://www.veikkausliiga.com/pelaajat/390759/paasolainen-timo Paasolainen Timo stats], veikkausliiga.com

Coaching career

First Paasolainen started coaching the U19 team of MYPA in 1997. Next year he joined the coaching staff of MYPA first team in Veikkausliiga, with manager Juha Malinen. During 2000–2003, he served as the head coach of Rakuunat in Ykkönen, and continued to Kuusankoski in Kakkonen in 2005. Since 2007, Paasolainen worked as the coaching director of PEPO Lappeenranta youth sector.[https://esaimaalehtiartikkelit.fi/2007/02/timo-paasolainen-on-nyt-uus-lavolan-peli-poikien-mies/ Timo Paasolainen on nyt Uus-Lavolan Peli-Poikien mies], esaimaalehtiartikkelit.fi, 17 February 2007 In 2009, he briefly returned to MYPA as an assistant coach to Janne Lindberg, also continuing to work at PEPO.[https://yle.fi/a/3-6133778 MyPan kakkosvalmentajaksi Timo Paasolainen], Yle, 28 January 2009

In October 2018, Paasolainen joined Dutch club Fortuna Sittard as U17 youth coach, also working at developing the club's individual coaching.[https://www.uutisvuoksi.fi/urheilu/3641470 Hollantilainen Fortuna Sittard palkkasi Timo Paasolaisen yksilöidensä kehittäjäksi — Valmentajan haku Suomesta jalkapallon huippumaahan on hyvin harvinaista], Uutisvuoksi, 15 October 2018[https://www.is.fi/eurosarjat/art-2000005865846.html Hollannin pääsarjaseura Fortuna Sittard värväsi Timo Paasolaisen], Ilta-Sanomat, 16 October 2018[https://x.com/FortunaSittard/status/1052096249640472576 Timo Paasolainen is de nieuwe hoofdtrainer van O16 en O17.], fortunasittard[https://www.esaimaa.fi/urheilu/3795778 Vuosi Hollannissa hioi Timo Paasolaisen oman valmennuslinjan vaativammaksi — Jatkossa häntä kiinnostaa myös scouttaaminen], esaimaa.fi, 16 July 2019

Most recently he worked in the organisation of Veikkausliiga club Inter Turku as a youth talent coach since 2020.[https://fcinter.fi/ajankohtaista/timo-paasolainen-vahvistaa-interin-talenttivalmennusta Timo Paasolainen vahvistaa Interin talenttivalmennusta], fcinter.fi[https://fcinter.fi/ajankohtaista/timo-paasolainen-jatkaa-interin-talenttivalmentajana Timo Paasolainen jatkaa Interin talenttivalmentajana], fcinter.fi, 9 April 2024 Simultaneously he worked as a scout for Eredivisie club AFC Ajax. He announced his departure from Inter after the 2024 season.[https://fcinter.fi/juniorit/ajankohtaista/talenttivalmentaja-timo-paasolainen-paattaa-inter-uransa Talenttivalmentaja Timo Paasolainen päättää Inter-uransa], fcinter.fi, 8 November 2024

Personal life

Paasolainen is married and lives in Lappeenranta.[https://www.esaimaa.fi/urheilu/6748352 Timo Paasolaisen uravalinta on täynnä intohimoa, mutta vei lappeenrantalaisen kauas perheestään], esaimaa.fi, 7 May 2024 He has previously worked as a physical education teacher in Luumäki.