Marcus Paatelainen...

[CaleyD]

Taken from www.cowdenbeathfc.com

Markus is the younger brother of boss Mixu and signed for the club at the beginning of September 2005. Paatelainen joined Aberdeen on a 6 month contract last January but was released at the end of the season. He can play on either wing or in the centre of midfield and has been involved at under 21 level for Finland. Markus has been in sparkling form this season winning five consecutive Fan's Player of the Month awards. Suffered a serious injury away to Elgin City and had been sidelined for two months. The flying Finn made his comeback at Hampden Park and was fittingly a key player as Cowden clinched the Championship at home to Elgin. Markus capped a fantastic first season at Central Park by picking up a plethora of awards: Scottish Professional Footballers' Association Third Division Player of the Year, Supporters Club Player of the Year, Willie Anderson Trophy (Blue Brazil Fans' Player of the Year) and the Eric Mitchell Trophy (Players' Player of the Year). Markus made 24 (1 sub) appearances and scored 6 goals.

Position: Midfield

Date of Birth: 23rd January 1983

Place of Birth: Valkeaskoski, Finland

Height: 6'1

Weight: 12.8st

Nickname: Mori

Occupation: Student

Signed for Cowden: September 2005

Previous clubs: AC Allianssi, FC Kooteepee, Aberdeen

Football hero:

Football highlight: Season 05/06 with Cowden!

Biggest disappointment: None

Ambitions for season: Play-off place.

Also, according to soccerbase he has 11 goals to his credit this season

[RossP]

A couple of Blue Brazil fans opinions on PieandBovril.com

Teams which have suffered from Markus's play usually put two markers on him. He's one of these guys who drifts past defenders as if they weren't there - not only that, he scores goals and puts in a hard shift.He's not a diver - when he accelerates past bamboozled defenders the only thing they can do is to take him out in mid flight. If you want to see what I mean, visit what passes for a football pitch in Brechin next Tuesday evening and see the tactics employed to "mark" Markus.

I hope you don't get him, but he should be playing at a higher level.Gary Smith will have told Dundee all they need to know. Be prepared to sign a sixeable cheque - he helped us win the championship and he'll keep us in the second division this season (or even grab a play-off spot.)

£30k should get him, and good luck to him, he's a good player

The reason he spends much of his time on his arse, belly, back, knees and elbows is because he's been kicked up in the air by defenders who know that they're about to be skinned yet again. One of the things I admire about MP is that he doesn't do the histrionics or the petted lip, nor does he plead with the ref to get opponents sent off. He gets up, dusts himself down, beats the guy once more, and gets kicked again.

He's a good player but he's a diving b*****d that looks like a wummin! His attempt at winning a penalty against us the other week was the worst dive I've seen since Martin Prest! He then got up to petulantly point at the blade of grass he believed was the culprit!

I would love him in a Rovers top though

Think MARKUS deserves a bigger club. He puts a good shift in and has the unbelievable knack of getting by players as if they werent there.

great player.

The next Barry Wilson??

[ymip]

P&J suggesting a five figure deal has been agreed between the clubs and Pit-a-line-on Jr. will sign today.

Seems like a decent enough signing to me.  He's had a good grounding in the 3rd and 2nd divisions after his brief spell with the dismal dons.

Fingers crossed he has a better attitude than our previous scandinavian imports.  

[kencar]

Who as the the 2nd Division Player of the year last year as we just need him to complete the set if we sign Paatelainen  :004:

Sounds promising and if he can play on both wings he may be an a great asset

Could be the begining of the end for some other members of our squad though

[Doofer]

According to the bbc wedsite we have signed him from cowdenbeath for a 5 figure some. Anyone know any more on this?

[RiG]

Another five figure fee? That could mean CC has spent more on two signings that the rest of our managers combined  :015:

[RiG]

There's a thread in the rumour mill but this rumour seems to be becoming more official.

He has scored a fair few goals for Cowdenbeath but he nearly lost his leg at the end of last season in a supposed horror tackle with an Elgin defender. He seems to have recovered very well indeed.

He was at Aberdeen before and was punted along with his brother due to being not good enough. They were only signed as cover.

[kencar]

I never believe we have signed a player until I see the posed picture of the manager & the player at the stadium holding up an ICT shirt  :001:

[RiG]

Guess that means the Buchanan deal is dead?

[kencar]

Maybe not.

I'm sure they said he was one for the future and they would be monitoring his progress. I'm assuming if they are forking out cash for a player now then he is going to figure in the 1st team straight away

[Libero]

Would hope the Buchanan deal isnt off as by all reports he sounds like a promising young striker. As kencar said, he could be one for the future and therefore not a priority signing target right now, most probably start of new season.

Couldnt get the link to work so from the press and journal website:

PAATELAINEN TO JOIN CALEY THISTLE 

08:50 - 11 January 2007 

Caley Thistle last night agreed a five-figure fee for Cowdenbeath midfielder Markus Paatelainen.

Paatelainen, brother of former Cowdenbeath manager and Aberdeen forward Mixu, will sign for the Highlanders today.

Caley Jags manager Charlie Christie and his coaching staff had watched a number of SFL players over the festive period as Inverness looked to add to their squad.

Livingston's Robert Snodgrass, Clyde's Gary Arbuckle and Eddie Malone, Dundee's Bryan Deasley and Partick's Stephen McConalogue were among those viewed.

Paatelainen, who joined Cowdenbeath in September 2005, was the Fifers' star player last season as they clinched the Third Division championship, the 23-year-old being named the league's player of the year.

This season, he has again been a key figure as the Fifers have established themselves in the Second Division.

He is the second Cowdenbeath player to move to a Premier League side this month following the transfer of 21-year-old French midfielder Morgaro Gomis to Dundee United.

[DaveDargo]

According to teletext he's signed a pre contract agreement

[Bridge_Ender]

... has apparently signed for us.

BBC Football Gossip

[Kingsmills]

Same information in the P&J.  He could be a very useful squad player.

[kencar]

Hmmmmm :006:

That would mean he would arrive in the summer.

All other sources seem to point to us buying him - including Teletext last night!!

[RiG]

McConalogue?

Oh for Gods sake!

[Harry Chibber]

Never seen him play but heard good things, does he not play right wing and 9 goals so far this season

Could be a very good signing... and everyone was asking for a big name.....  11 letters :023:

[Libero]

more info:

second fecking link of the day that doesnt work.

from Sportinglife.com:

CALEY POUNCE FOR PAATELAINEN

Inverness Caledonian Thistle have signed Markus Paatelainen on a pre-contract agreement.

The Highland club are negotiating with Third Division Cowdenbeath to secure the 23-year-old's services with immediate effect.

Caley Thistle claim they have beaten other Bank of Scotland Premier League clubs to his signature - as well as Finish outfit TPS Turku, who are managed by Paatelainen's elder brother Mixu.

Inverness director of football Graeme Bennett said: "Cowdenbeath have been exceptionally good to deal with and we hope to have Marcus starting full time training with our squad on Monday.

"We're pleased to have beaten a couple of other SPL clubs for his signature and Markus was also wanted by his elder brother Mixu who is manager of TPS Turku in Finland."

Paatelainen joined Cowdenbeath in September 2005 shortly after former Hibernian, Aberdeen and Dundee United star Mixu took over as manager of the Blue Brazil.

Caley Thistle boss Charlie Christie added: "We've been tracking him for some time and I'm delighted to land Markus as he brings something different to our pool.

"He can play wide right or left and also in central midfield, though it is primarily as an attacking wide man that we see him.

"He's 6ft 1in tall and weighs 12st 8lbs, so he gives a physical presence, which is something that adds balance to our smallish midfield.

"All sorts of names have been bandied about, some of whom I'd no real idea, but we managed to keep our interest in Markus under the radar till he came to Inverness and put pen to paper on Wednesday night."

[Kingsmills]

I believe that Buchanan will probably still sign as a free agent in the summer although, because of his age, we will still have to pay Cowdenbeath some modest compensation.

[Harry Chibber]

"Cowdenbeath have been exceptionally good to deal with"

Fair play to Bennett for pointing this out...  :025: :025:

[RiG]

He had very short and unproductive spells at St. Mirren and Aberdeen.

Wonder how they will have shaped him as a player?

[EWS]

In the short term I can see him replacing McBain / Morgan on the left, or even Black in the middle, but for the longterm I guess it is obvious that he will be fulfilling Barry's role on the Right.

[Harry Chibber]

He had very short and unproductive spells at St. Mirren and Aberdeen.

Wonder how they will have shaped him as a player?

ICT always gets the best out of players and hopefully Paatelainen is no different, I'm sure that having the experience from SPL clubs being very young and being booted out will make him more determined to prove his worth.  I for 1 am looking forward to seeing him play but I assume he will be more of a back up for Wilson this season while he learns from the master

[kencar]

As he can play on either wing he could easily get starts on the left. No reason that he shouldn't displace Wilson this season either

[EWS]

"All sorts of names have been bandied about, some of whom I'd no real idea, but we managed to keep our interest in Markus under the radar till he came to Inverness and put pen to paper on Wednesday night."

Surely that last sentence kinda confirms it.