Jussi Albert Jääskeläinen (; born 19 April 1975) is a Finnish professional football coach and a former footballer who played as a goalkeeper. He is currently working as a goalkeeping coach of Ykkösliiga club PK-35.
During his career, Jääskeläinen most notably represented Bolton Wanderers from 1997 until 2012, making 530 appearances across all competitions. During his time at the club, Jääskeläinen was one of their key players, as Bolton transformed from a second-tier side into one of the Premier League’s top clubs under Sam Allardyce. He left Bolton for West Ham United at the end of the 2011–12 season, moving on after three seasons to Wigan Athletic on a free transfer. In his first season with Wigan, he won the League One title. He left Wigan after two seasons to join Indian club ATK, where he retired in 2018.
Jääskeläinen earned 56 caps for the Finland national team, making his debut in 1998 and retiring from international football in 2010.
Club career MP Mikkeli Jääskeläinen was born in Mikkeli, and started his football career at Veikkausliiga side MP Mikkeli. He got his big break in the first team following the injury of Esa Viitanen. Jääskeläinen made his debut for the club, starting the whole game and kept a clean sheet, in a 1–0 win against HJK Helsinki on 17 May 1992. He made five more appearances for MP Mikkeli, as the club avoided relegation in the Veikkausliiga. In the opening game of the 1993 season, Jääskeläinen kept another clean sheet, in a 1–0 win against Ilves. He later made more appearances later in the 1993 season, including another clean sheet, in a 5–0 win against Kuusysi on 12 August 1993.
At the start of the 1994 season, Jääskeläinen became a first choice goalkeeper for MP Mikkeli. However, the club went on a seven match run without a win in the league. This last until on 12 June 1994 when he helped Mikkeli win 2–1 against TPV, to end the club’s winless streak. Jääskeläinen pulled off another win against HJK Helenski on 7 August 1994 when he helped Mikkeli win 5–1. Jääskeläinen helped the club avoid relegation for the second by collecting five points in the last three remaining matches. At the end of the 1994 season, he went on to make twenty–six appearances in all competitions.
In the 1995 season, Jääskeläinen kept three consecutive clean sheets in the league between 21 June 1995 and 6 July 1995. The club, once again, found themselves in a relegation zone but he helped Mikkeli avoid relegation for the third time. At the end of the 1995 season, Jääskeläinen went on to make twenty–six appearances in all competitions.
VPS Vaasa Shortly after helping Mikkeli avoid relegation, it was announced on 26 October 1995 that Jääskeläinen joined VPS Vaasa. The move reported to have cost 110,000 mk.
He made his debut for the club in the opening game of the 1996 season, starting as a first choice goalkeeper, in a 2–1 loss against Turun Palloseura. Jääskeläinen then kept three consecutive clean sheets in the league between 9 June 1996 and 16 June 1996. He, once again, kept three consecutive clean sheets in the relegation play–offs in the first three matches; and the wins have kept VPS Vaasa safe from relegation. At the end of the 1996 season, Jääskeläinen made twenty–seven appearances in all competitions.
In the 1997 season, Jääskeläinen started the season on a good note when he helped VPS Vaasa go on the first seven league matches unbeaten. During that run, Jääskeläinen kept three consecutive clean sheets in the league between 18 May 1997 and 25 May 1997. He, once again, kept three consecutive clean sheets in the league between 24 August 1997 and 10 September 1997. Throughout the 1997 season, VPS Vaasa found themselves, competing with HJK Helsinki over the league title, but eventually, HJK Helsinki won the league and VPS Vaasa had to settle for second place. At the end of the 1997 season, Jääskeläinen made twenty–seven appearances in all competitions. For his performance, he finished third for the league’s Player of the Year.
Bolton Wanderers
Jääskeläinen was bought by manager Colin Todd for £100,000 for Bolton Wanderers of the Football League First Division in 1997. Originally, he went on a trial with Norwich City before being persuaded to join Bolton Wanderers by Todd. Upon joining the club, manager Todd said: "He's one for the future. I saw him playing for the Under 21s and he was very impressive. I followed it up immediately but things got held up. When I got wind of him being on trial and possibly signing for another English club I moved in quickly. You can't let people of his quality pass you by." However, Jääskeläinen was the third choice goalkeeper for the rest of the 1997–98 season, behind Keith Branagan and Gavin Ward, as Bolton Wanderers were relegated to Football League First Division.
Following the injury of Branagan and the departure of Ward, Jääskeläinen was promoted to the club’s first choice goalkeeper ahead of the 1998–99 season. He made his Bolton Wanderers debut, starting the whole game, in a 2–2 draw against Crystal Palace in the opening game of the season. Jääskeläinen soon established himself as the club's first choice keeper, managing to beat off Branagan, who returned from injury. He suffered a broken nose during the match against Huddersfield Town, but managed to play on, as the club won 3–0 and also receiving a clean sheet in the process. Jääskeläinen’s twelve matches winning streak as a Bolton Wanderers’ starter ended on 7 November 1998 when the club loss 2–0 against Queen Park Rangers. Despite briefly losing a place to Branagan in late–October, he continued to regain his place as Bolton Wanderers’ first choice goalkeeper. Jääskeläinen then helped the club kept three consecutive clean sheets in the league on two separate occasions during the 1998–99 season, which the first one was between 21 November 1998 and 28 November 1998, and the second one was between 26 December 1998 and 10 January 1999. Due to "playing a small a part to play", this led manager Todd to give him a nickname "The Forgotten Man". However, by March, Jääskeläinen soon came under criticism when he conceded 16 goals in the last six games. As a result, Jääskeläinen was dropped in favour of Steve Banks, as well as, his own injury concern and didn’t play for the rest of the 1998–99 season. At the end of the 1998–99 season, he went on to make forty appearances in all competitions.
Since the start of the 1999–00 season, Jääskeläinen was competing with Banks and Branagan over Bolton Wanderers’ first choice goalkeeper role in the pre–season friendly, with Branagan eventually taking the role, leaving him to play for the club’s reserve matches instead. Following the Branagan’s injury, he made his first appearance of the season against Huddersfield Town on 16 October 1999 and kept a clean sheet, in a 1–0 win. Afterwards, Jääskeläinen regained his first choice goalkeeper role; local newspaper, The Bolton News, stated that: "On the form he is showing at the moment, it's hard to see Jaaskelainen being ousted by either Keith Branagan or Steve Banks, when they are fit again." His performance earned praise from skipper Neil Cox, stating at one match in a 2–1 defeat against Norwich City: "He went into the game under pressure with one or two people having digs at him but one of his saves was world class. And, if he hadn't made the saves he did, we might have gone in 2-0 down at half time." Although Jääskeläinen was dropped in favour of Banks in January, he managed to regain his first choice goalkeeper role for the rest of the 1999–00 season. Jääskeläinen reflected on his enjoyment the highest point of his Bolton Wanderers career so far, saying: "I've still got a lot to learn. I have learned a lot in the two years I have been here but I feel I can get much better. You learn from every game and you continue to gain in confidence the more you play."’’ By March, Jääskeläinen kept four clean sheets, as he was determined to help the club improve by keeping their league season alive to qualify for the play-offs. In doing so, Jääskeläinen turned down a call up from Finland to focus on Bolton Wanderers. However, the club was unsuccessful in the play-off final after losing 7–5 on aggregate against eventual winners, Ipswich Town. At the end of the 1999–00 season, he went on to make forty–one appearances in all competitions. For his performance, Jääskeläinen won Bolton Wanderers’ Junior Whites Player of the Year award.
In the 2000–01 season, Jääskeläinen continued to regain his first team place despite suffering a knee injury in the club’s pre–season. He then also signed a three–year contract extension with Bolton Wanderers. Jääskeläinen helped the club keep five clean sheets in the first two months to the season. He kept three consecutive clean sheets in the league between 16 December 2000 and 26 December 2000. His performances made his among favourite of Bolton Wanderers supporters. Despite signing a contract with Bolton Wanderers earlier in the season, Jääskeläinen was linked with a move away from the club in January. However during a 2–0 win against Tranmere Rovers on 13 January 2001, he suffered a cruciate ligament injury and was a substituted in the 53rd minute. Shortly after, it was announced that Jääskeläinen would be ruled out for the rest of the 2000–01 season. He previously missed one match due to international commitment last October at one point during the season. While out with an injury, Jääskeläinen successfully predicted Bolton's 2000–01 promotion season when he said to team-mates: "I'll see you in the Premiership." At the end of the 2000–01 season, Jääskeläinen made twenty–seven appearances in all competitions.