Bolton legend Jussi Jaaskelainen retires aged 42 after 25-year career
Ex-West Ham and Wigan star decides to hang up his gloves after a stint playing in India and will now stay in the country to begin a coaching career
JUSSI JAASKELAINEN has retired from professional football after a 25-year career in the game.
Jaaskelainen has decided to hang up his gloves at the age of 42 having played one match in a stint in India.
But the goalkeeper will be best remembered for the brilliant career he enjoyed at Bolton when he established himself as one of the best in the Premier League.
Jaaskelainen joined the Trotters in 1997 when then boss Colin Todd paid just £100,000 to snap him up from Finnish minnows VPS Vassa.
He went on to make over 500 appearances for Bolton in a 15-year career with the club, in which time he helped establish them in the Premier League.
The former Finland international finally left Bolton in 2012 when ex-boss Sam Allardyce decided to take him to West Ham after taking over the club.
And in his first season with the Hammers he performed so well he came runner-up in the fans' player of the year award.
Jaaskelainen stayed three years in East London before he was allowed to join Wigan on a free transfer following their relegation to League One.
TURNCOAT Alexis Sanchez has done the dirty on Pep Guardiola by picking Man Utd
He went on to keep 15 clean sheets in 32 games for the club in his first season to help them gain promotion back to the Championship.
He left the DW Stadium last summer and in September took up a player-coach role in the Indian Super League with the ATK franchise.
Most read in football
And after making just one appearance he has this week decided to end his playing career and focus on his coaching role there.
Jaaskelainen said: "Taking a job at ATK has given me a great opportunity to start my goalkeeper coaching career.
"It has given me lots of experience and I am looking forward to the future in football as a coach."
