- Mika Väyrynen
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For the musician, see Mika Väyrynen (accordionist).
Mika Väyrynen 
Personal information Date of birth 28 December 1981 Place of birth Eskilstuna, Sweden Height 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) Playing position Midfielder Club information Current club Leeds United Number 7 Senior career* Years Team Apps† (Gls)† 1999–2000 FC Lahti 36 (11) 2001 FC Jokerit 30 (4) 2001–2005 SC Heerenveen 101 (17) 2005–2008 PSV 29 (2) 2008–2011 SC Heerenveen 57 (11) 2011− Leeds United 7 (0) National team‡ 2002– Finland 56 (5) * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 13 September 2011.
† Appearances (Goals).
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 12 October 2011Mika Väyrynen (born 28 December 1981 in Eskilstuna, Sweden) is a Finnish footballer who plays for English Championship side Leeds United. He is a Finland international.
Contents
Club career
A box to box midfielder, Väyrynen played for FC Lahti and FC Jokerit in Finland's Veikkausliiga before joining the Netherlands' SC Heerenveen in 2001. After a stint in PSV Eindhoven, Väyrynen returned to SC Heerenveen in 2008. Väyrynen started his career with FC Lahti and joined FC Jokerit for the 2001 season.
Heerenveen
Midway through that year SC Heerenveen beat Inter to his signature, Väyrynen opting for the Dutch club in order to have a better chance of a regular place. He immediately broke into the Heerenveen side, though the switch from a summer to winter season meant he began to suffer from injury problems. However, in 2003/04 he became their key player in midfield, and ended up scoring 17 goals in 100 Eredivisie games.
PSV Eindhoven
In the summer of 2005 Väyrynen took the next step in his career by joining Dutch side PSV Eindhoven. "PSV is the best option for me. At Heerenveen I learned to play more simple football. I am not the player I was in Finland any more, tactically and physically especially I have grown a lot," said Väyrynen. He was brought in to replace Mark Van Bommel by PSV manager Guus Hiddink. He was, however, ruled out for much of the early 2005–06 season with an ankle injury. Väyrynen returned to action as a substitute on 17 December 2005 against Willem II, and immediately scored his first goal for PSV. He was not able to earn a regular starting place in the spring season, and mostly made substitute appearances, as PSV secured the Dutch title for the second year in a row.
Väyrynen was linked with a move to Rangers[1] and newly-promoted Premier League side Derby County as they looked to strengthen for the 2007–08 season. Väyrynen almost moved to Derby in August 2007, but the move collapsed because of a calf injury.
In the summer of 2008 however, he was again linked with Rangers F.C and an undisclosed Belgian team, believed to be Club Bruges. [2] He was also linked with Derby County for the second time on 22 July 2008, according to Derby's local radio, despite their relegation to the Championship.
Heerenveen
31 August 2008, two days before the closing of the transfer window, he was signed back to his previous club SC Heerenveen to a contract until 2011 with an option of one year more.[3][4] He picked up a knee injury in a January 2009 match against AFC Ajax, which ruled him out of play until the end of 2009. In his final season at SC Heerenveen he scored 9 league goals for the club in 30 games.
Leeds United
On 13 September 2011, Väyrynen, now a free agent, signed a on-year deal, with an option of a further year, with English Championship side Leeds United.[5] Väyrynen was rumoured to have been on the verge of signing for top Austrian franchise club FC Red Bull Salzburg at the time Leeds came in for him.[6][7]
In signing for Leeds United Väyrynen joined his international compatriot Mikael Forssell at Elland Road. Väyrynen made his first appearance in a Leeds squad on 20 September, he was named on the bench against fierce rivals Manchester United, and was brought on with his fellow countryman in the 52nd minute.[8] Vayrynen made his league debut as a substitute in the 3-3 draw against Brighton & Hove Albion on 23 September, coming on for the last nine minutes.[9] He made his Elland Road league debut against Portsmouth on 1 October, coming on as a second half substitute in a 1-0 win.[10] He made his first start for Leeds on 22 October, coming into the side for the injured Robert Snodgrass against Peterborough United.[11]
Vayrynen was ruled out for a few weeks when he had groin surgery which also ruled him out of some of the International Fixtures with Finland. [12]
International career
Väyrynen is a key player for the Finnish national team. He made his debut on 20 March 2002 against South Korea. Väyrynen's breakthrough for Finland came in June 2003, when he was the star performer in matches against Serbia and Montenegro and Italy. Väyrynen was also a key player for Finland at the 2001 FIFA World Youth Championship.
Career stats
Club
Club performance League Cup Continental Total Season Club League Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Finland League Finnish Cup Europe Total 1999-00 FC Lahti Veikkausliiga 15 1 15 1 2000–01 21 10 21 10 2001–02 FC Jokerit 30 4 30 4 Netherlands League KNVB Cup Europe Total 2001–02 SC Heerenveen Eredivisie 18 0 18 0 2002–03 22 4 22 4 2003–04 32 5 32 5 2004–05 29 8 29 8 2005–06 PSV Eindhoven 11 2 2 0 1 0 14 2 2006–07 17 0 4 0 8 1 29 1 2007–08 1 0 0 0 2 0 3 0 2008–09 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2008–09 SC Heerenveen 17 1 3 0 6 2 26 1 2009-10 10 1 1 0 3 1 14 2 2010-11 30 9 1 1 0 0 30 8 England League FA Cup Europe Total 2011-12 Leeds United Championship 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 Total Finland 66 15 66 15 Netherlands 187 30 11 1 20 4 205 31 England 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 Career total 240 41 11 1 20 4 272 46 International
- As of 12 October 2011[13]
Finland national team Year Apps Goals 2002 1 0 2003 7 0 2004 8 0 2005 2 0 2006 8 2 2007 6 0 2008 9 1 2009 0 0 2010 7 2 2011 8 0 Total 56 5 International goals
Finland's score first.
# Date Location Opponent Score Result Competition 1. 16 August 2006 
Helsinki
Northern Ireland1–2 Lose Friendly 2. 2 September 2006 
Bydgoszcz Poland3-1 Win UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying 3. 10 September 2008 Helsinki
Germany3-3 Draw 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification 4. 3 March 2010 
Ta'Qali Malta2-1 Win Friendly 5. 17 November 2010 Helsinki
San Marino8-0 Win UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying Honours
PSV
- Dutch Championship: 2005–06, 2006–07
- KNVB Cup: 1
-
- 2009
References
- ^ Rangers Target Mika Up For Sale (from Evening Times)
- ^ PSV put him on the transfer list and asked for £750,000 for him.
- ^ "Väyrynen keert terug bij sc Heerenveen". Sc-heerenveen.nl. http://www.sc-heerenveen.nl/web/show/id=42457/contentid=7950. Retrieved 2010-04-27.
- ^ "Mika Väyrynen palaa Heerenveeniin". MTV3.fi. 2008-08-31. http://www.mtv3.fi/urheilu/futis/uutiset.shtml/arkistot/futis/2008/08/694821. Retrieved 2010-04-27.
- ^ http://www.leedsunited.com/news/20110913/international-midfielder-signs_2247585_2449861
- ^ http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/sport/leeds-united/latest-whites-news/leeds_united_grayson_hails_new_signing_mika_vayrynen_pedigree_latest_1_3764498
- ^ http://www.thescratchingshed.com/2011/09/finnish-international-linked-with-leeds/?
- ^ "Leeds vs Man Utd". Leeds Official Website. 20 September 2011. http://www.leedsunited.com/news/20110920/carling-cup-live_2247585_2457062. Retrieved 20 September 2011.
- ^ "Brighton 3 - Leeds 3". LUFC. 23 Sept 2011. http://www.leedsunited.com/news/20110923/brighton-live_2247585_2460957.
- ^ "Leeds Vs Portsmouth". LUFC. 1 October 2011. http://www.leedsunited.com/news/20111001/portsmouth-live_2247585_2469041. Retrieved 1 October 2011.
- ^ "Peterborough United Vs Leeds". LUFC. 22 October 2011. http://www.leedsunited.com/news/20111022/peterborough-live_2247585_2489462. Retrieved 22 October 2011.
- ^ "FINN TO MISS TURF MOOR TRIP". LUFC. 17 November 2011. http://www.leedsunited.com/news/20111117/finn-to-miss-turf-moor-trip_2247585_2518822.
- ^ http://www.palloliitto.fi/maajoukkueet/miesten_a-maajoukkue/pelaajat/vayrynen_mika/
External links
- Mika Väyrynen – UEFA competition record
- Mika Väyrynen on Twitter
- (Finnish) Profile at FA of Finland's official website
- Mika Väyrynen Fansite
- Profile at ESPNsoccernet
- www.psvweb.nl profile
Leeds United A.F.C. – current squad 1 Lonergan · 2 Connolly · 3 Kisnorbo · 4 Bruce · 5 O'Brien · 7 Väyrynen · 8 Brown · 10 Becchio · 11 Sam · 12 Rachubka · 14 Howson · 15 Clayton · 16 Pugh · 18 Forssell · 19 Parker · 20 Núñez · 21 McCarthy · 22 Lees · 23 Snodgrass · 26 Bromby · 27 Somma · 28 White · 29 Thompson · 30 Cairns · 31 Taylor · 32 L. Turner · 38 Keogh · 44 McCormack · 48 O'Dea · Manager: Grayson
Categories:- 1981 births
- Living people
- People from Eskilstuna
- Finnish footballers
- Finland international footballers
- Association football midfielders
- FC Lahti players
- SC Heerenveen players
- PSV Eindhoven players
- Veikkausliiga players
- Eredivisie players
- Leeds United A.F.C. players
- Finnish expatriate footballers
- Expatriate footballers in the Netherlands
- Finnish expatriates in the Netherlands
- Expatriate footballers in England
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