The Football Association of Finland have confirmed that Mixu Paatelainen has become their new national team manager.
The 44-year old has agreed a contract which runs until the end of the 2016 European Championship qualifying campaign, leaving his post at Kilmarnock.
Paatelainen made a massive impact at Rugby Park after arriving in June 2010, leading Killie to fifth on the Scottish Premier League table where they stand at the present time.
Kilmarnock chairman Michael Johnston was full of praise for the job Paatelainen did at the club.
"Following careful consideration, Mixu has decided that the honour of managing his national team is one which he cannot refuse," said Johnston in a statement yesterday. "He will take up his duties with the Finnish FA with immediate effect.
"Mixu's short reign at Kilmarnock has witnessed a dramatic improvement in the club's fortunes in the SPL. Several club records have been broken, including longest scoring run in a league campaign. Our travelling support has been treated to a feast of attacking football which has yielded more goals than any other club away from home, bar one.
"Seldom can a manager have achieved legendary status in eight months, but the fans' slogan 'In Mixu we trust' says it all. None of this has been achieved by luck. Mixu's tireless work ethic, tactical awareness and depth of knowledge, underscored by a professional approach to all aspects of his work, have delivered his recent success. He is also a great motivator of those around him and all of the club's first team backroom staff will testify to this."