Niki Mäenpää

Niki Mäenpää
Personal information
Full name Niki Emil Antonio Mäenpää[1]
Date of birth (1985-01-23) 23 January 1985[2]
Place of birth Espoo, Finland
Height 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in)[3]
Playing position Goalkeeper
Club information
Current team
 Brighton & Hove Albion
Number 1
Youth career
1991-1996 Kasiysi
1997-2003 HJK
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2003–2006 RC Lens II 17 (0)
2006 → Telstar (loan) 0 (0)
2006–2009 FC Den Bosch 67 (0)
2009–2011 Willem II 18 (0)
2011–2012 AZ 0 (0)
2012–2015 VVV-Venlo 101 (0)
2015– Brighton & Hove Albion 1 (0)
National team‡
2003 Finland U18 5 (0)
2004 Finland U19 5 (0)
2005–2006 Finland U21 13 (0)
2008– Finland 26 (0)

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 23:22, 18 August 2016 (UTC).

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 30 July 2016

Niki Emil Antonio Mäenpää (born 23 January 1985), is a Finnish professional football goalkeeper who plays for English club Brighton & Hove Albion and represents the Finnish national team.[4] Mäenpää was born in Espoo, Finland. He began his senior club career playing for Lens Reserves, before signing with Den Bosch at age 21 in 2006.

Mäenpää made his international debut for Finland in June 2008, at the age of 23.

Club career

RC Lens

He started his senior career at Lens Reserves in 2003.[5] During winter 2006 transfer window, he joined Telstar on loan until the end of the season. He didn't feature in any Ligue 1 match in the first team of RC Lens. His contract with Lens expired on 30 June 2006.

FC Den Bosch

During summer 2006, he joined Dutch Eerste Divisie side FC Den Bosch on a free transfer. He made his breakthrough in season 2006-07 when he played 27 league matches. He made a total of 67 league appearances during 3 seasons. His contract with FC Den Bosch expired in summer 2009.

Willem II

In summer 2009, he joined Dutch Eredivisie side Willem II on a free transfer, making 18 league appearances. He left Willem II on summer 2011, by terminating his contract after they got relegated to Eerste Divisie.

AZ Alkmaar

On 3 October 2011, he joined AZ Alkmaar on a free transfer on a contract until the end of the season, joining compatriot and team captain Niklas Moisander.[6] However at AZ, he found himself demoted to third-choice, behind Esteban Alvarado and the veteran Erik Heijblok. He left the club after only one season, without making a single appearance for the AZ's first team.

VVV-Venlo

On 29 May 2012 it was announced that Mäenpää had signed a three-year contract with fellow Eredivisie side VVV-Venlo.[7] The fans voted him as best Venlo player of the season 2013-14.[8] In the summer of 2015 Niki Mäenpää left VVV Venlo on a free transfer after his contract expired [9]

Brighton & Hove Albion

On 6 July 2015 it was announced that Mäenpää had signed a contract with English side Brighton & Hove Albion following his release from VVV-Venlo.[10] He made his Brighton & Hove Albion league debut in the 3-0 victory over Rotherham at the Amex in 16th August 2016.[11]

International career

Mäenpää was 18 years old on 1 April 2003 when he debuted in Finland´s youth team in a match against Sweden in Malmö. He played his first game in Finland national under-21 football team 30 March 2004 in Corradino in a match against Malta. He gained 13 caps in Finland U21-team.

He made his debut for the Finnish national team on 2 June 2008 in a friendly match in Veritas Stadion, Turku against Belarus when Stuart Baxter chose him to the starting line up.[12] During 2012 he established himself as a regular in the Finland national team and gained 6 caps.[13] He played his first FIFA World Cup qualification game on 12 October 2012 in Helsinki Olympic Stadium when Mixu Paatelainen chose him to starting eleven in a match against Georgia.[14] He played one of his best games in March 2013 when Finland got a surprising 1–1 away draw against Spain in the 2014 World Cup qualifying.

Career statistics

Club

[15][16][17]

As of 25 September 2016
Club Season Division League Cup League Cup Europe Total
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
HJK Helsinki
2003 Veikkausliiga 0000--0050
HJK Helsinki Total 0000--0000
RC Lens B
2003–04 CFA 3000--0030
2004–05 CFA 14000--00140
2005–06 CFA 0000--0000
RC Lens B Total 17000--00170
Den Bosch
2006–07 Eerste Divisie 27000--00270
2007–08 Eerste Divisie 33000--00330
2008–09 Eerste Divisie 7000--0070
Den Bosch Total 67000--00670
Willem II
2009-10 Eredivisie 6000000060
2010-11 Eredivisie 120100000130
Willem II Total 180100000190
AZ Alkmaar
2011–12 Eredivisie 0000--0000
AZ Alkmaar Total 0000000000
VVV-Venlo
2012-13 Eredivisie 330300000360
2013-14 Eerste Divisie 330400000370
2014-15 Eerste Divisie 350200000370
VVV-Venlo Total 10109000001100
Brighton & Hove Albion
2015-16 Championship 0010200030
2016-17 Championship 1000300040
Brighton & Hove Albion Total 1010500070
Career Total 2040110500022000

International

As of 21 February 2015
Finland national team
YearAppsGoals
200820
200920
201000
201100
201260
201390
201450
Total240

References

  1. ↑ "EFL: Retained list: 2015/16" (PDF). English Football League. p. 11. Retrieved 26 June 2016.
  2. ↑ "PLAYER PROFILES 1 NIKI MAENPAA". seagulls.co.uk. Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club. Retrieved 11 March 2016.
  3. ↑ "PLAYER PROFILES 1 NIKI MAENPAA". seagulls.co.uk. Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club. Retrieved 11 March 2016.
  4. ↑ "Niki Mäenpää" (in Finnish). Suomen Palloliitto. Retrieved 1 November 2014.
  5. ↑ "FootballSquads - Lens - 2003/04". FootballSquads. Retrieved 1 November 2014.
  6. ↑ http://www.az.nl/index.php?id=27&newsid=262977&folderid=222
  7. ↑ Suomen maajoukkuevahti Hollannin pääsarjaseuraan (Finnish international goalkeeper continues at Eredivisie) (Finnish)
  8. ↑ http://www.venlonaren.net/2014/05/30/maenpaa-gekozen-tot-beste-speler-van-het-seizoen-2013-2014/
  9. ↑ http://www.lensois.com/2015/06/niki-maenpaa-tres-sollicite-pour-le-mercato/
  10. ↑ "Brighton sign Finland goalkeeper Niki Maenpaa". BBC Sport. 6 July 2015. Retrieved 16 August 2015.
  11. ↑ "MAENPAA'S SEIZED OPPORTUNITY". Brighton and Hove Albion Football Club. 17 August 2016. Retrieved 24 September 2016.
  12. ↑ "Suomi venyi tasapeliin - katso pelin eteneminen minuutti minuutilta" (in Finnish). YLE Urheilu. 2 June 2008. Retrieved 28 December 2014.
  13. ↑ "Finland (2012)". National Football Teams. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
  14. ↑ "Eremenko junior ulos, Suomi puristi vajaalla tasapeliin" (in Finnish). YLE Urheilu. 12 October 2012. Retrieved 28 December 2014.
  15. ↑ http://www.national-football-teams.com/player/21437/Niki_Maeenpaeae.html
  16. ↑ http://nr.soccerway.com/players/niki-maenpaa/49565/
  17. ↑ http://www.soccerbase.com/players/player.sd?player_id=51279
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