JUSSI Jaaskelainen is confident Wanderers will continue to progress as a Premiership force, provided new boss Sammy Lee is allowed to strengthen his squad this summer.

The Finland keeper, who has dominated the player of the year awards, believes the managerial upheaval of the past fortnight could prove to be a change for the better.

Jaaskelainen played a major role in helping Wanderers qualify for the UEFA Cup for the second time in three seasons but says there is no reason why the good times should not continue to roll at the Reebok.

"Sam Allardyce did an absolutely brilliant job here and, obviously, with him going, there are going to be changes," he said. "But I think those changes are going to be good for us.

"You always see changes at a football club and hopefully Sammy can now continue the good work he's been doing as a coach.

"He's been brilliant for the past two years and I wish him all the luck because he deserves his chance."

Jaaskelainen, ever present in his ninth season at the Reebok, says the consistency Wanderers have shown in recent years - finishing in the top eight for four successive seasons - is a sign of how far the club has progressed since reclaiming their place in the top flight six years ago.

"We have now made it twice into Europe in three seasons through the league - not through cup finals - and that is absolutely brilliant," he said.

"Hopefully we can build on this because I think we already have a very good squad. "Getting into the UEFA Cup again is massive for the club. Everybody sees we're going to be playing in Europe and that's going to attract better players and that's what we want. Hopefully we can keep this squad and get four or five more players to strengthen it. And, if we lose one or two, get one or two back in and add to that."

Jaaskelainen, already rated one of the best keepers in the Premiership, believes his best years are ahead of him and is hoping they will be spent at the Reebok. But he has yet to be told if he will be granted a testimonial to mark his 10 years at the club while talks over a new contract appear to have stalled.

"I have another year left on my contract so we'll just have to see what the board is going to say," he said on the testimonial issue.

"I love the club and I hope they take that into consideration and appreciate the work that I've done . . . but you never know.

"I think we have a great chance here. Of course there will be changes but every year there are changes. And, with Sammy Lee coming in there's going to be more changes than normal because he's going to bring in some of his own ideas.

"He's going to be a hard working man who is going to expect everyone to work hard.

"All I work for is to do well in my training and, hopefully, do well on Saturdays and I want to carry on doing that for the next four or five years here."

Jaaskelainen, who scooped many of the supporters' association awards, swept the board in the major honours at Sunday night's official honours celebration at the Reebok's Premier Suite.

He collected the overall player of the year trophy as well as the media award, but it was the players' player award that pleased him most.

"When you get the respect of your team-mates, that's all you want," he said.

"But the main thing is that we've finished in Europe, if we hadn't all this would have meant nothing.

"Trophies are nice, but, for me it's not about winning trophies, it's about the club being successful.

"Hopefully, we will carry on from this next year."