Anssi Karjalainen
If Ari Lahti was 100% sure that Jarkko Wiss is the right man to continue as head coach, the option for next season would have already been exercised.
The negotiations between Jarkko Wiss and KuPS were frozen for a long time. Jussi Eskola / EPA / AOP
The situation sounds frankly absurd.
The team, which faced tough changes and even doubts, has to change its head coach after the Finnish championship. The new head coach gets the game under control. The team scores points at a deadly steady rate throughout the season and is at the top of the entire league a few rounds before the end of the season. Another consecutive championship is already in sight. During the same season, the team has also reached a historic achievement in the Euro competition and got access to substantial jackpots.
Fall is coming, but exercising the head coach’s contract option is far from clear.
Here is the story of Jarkko Wiss and KuPS this season, described in a nutshell.
Well, everything is not quite as black and white as it was published at the end of September Help Aition too the thing shows. According to the Kuopio office, there has at least been a disagreement about whether Wiss is the right person to lead the ship next season as well.
However, according to Iltalehti’s information, progress has been made in the matter: The negotiation connection between Wiss and the club management has opened. At least we can talk now.
A couple of weeks ago, KuPS CEO Tomi Erola was contacted by phone regarding the matter, but the referee did not want to comment a word on the coaching contract situation. Or even those possible negotiations.
– We will inform you when there is information to be given, Erola’s answer was heard.
According to the information, the KuPS players have been satisfied with Wiss.
Aitio said that Wiss has divided work responsibilities in the coaching team, which on the other hand sounds logical when Sixten Boström, Mika Lähderinne and Joonas Pöntinen have also been available.
During his Ilves years, Wiss reportedly received criticism for not sharing responsibility as he does now.
KuPS has been amazingly successful in scoring points and maintaining its strong playing mood in the fall. Europel have brought a clear additional load to the team, and among others Johannes Kreidl has fumbled between the posts.
The acquisitions have been successful. KuPS has received a very wide range of material for the fall, which enables recycling without a significant lowering of the level. Piotr Parzyszek from Poland has hit the post on average once every 91 minutes in the Veikkausliiga. It is enough when Agon Sadiku, Mohamed Toure and Joslyn Luyeye-Lutumba are also available at the attacking end.
In the Veikkausliiga, Otto Ruoppi, 19, has recorded the most minutes among field players. He is becoming the same diamond for KuPS as Matias Siltase was a year ago.
Among other things, the Dutch FC Groningen is interested in Otto Ruop, 19. Niklas Pehkonen / AOP
Siltanen left for Sweden with around one million euros after last season’s breakthrough. Ruoppi is a year older than Silta, but in his early twenties he is a very interesting player abroad.
Erola confirmed to IL that there have been inquiries about Ruop during the season. We are still waiting for concrete offers.
The same goes for Tourewhich KuPS cleverly secured with a longer contract during the season. Toure, 19, who scored 15 goals in all competitions, is the trump card of the Kuopio team in the January transfer window.
So KuPS is making money again, no matter the result from the euro fields. It is pleasant news for the main owner of the club, Ari Lahti, who is in charge. Erola was hired to take care of the financial side of KuPS, so that Lahti would not have to pay millions in losses from their own wallet every season.
If Lahti was 100% sure that Wiss is the right man to continue as head coach, the option for next season would have already been exercised.
It is palpable that some changes are taking place. Such a special opening was heard from sports director-assistant coach Boström Österbottens in Tidning a couple of weeks ago.
Sixten Boström (right) has worked as a sports director and assistant coach at KuPS at the same time. Jussi Eskola / EPA / AOP