Janne Palomäki
KuPS continued with last year’s recipe for success, writes Janne Palomäki.
(updated )
Jarkko Wiss (left) and Sixten Boström formed a balanced coaching tandem at the helm of KuPS. Jussi Eskola / EPA / AOP
KuPS is Veikkausliiga champion 2025!
In the case of the Yellow Blacks, we can already speak of a dynasty. When HJK, which is rampant in Finnish football with superior resources, is not taken into account, you have to rewind 18 years in history before you find the previous team that has won two consecutive championships.
Of course it was Tampere United, where Jarkko Wiss, who is ending his playing career, acted as the midfield conductor.
Wiss’s career can take the same bumps as Tampere United, who were kicked out of football due to a money laundering scandal.
But unlike Blue Black, Wiss has risen from the ashes to new glory.
Of course, Wiss can thank the KuPS management for their kindness. Not many organizations would have hired a coach accused of harassing a female employee as the face of their club.
– We have a clear picture of what happened at that time. We have had a value discussion with Wiss, and we will not accept similar behavior, KuPS boss Tomi Erola outlined when the contract was published.
– At the same time, we believe that a person cannot be condemned for the rest of his life because of one mistakeErola continued.
Wiss was hurt so badly by the harassment scandal that he should definitely send a letter of thanks to both Erola and last year’s champion coach Jani Honkavaara, whose decision to leave for Stockholm released the KuPS pest from Tampere.
Ibrahim Cissé and Agon Sadiku of KuPS can already start the championship celebrations. PDO
Of course, KuPS was an easy team to coach in that way it had a clear football identity and the players were excellently trained both physically and tactically.
Wiss joined the train that was already moving at top speed.
Still, KuPS still played the regular season as if the handbrake was on. The Yellow and Blacks were only fourth after 22 rounds of matches, and even the persistently unsuccessful HJK was above that.
The pace only started to pick up when Piotr Parzyszek, who was found in Belgium’s second division, joined Keltamusti at the beginning of August.
Of the following 13 league matches, KuPS lost only one (to Ilves on September 14) and progressed nicely to the group stage of the Conference League as well.
Sports director Sixten Boström has certainly sparred with Wiss in coaching matters, but he has definitely earned his gold medal just by finding Parzyszek.
In addition, he represents the continuity of the Honkavaara–Boström line in KuPS coaching.
Next season, Kuopio will probably have to learn to live without the super talented Otto Ruoppi and Mohamed Touré.
Wiss will be allowed to continue as head coach after this work sample, but what will Boström, who has been hanging on a loose log for a long time, do?
KuPS lost Honkavaara and teenage sensation Matias Siltanen after last season. Still, it kept its crown.
It speaks of continuity, the value of which is hard to overemphasize.
KuPS won the championship thanks to its strong autumn. Gold medals were awarded alternately to Inter, Ilves and finally also to the people from Kuopio.
When it didn’t work for the others, KuPS, who steadily collected points, became number one. From the nine matches of the upper final series, it received the full point pot six times and collected a total of 20 points.
At the other end of the fitness scale is HJK, which is still winless in the upper final series.
This season will certainly be remembered for KuPS’ well-deserved championship, but above all it will be remembered again for HJK’s incredible mix.
Nevertheless, the Club is again the biggest champion favorite when the 2026 season starts.
If only someone there would understand the importance of continuity for success.