KTP says it has canceled the contract with Jussi Leppälahti.
Jussi Leppälahti coached at KTP for almost two years as head coach. Matti Raivio / AOP
KTP from Kotka published surprising news on Wednesday evening at the time of the pole vault final, more precisely at 10:22 p.m. The head coach of the team Jussi Leppälahti was relieved of his duties and the new head coach will be announced during Thursday.
Leppälahti’s firing comes as a surprise in another way, in addition to the publication time. The coach and KTP only agreed four weeks ago on the option year, which would have kept Leppälahti in Kotka for the next season as well. Even at that time, people were very satisfied with the man.
– Last season we rose and now we have shown that we belong in the league. We believe that he will be able to take the club even further from the current level, KTP chairman Jukka Mustonen raved the coach in July.
Leppälahti took the helm of KTP last year and lifted the Kotka team back to the Veikkausliiga.
This season, Ahtaajat is staying in the lower final series to fight for a league place. The team is tenth in the Veikkausliiga. FC Lahti, which is behind, is one point away, having played less matches. IFK Mariehamn is Jumbo and five points behind Kotka.
The pride of the port city has won two of their last nine matches.