Having lost its top spot in Ykkösen, TPS made a difficult decision considering the time and changed its coach.
Marko Rajamäki coached at Palloseura from 2010 to 2013. The next three seasons were spent at KuPS. Matti Raivio / AOP
The Turku Palloseura announced on Sunday, when the Balloliitto aptly celebrated coach’s day, that no Jonathan Johansson continue in the role of chief commander of the club. The reason for terminating the contract was not actually stated, but TPS’s recent actions in Ykkönen’s higher promotion series must have weighed on the decision.
A replacement for “Tinti” was quickly found. Worked in the club both as a player and as a coach Marko Rajamäki returns to save his beloved organization with a comprehensive contract for the rest of the season. Rajamäki played almost 350 matches in a TPS shirt and after his playing career served as the club’s head coach for the years 2010-2013, which included the Finnish Cup and League Cup championships.
Raised by TPS and appointed to its gallery of honor, Rajamäki was asked to reverse the course of the blacks and whites in Ykkösen. The club has won one of its last three games and lost twice, which gave the closest rival KTP the opportunity to run away to the top of the standings and four points behind Turku. There are two rounds left in the series.
– TPS contacted me. When I knew what the situation was for us people from Turku and Tepsi in our beloved company, I decided to accept the task. I firmly believe that it is possible to achieve the increase target, Rajamäki says in the TPS press release.
The winner of the first will advance to the Veikkausliiga for the next season without qualification. Places 2–4 will face each other in the qualifying matches, where Jaro from Pietarsaari and Ekenäs IF from Tammisaari are also advancing. Järvenpää’s Palloseura and Kokkola’s Pallo-Veikot are keeping up in the final series of six teams.
Rajamäki’s return to Palloseura officially takes place on Friday, when KPV arrives at Veritas Stadion as a guest.
– As a coach, I approach the matter in such a way that we make corrective moves in the game that I see as reasonable. The goal is to rise, i.e. the result is sought. We have to find the way to win the games in a relatively quick time frame. Now we have to find common ground with the players on what needs to be done in order to achieve the promotion goal, the head coach adds.