Tuominen, who transferred to KuPS, has experienced the historic Finnish joy and the pain of a bad injury.
In recent years, few Finnish football players have experienced such a moment of charm and such a deep disappointment as the striker Jasse Tuominen27.
The moment of joy came in November 2019, when Huuhkajat claimed their entry to the EC final tournament. Tuominen scored the opening goal in the Liechtenstein match that secured the tournament spot and was one of the big heroes of the Huuhkajie’s historic night.
The following fall, Tuominen’s football world darkened when he suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury in his then club team, Swedish Häcken. The injury also watered down a possible invitation to Finland’s EC final tournament team. Tuominen did not return to the games until August 2021.
– All in all, it was a really strange year, as it was also a corona year. Then another knee went in the second half of the season. It was heavy in its own way. I had already experienced it once, so maybe I knew how to prepare for it, recalls Tuominen, who suffered from a bad knee injury earlier in his career.
“The direction has been right”
Now, after his years abroad, Tuominen has returned to his home fields, as he signed a contract with KuPS for the duration of the current season. Tuominen, who is from Lahti, has previously played in the domestic league for FC Lahti.
The men’s football league season starts on Wednesday of this week, and last season’s silver group KuPS hosts Inter.
– I have stayed really well this winter. At times there has been a bit of searching, but the direction has been right, and we have been improving all the time, Tuominen characterizes his own and the entire team’s preparation for the league season.
The players from Kuopio have changed quite a lot compared to last season, but KuPS is in many estimations with HJK’s number one threat, Honga.
Tuominen has not been a wild goal gun in his career. At his best, he has scored ten goals in the domestic league, in the 2016 season in FC Lahti. In the men’s national team, Tuominen has scored one hit in his 15 games.
– Of course, I have come here to make efforts, but I don’t really feel any pressure about it. I’m more just excited and motivated to show.
The value of the tall and fast Tuominen is not calculated only in goals, because he is a Conscientious presser, works a lot on the field and is capable of strong speed transfers.
In the other opening round games on Wednesday, HJK will host Honka, IFK Mariehamn from Ilves, KTP AC Oulu, SJK Haka and VPS FC Lahte.