KuPS, which celebrated the double championship in the fall, is preparing for the new season under the leadership of its new head coach Jarkko Wiss.
Simo Leinonen,
Jukka Eskanen
KuPS’s last season culminated in the Finnish championship in front of nearly 9,000 spectators. The championship was strongly personified by the head coach Jani to Honkavaarawho led KuPS to SM gold in 2019 as well.
After Honkavaara moved elsewhere, the eyes of the people of Kuopio are focused on the new head coach Jarkko to Wisswho is aware of expectations for success.
– Pressure develops and it belongs to professional sports, says Wiss.
Wiss was fired at the end of the second season from FC Inter following a harassment scandal. Last season he did not coach anywhere.
The contract with KuPS was announced in August, and Wiss held his first training sessions at the Kuopio club at the end of November.
– The goal is to make a result. At the same time, you have to be successful in the Veikkausliiga and in Europe. In addition, you have to get young players to perform to your advantage. Last season, many young players broke through, Wiss lists.
Championship team changes?
One of the breakthrough makers was only 17 years old Matias Siltanenwho was chosen as the rookie of the year at the closing gala of domestic football. The bridge is being heavily exported abroad for next season.
The players of KuPS also cleaned the prize table at the Captain’s Ball gala. Petteri Pennanen was chosen as league player of the year, Johannes Kreidl as the best goalkeeper and Jani Honkavaara as coach of the year.
Pennase and Kreidli have contracts with KuPS for next season as well. According to head coach Wiss, there are still 5–7 players in the search. There are currently 19 contracted players.
– I don’t think this is even close to the formation we will play in the European games. We have a few key players from last season still without a contract and some are wanted abroad.
– We have such a calm search for players. We are aware of what is needed, but we don’t play around with decisions, says Wiss.
Confirmations are applied for almost every venue.
– We need a central defender who is good at opening the game. Fast and one that defends a big space. We need full-backs who are really good at breaking through and centering or good at defending one-on-one situations.
– We should get a good two-way player in the midfield. And on top of that, what everyone is looking for, the goal stick. It’s not easy to find.
That’s it, Christmas gift wishes for KuPS sports management. There are no radical changes to the way the reigning Finnish champion plays.
– We want to play good football and take care of the ball. We want to be aggressive in changing situations in both directions. The basic idea regarding the defense is pretty much the same as before. The final game idea is confirmed when we know who we have at our disposal during the summer.
We go hard in training
The KuPS players have been able to get to know Wiss’s training for just under a month. One thing has come up. Do not slack off in training.
– Good first impression. Going hard, all the time. A little different training than at home, moved from FC Lahti to Kuopio Samuel Pasanen tells.
– It’s been a rough start. If you can handle the long days here, you can handle it in the summer, Saku Savolainen states.
According to Wiss, you have to train hard during the winter training period.
– There is a lot of time here. The winter period is long. Let’s make sure that we are in such a condition that we can actually start training.
– The goal is that all players are ready when the Veikkausliiga season starts. We need rotation. I don’t think anyone can play three games a week in the opener. Extensive material is needed, and winter is the time to prepare players for it.