Kuopio Palloseura is one of Veikkausliiga’s strongest medal favorites. KuPS has become accustomed to success in recent years and the championship will be in the binoculars at the 100th anniversary club next year.
1.4. 16: 03 • Updated 1.4. 16:53
Kuopio Palloseura is one of the biggest medal favorites of the football season. KuPS’s medal balance in recent years is handsome. In the 2017–21 season, the club has won the championship and received two silver and two bronze medals.
Kuopio Palloseura is now playing for the second time as head coach Simo Valakarin under the heel of. Last season, the championship was only a point away. Now KuPS is again HJK’s number one challenger.
– We want to be playing for the championship until the end. Will it come, no one can know yet. We are involved in the fight and KuPS wants to give its supporters a lot of happy moments, says Valakari.
The wide player body brings options to the field
Captain of KuPS Henri Toivomäki is the oldest player on his team at the age of 31. The KuPS captain, who is playing in Kuopio for the second consecutive season, is aiming for gold.
– The team is even more diverse. We play entertaining football and there are a lot of good attacks in the games. Three points from the game is the most important thing and at the end of the season there is guaranteed to be a prize when we play well, says Toivomäki.
KuPS has an extensive team and the field sees players from ten different countries. Henri Toivomäki brings out two players from his new face.
– Brazilian Bispo is a real dynamic and technical as well as a good ball exploiter. Ghanaian Clinton is very moving and he puts the ball into the goal.
Striker Tim Vayrynen scored nine goals for KuPS last season, even though he only joined the team in August. The 29-year-old goalie is confident in the condition of his team, even though the winter season has been quite broken.
– The last few weeks have been a good exercise. The strength of KuPS is its strong player personalities. There is fierce competition for places in the opening line-up. Even if any player is put on the field, the result is good, Väyrynen estimates.
– A wide range of players is a big strength for us. We are able to recycle players without dropping a level. That’s a big advantage for a long season, says Henri Toivomäki.
The goal situation for KuPS is excellent. Has been on the sidelines for a long time last season due to injury Otso Virtanen sue the Austrian guard Johannes Kreidlin. The third goalkeeper is a young promise Hemmo Riihimäki.
Head coach Simo Valakari considers his trio of goalkeepers to be the best in the series. Also a defender Saku Savolainen has recovered from last season’s bad injury. Savolainen is already training with the team and will have his chance at some point through.
How will the audience return to the auditoriums?
Operating on a million-euro player budget, KuPS hopes the audience will find it in the auditorium after a couple of corona years. The club’s audience target for home matches is 2,700 spectators.
The opening of the football season can also be seen in the street view of Kuopio. The Sister Girl statue next to the market hall is decorated with a KuPS scarf.
– We have a diverse team and a nice field. We are able to react well to different situations by changing players and changing the game system, Valakari thinks.
Ku Väs’ paint probe Tim Väyrynen is excited about the start of the season. The long winter season is finally behind and the point hunt will start on Saturday against Inter at home.
– The series is tight. Honka, Inter and SJK have improved their game. We need to get everyone to snag well and roll the game. With aggressive football that wins attack, we will definitely take wins, says Väyrynen.