Football | KuPS chose Pasi Tuut’s own son, Simo Valakari, as his successor

From Kuopio Ball Club it took just under a week to decide that Pasi Tuutti, 43, is the next head coach of the men’s national team. KuPS terminated the head coach’s contract Simo Valakarin with last Friday, when Valakari wanted to coach abroad. Valakari became the head coach of the Latvian Auda.

Tuut’s head coach contract lasts until the end of the 2023 season.

Tuutti is from Kuopio by birth and raised by Kuopio Palloseura. According to KuPS, the choice was natural, because “Tuutti has been able to show his skills and passion over the last few years”.

Tuutti has worked as an assistant coach of the representative team in the 2020-2022 seasons.

“I am happy and satisfied that we found a head coach from Kuopio for KuPS. Pasi has developed as a coach in recent years and is now ready to take responsibility for the success of KuPS in the coming season”, commented the main owner of KuPS Oy in the press release about the selection of the head coach. Ari Lahti.

According to Tuut, the role of head coach in the Kuopio Football Club has been his dream for a long time.

“Getting this kind of opportunity in your own breeding club is of course a unique opportunity that rarely comes along. I am really grateful for the opportunity offered by the club. The support I have received from the players and the coaching team has been indescribable and feels really good. Now is the time to press the gas to the bottom and use the know-how of the entire team down to the last drawing,” Tuutti said in the press release.

“The goal is still to play such football that trophies will continue to be brought to Kuopio.”