Football Season Guide

VPS sneaked into the top 6 last season. They enjoyed a decent play-off run too and improved to fifth place in the final standings. Had an 11-game unbeaten run in mid-summer. Scored plenty of goals too. Mads Borchers netted 10 goals in his first season at the club. The big issues were in defence. No other top 6 team conceded more than VPS’s 45 goals in 27 games. Captain Mikko Pitkänen missed a lot of the year injured and not surprisingly he was sold this winter. Only 2 other regulars left VPS so far. Both were replaced well. The fifth-year manager Nuorela is the longest serving coach in Veikkausliiga. He doesn’t change his style or formation and forces the players to fit in it. Interesting storyline could develop this season with both of Nuorela’s sons (Josep and Luka) now promoted to the first team. Their father hints he won’t be using them much but still it will be interesting to see how this father-sons dynamic progresses. In his second year in Finland striker Borchers has every chance to improve on his 10 goals in 2024. Aussie forward Smyth, arrived only last September, should get much more exposure too this year. Maissa Fall was signed to replace Bashkirov in midfield. If anything the Ghanaian is a much more attack-minded player so VPS should look even more dangerous this season. Concerns remain regarding the defence but with 4 experienced centre-backs, duo of solid goalies and even deeper options at the wing-back roles (Reid and Dekker are new additions there) VPS have every chance to offer improved defensive record in 2025.