Mathias Tepe

Right Back - RoPS
24 Sep 2028
Sunday
Process

Marked for Mathias Tepe

110 Edition

The RoPS Herald

4 Sep 2028
From our football correspondent Uneasy

Market

Emil Viyachki asks to leave RoPS

“I have given everything here and I need a new challenge.” The request is formal, and the relationship will never be quite the same again.

Match

No end in sight to RoPS's wait for a win

4 matches now without a victory, and the excuses have worn thinner than the patience. Somebody at RoPS has to find a result from somewhere.

Match

RoPS cannot find the net

4 games without scoring. Strikers stop looking up, midfielders take the extra touch, and every shot that clears the bar is followed by a groan that has been building since the last goal.

Squad

Adam Mekki in a row with a teammate

It was not about football and everybody who saw it knows that. Two men who have to play together on Saturday said things at RoPS this week that will take longer than a week to unsay.

Squad

Words at RoPS training over how hard people work

Somebody said out loud what several people had been thinking. Finn Heiserholt is at the centre of it, and the squad will now find out whether the standard rises or the pair of them simply stop speaking.

The terraces

RoPS supporters have found a favourite in Miilo Pitkänen

There is a particular warmth a ground reserves for a 22-year-old it feels ownership of. Miilo Pitkänen has it now, and everything he does for the rest of his time here will be measured against the goodwill he was handed for free.

Squad

No hiding place for Santiago Herrera

“I pick players who do the work. All of it.” No name was spoken; every camera still turned to Santiago Herrera, and the manager let it.

Squad

Mathias Tepe wants to go home

“I have given this everything, but my family is not here and neither am I, not really.” A footballer can be coached out of bad form. Nobody has ever been coached out of this, and RoPS know it.

Player ratings

Nobody could get near Adam Mekki

Successful dribbles: 13. Every time he got the ball somebody had to make a decision, and every time the decision was wrong.

In brief

Back issues
100 Edition

The RoPS Herald

26 Jun 2028
From our football correspondent Steady

Squad

Adam Mekki in a row with a teammate

It was not about football and everybody who saw it knows that. Two men who have to play together on Saturday said things at RoPS this week that will take longer than a week to unsay.

Squad

The manager makes an example of Jimi Tauriainen

“If you cannot run for the shirt, somebody else will wear it.” No name was used and none was needed; every player in that room knew who it was for.

Match

Tomas Varhi sends RoPS past VPS

It finished 1‑0, and it was Tomas Varhi’s afternoon: on the scoresheet when it mattered, and the reason the points belong to RoPS.

Squad

Words at RoPS training over how hard people work

Somebody said out loud what several people had been thinking. Finn Heiserholt is at the centre of it, and the squad will now find out whether the standard rises or the pair of them simply stop speaking.

Squad

Mathias Tepe wants to go home

“I have given this everything, but my family is not here and neither am I, not really.” A footballer can be coached out of bad form. Nobody has ever been coached out of this, and RoPS know it.

Player ratings

Nobody could get near Roni Polat

Successful dribbles: 13. Every time he got the ball somebody had to make a decision, and every time the decision was wrong.

In brief

93 Edition

The RoPS Herald

8 May 2028
From our football correspondent Steady

Squad

Emil Viyachki signs on for more

“Some decisions take a long time. This one took ten minutes, and most of that was finding a pen.” Emil Viyachki and RoPS agree another 2 years.

Squad

Tempers go at RoPS

Emil Viyachki was at the centre of it, and by the time it was pulled apart there were three or four others involved. Training grounds are small places and long seasons make them smaller.

Squad

Finn Heiserholt falls out with a teammate over standards

The oldest argument in any dressing room and the only one that is genuinely about football: one man thinks another is not putting enough in. It is also the row a manager privately does not mind having happened.

Squad

Damian Byrtek gets it from the manager

“Nobody here is above being told.” It was not said with a name attached, but the dressing room can count, and so can everybody who was listening.

Market

Oskari Haanpää is free to find somewhere else

“I was told straight, and I would rather have it straight.” The manager at RoPS has been clear about where Oskari Haanpää stands, which is more than many ever get.

Player ratings

Nobody could get near Juuso Polvi

Successful dribbles: 12. Every time he got the ball somebody had to make a decision, and every time the decision was wrong.

In brief

  • Match Point won or two lost for RoPS?
  • Market RoPS put Mathias Tepe up for sale
  • Boardroom The RoPS production line keeps running
92 Edition

The RoPS Herald

1 May 2028
From our football correspondent Steady

Squad

Lassi Järvenpää: that is not what I was promised

“Things were said to me before I signed. I am not going to repeat them, but I remember all of them.” RoPS have not answered, which is an answer of sorts.

Market

Rashed Issam puts it in writing

“This is not anger. I have thought about it for months, and nothing that has happened lately changed my mind.” The request is on a desk at RoPS, and it is not being withdrawn.

Squad

Emil Viyachki in a row with a teammate

It was not about football and everybody who saw it knows that. Two men who have to play together on Saturday said things at RoPS this week that will take longer than a week to unsay.

The terraces

RoPS supporters have found a favourite in Juuso Polvi

There is a particular warmth a ground reserves for a 23-year-old it feels ownership of. Juuso Polvi has it now, and everything he does for the rest of his time here will be measured against the goodwill he was handed for free.

Squad

The manager makes an example of Emil Viyachki

“If you cannot run for the shirt, somebody else will wear it.” No name was used and none was needed; every player in that room knew who it was for.

Match

Juuso Polvi the difference as RoPS beat KuPS

Ask anyone on the way out what separated the sides and you will get one name: Juuso Polvi. 1‑0 against KuPS, and the applause at the whistle was mostly his.

Player ratings

Ninety minutes of Juuso Polvi at his very best

Marked 8.41. Players have careers without a single afternoon like this in them, and he has just had one in front of everybody at RoPS.

Player ratings

Nobody could get near Adam Mekki

Successful dribbles: 17. Every time he got the ball somebody had to make a decision, and every time the decision was wrong.

Squad

Mathias Tepe wants to go home

“I have given this everything, but my family is not here and neither am I, not really.” A footballer can be coached out of bad form. Nobody has ever been coached out of this, and RoPS know it.

In brief

81 Edition

The RoPS Herald

14 Feb 2028
From our football correspondent Steady

Squad

Lassi Järvenpää keeps the receipts

“I remember the meeting. I remember exactly what was promised in it.” RoPS may remember it differently, which is precisely the problem.

Market

Erik Riška puts it in writing

“This is not anger. I have thought about it for months, and nothing that has happened lately changed my mind.” The request is on a desk at RoPS, and it is not being withdrawn.

Squad

Tempers go at RoPS

Emil Viyachki was at the centre of it, and by the time it was pulled apart there were three or four others involved. Training grounds are small places and long seasons make them smaller.

Squad

Finn Heiserholt falls out with a teammate over standards

The oldest argument in any dressing room and the only one that is genuinely about football: one man thinks another is not putting enough in. It is also the row a manager privately does not mind having happened.

Squad

Home is on Mathias Tepe's mind

“Some mornings you wake up and you are still a long way from everything you know.” It is not the football and it never was; RoPS are dealing with a man who wants a different country.

Market

KTP expected to open talks for Mikko Rantala

Both sides expect a conversation in the coming days. RoPS will name a price, and everything after that is arithmetic.

In brief

  • Market Tatu Lakela leaves for nothing
  • Boardroom The RoPS board put their names to it
59 Edition

The RoPS Herald

13 Sep 2027
From our football correspondent Steady

Squad

Saman Karimi: that is not what I was promised

“Things were said to me before I signed. I am not going to repeat them, but I remember all of them.” RoPS have not answered, which is an answer of sorts.

Market

Jonne Koistinen hands in a written request

“I have nothing bad to say about this place. I just need to be somewhere else.” It is in writing now, which changes what RoPS can pretend not to have heard.

Squad

Words at RoPS training over how hard people work

Somebody said out loud what several people had been thinking. Bo Hegland is at the centre of it, and the squad will now find out whether the standard rises or the pair of them simply stop speaking.

In brief

46 Edition

The RoPS Herald

14 Jun 2027
From our football correspondent Upbeat

Squad

Mikko Rantala breaks a bone — 81 days out

Brutal, unambiguous and, for all the horror of the moment, usually less career-shaped than the ligament everybody fears more. 81 days, a clean timeline, and a return date somebody can actually plan around.

Player ratings

Nobody could get near Bo Hegland

Successful dribbles: 29. Every time he got the ball somebody had to make a decision, and every time the decision was wrong.

Market

Miilo Pitkänen puts it in writing

“This is not anger. I have thought about it for months, and nothing that has happened lately changed my mind.” The request is on a desk at RoPS, and it is not being withdrawn.

Match

Still nobody has beaten RoPS

The unbeaten run reaches 6. Some of them were wins and some were escapes, but a side that refuses to lose is a side other dressing rooms talk about.

Squad

Bo Hegland falls out with a teammate over standards

The oldest argument in any dressing room and the only one that is genuinely about football: one man thinks another is not putting enough in. It is also the row a manager privately does not mind having happened.

Squad

Tempers go at RoPS

Emil Viyachki was at the centre of it, and by the time it was pulled apart there were three or four others involved. Training grounds are small places and long seasons make them smaller.

Match

Onni Suutari the difference as RoPS beat SJK

Ask anyone on the way out what separated the sides and you will get one name: Onni Suutari. 1‑0 against SJK, and the applause at the whistle was mostly his.

Player ratings

Onni Suutari stands above it all

Some games turn on a moment; this one turned on a man. 7.84 on the card, and the RoPS support went home talking about one name.

Squad

Mathias Tepe wants to go home

“I have given this everything, but my family is not here and neither am I, not really.” A footballer can be coached out of bad form. Nobody has ever been coached out of this, and RoPS know it.

In brief

29 Edition

The RoPS Herald

15 Feb 2027
From our football correspondent Uneasy

Squad

Simo Roiha damages knee ligaments — 106 days out

The words a physio says slowly. 106 days is what the club will announce and everybody who has heard this diagnosis before knows the number is the least of it: the knee comes back before the player does.

Squad

A fracture rules Lassi Järvenpää out for 101 days

Bones knit. That is the one merciful thing about this injury and the reason RoPS will talk about it more openly than they would about a knee. He will be back, and roughly when they say.

Squad

Tempers go at RoPS

Emil Viyachki was at the centre of it, and by the time it was pulled apart there were three or four others involved. Training grounds are small places and long seasons make them smaller.

Squad

Juho Lähteenmäki falls out with a teammate over standards

The oldest argument in any dressing room and the only one that is genuinely about football: one man thinks another is not putting enough in. It is also the row a manager privately does not mind having happened.

Market

RoPS buy the years ahead of Roni Polat

He is 20, and the scouting reports agree on the only line that matters: the ceiling. Signings like this are lottery tickets written by professionals.

Market

Benjamin Simsek is free to find somewhere else

“I was told straight, and I would rather have it straight.” The manager at RoPS has been clear about where Benjamin Simsek stands, which is more than many ever get.

In brief

  • Market Experience through the door at RoPS
  • Market RoPS shop where it costs nothing