The 1987 Mestaruussarja ended with Kuusysi achieving silver. They were three points behind champions HJK Helsinki. At the end of the year Voutilainen was sacked, and a new manager, Antti Muurinen was brought in, although initially the club had approached Martti Kuusela. Before he was sacked, Voutilainen had stated that he was disappointed in the team, and after that the club decided that Voutilainen's best years as a manager were already in the past. The club was experiencing pressures in local competition, when Reipas was performing better with a young, promising player named Jari Litmanen.