Mr Ivanauskas, up until now you have always been the Lithuanian football legend, now you are suddenly the Lithuanian national coach. How did that happen?
Valdas Ivanauskas: I’ve been a U19 coach since February, the results got worse in the summer and the association reacted. I was asked to take over until the end of the qualification in November.
The first three games in September did not go as expected. Their team lost 4-1 to Northern Ireland, 1-0 in Bulgaria and 5-0 in Italy.
And guess what? I haven’t even been to the stadium. On Monday I traveled to the national team and was tested – negative. On Wednesday, at the compulsory Uefa test, I was corona-positive. It was a slight shock: I am vaccinated and still fell ill. Although I also adhere to the rules meticulously.
What happened next?
I was isolated in the hotel and coached the first game from the hotel room on my cell phone. When the team went to Bulgaria and Italy, I went home to Kaunas. And gave instructions on my cell phone.
How have you been
I had a heavy head, nothing else. Sure because of the vaccination.
Let’s leave Corona aside. How dangerous can Lithuania be for Switzerland?
Well, I have to laugh a little now. Sure, we have a little more confidence now, but of course Switzerland are the clear favorites against us. She is the absolute number 1. For me, Switzerland has a great chance of taking part in the World Cup in Qatar next year – and that must be the goal for them too. After all, in terms of loss points, they are on the same level as Italy.
And how do you see the quality of the national team?
Simply great! Switzerland has a great team. It has an extremely high quality in terms of play and tactics. She showed that this summer at the Euro with the quarter-finals qualification.
How did you see Switzerland’s 2-0 win against Northern Ireland?
The yellow-red card against Northern Ireland before the break was very strange from the referee. But of course, Switzerland was the dominant team in this game. Switzerland had to act like this. She was already under pressure after the zero number in Belfast. On the other hand, the 0-0 win against Italy was strong.
How happy were you when Lithuania beat Bulgaria 3-1 last Saturday after nine bankruptcies in a row?
The 3-1 was a dream result. Especially how this result came about. We are very satisfied with that. The players now understand how to get three points.
What has changed among you?
I built in a few boys from the U21 and U19. But the state of the squad in September was catastrophic.
Why?
Because a lot of players had hardly any match practice. It’s a little better now. But our problem in the medium term remains the infrastructure here. We don’t even have a national stadium here, we play on artificial turf. If Switzerland comes, we must be ashamed of our stadium in Vilnius. But next year a new stadium should finally be opened in my hometown Kaunas, with real grass.
How’s the league?
It has a very low level. That’s why I tell all young players to go abroad. Sweden, Germany, Norway or Switzerland, whatever. There they get a better education than here. And it helps the character. Another problem is …
… You’re welcome.
At 16, 17 they don’t know what to do. You ask yourself: Am I studying? Am i going abroad? Can I live with football? I’m trying to tell them to try it. Lithuanians are capable of learning and want to work like Germans. The problem is the poor infrastructure – and that we stand far behind basketball, that is the national sport here. Many start doing this in puberty. But football remains the number 1 sport in the world.
This is Valdas Ivanauskas
Valdas Ivanauskas was born in Kaunas (Lithuania) in 1966. After a few years in Russia, he moved to Austria Vienna in 1990. He experienced his great years from 1993 to 1997 at Hamburger SV. There he also played with ex-Nati defender Stéphane Henchoz. “Ivan the Terrible” got his nickname because of several red cards.
In Hamburg he became a cult striker because he always worked until he dropped. Ivanauskas was a Lithuanian assistant coach, trained Carl Zeiss Jena in Germany, Heart of Midlothian in Scotland, Standard Sumqayit in Azerbaijan, Dila Gori in Georgia, SKA Khabarovsk in Russia and Zaglebie Sosnowiec in Poland.
In February 2021 he went to the Lithuanian U19 after a new president and a new general secretary took over in the association. This autumn he became national coach himself.
Valdas Ivanauskas was born in Kaunas (Lithuania) in 1966. After a few years in Russia, he moved to Austria Vienna in 1990. He experienced his great years from 1993 to 1997 at Hamburger SV. There he also played with ex-Nati defender Stéphane Henchoz. “Ivan the Terrible” got his nickname because of several red cards.
In Hamburg he became a cult striker because he always worked until he dropped. Ivanauskas was a Lithuanian assistant coach, trained Carl Zeiss Jena in Germany, Heart of Midlothian in Scotland, Standard Sumqayit in Azerbaijan, Dila Gori in Georgia, SKA Khabarovsk in Russia and Zaglebie Sosnowiec in Poland.
In February 2021 he went to the Lithuanian U19 after a new president and a new general secretary took over in the association. This autumn he became national coach himself.
How do you see the Swiss national team?
A fantastic team, a fantastic team spirit. You want to win something, you can feel that. You play with so much heart. Hats off to the trainer and the association. They are the clear favorites and the team is definitely one of the ten best in the world.
How can Lithuania trip up Switzerland?
Normally we don’t have a realistic chance. Maybe with compactness, discipline and few mistakes. We give everything.
Is national coach a short project for you?
We will see. We’ll meet in December.
Thanks for the time. Stay healthy.
Sorry, but now I am vaccinated and recovered. But for half a year I’m so sure. Whereby … In these times you never know.
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