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Former Lithuanian national team coach Algimantas Liubinskas wished the new national team strategist Csaba Laszlo not to interfere with his work.
The specialist from Hungary made his debut in a series of four matches as head coach. After a successful start - a 0-0 draw with Russia - a painful 0-5 loss to Latvia followed, as well as an unsuccessful 0-1 defeat against Estonia, and a 1-1 draw with Belarus.
"It is too early to talk about the national team. A new coach has come with his own vision and is testing the players," Liubinskas told "EuroFootball.com". "We need to let him work and get acquainted with the players."
Liubinskas acknowledged that a local coach would inevitably face a barrage of criticism after such results: "A Lithuanian coaching the national team for such results would be thrown in the mud. If we had lost 0-5 to Latvia during my tenure... then even a draw would have been a tragedy."
About Laszlo's goal of qualifying for the 2016 European Championship, the coach spoke cautiously: "We need to see how all teams will look. It's difficult to speculate. But when we start shouting that we must qualify for the championship, nothing comes of it. Perhaps it is necessary to act quietly, keep such a goal inside, and not boast too much."
The upcoming European Championship will be a great opportunity for Liubinskas to see what trends in the game the teams of the Old Continent will demonstrate.
"For every football person, this is a huge celebration. It's a chance to see national teams, their playing trends, because so far we can only judge based on club championships. And their level, by collecting stars, sometimes even exceeds that of national teams," said the specialist.
"We will see if the Spaniards can change history and defend their title. Why not? True, I don't like to use the concept of favorites, so I'm talking about teams whose game impresses me: Spaniards, French, Germans, Dutch. England? It's hard to say. We'll see if new, young players can change something, especially when Wayne Rooney doesn't play in the first matches. After these matches, we will have at least some answers."
