© EuroFootball.com
In Lithuanian football - sparks of discord. The great atmosphere of the famous national team is one of the leaders, Marius Stankevicius, openly spoke about disagreements with the country's federation leaders.
Speaking in an interview with "Sport1" television, the defender also mentioned that the national team, sensationally lost to Liechtenstein, was not well prepared, and the blame for the fiasco should be taken not only by the much criticized footballers, but also the coach.
In the European Championship qualifying tournament, the Lithuanians were defeated 0-2 by Liechtenstein on Friday, and Stankevicius sat on the bench after the first half. Later, federation president Liutauras Varanavicius publicly, but indirectly, blamed him on one social media for the five goals the national team had conceded recently.
"A person has their own opinion, but it's more pleasant if it is said to your face. When there is fear to do so, it is said through other people," Stankevicius said. "I am not very interested in Varanavicius' opinion, as he does not know much about football. The federation president should do his job - the one he knows, and his success can be seen from the results."
Asked about his assessment of coach Raimondas Zutautas' work, the defender said: "At this level, more experience is needed. But for every football player and coach, there are no limits to improvement. We just saw the consequences - it's not just the players who make mistakes.
Lithuania does not yet know how to create football. We know how to counterattack, but not create, as that needs to be prepared. Is it right to play the same way against Spaniards, who attack you, and then use the same system against Liechtenstein? These are two different things, the game needs to be prepared differently."
Sports 1 broadcast about the national team's prospects and Stankevicius' interview:
